Japan's top-tier football league to resume on July 4

Japan Professional Football League says matches to be held without spectators amid coronavirus threat

By Emre Asikci

ANKARA (AA) - The Japan Professional Football League (J-League) announced Friday that matches will resume in early July without fans.

"J.LEAGUE announced to resume the MEIJI YASUDA J1 LEAGUE on 4 July and the MEIJI YASUDA J2 LEAGUE on 27 June. The MEIJI YASUDA J3 LEAGUE will also start on 27 June," J-League said on its website.

"The matches will be held without spectators but the league will continue preparations to allow spectators to the stadiums in the future, taking into account the situation with the COVID-19 in the country," it added.

It also said that the resumption date of the 2020 Levain Cup has yet to be finalized and will be confirmed as soon as possible.

Football games in the country were postponed on Feb. 26, and the pandemic also forced a one-year delay in the Tokyo Summer Olympics.

Japan has reported 886 deaths and 16,673 affected people so far, according to data compiled by the US' Johns Hopkins University.

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