In a show of cautious optimism considering the resurgent number of coronavirus infections in a nation that has seriously avoided testing, Atsushi Saito, the commissioner of Nippon Professional Baseball on Monday told reporters Japan’s two leagues would look to admit fans to its parks from July 10, the Hochi Shimbun reported Monday.

Link to my NPB coronavirus timeline.

After meeting online in a liaison conference with counterparts from pro soccer’s J-League and public health experts, Saito said that, government guidance permitting, up to 5,000 fans will be admitted to games from July 10.

“We believe we will be able to open the doors to fans from July 10,” Saito told reporters in an online press conference, four days after NPB’s 12 teams began their regular season three months late due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

If conditions permit, the clubs hope to admit crowds up to half of their parks capacity from Aug. 1.

Confirmed new infections in Japan by date

Confirmed new infections in Japan bottomed out around 20 on May 25, when the government announced the state of emergency would be lifted nationwide, and NPB announced its season would start on June 19. Since then the daily new infection rates have rebounded slightly to 40 to 60 per day.

Although a majority of people are still wearing masks, restaurants, food shops, and bars that had been shuttered or empty are now filling up, with people crowded together.

All NPB players, team and field staff were tested prior to Opening Day and no new infections were announced.

Japan’s principle means of interdicting new cases is not increased testing as was promised after the Olympics were postponed in March but to restrict entry to Japan to citizens. Non-citizens, including permanent residents, some who have lived their entire lives in Japan are not currently allowed to enter the country.