The Nippon Professional Baseball season, which has been delayed by the coronavirus pandemic, will begin June 19, the league announced on Monday.
The decision comes after the government’s advisory panel approved the plan to end Japan's nationwide state of emergency for the five prefectures still under the order, including Tokyo and Hokkaido, earlier in the day.
The 2020 campaign will begin without fans in attendance, though the league will continue to monitor the situation in hopes of allowing spectators into ballparks later in the summer.
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