Lohas signed a contract with Hanshin club
(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Nam-jik Han = As the spread of the new coronavirus infection (Corona 19) became serious, the’new foreign player’ who signed with the Japanese professional baseball team was also hit.
Japan’s Nikkan Sports said on the 6th, “It is unclear whether Hanshin Tigers’ new foreign players Mel Lohas Jr. and Raul Alcantara will join the spring camp.”
Dan Osamu, head of Hanshin club headquarters, said, “The issuance of new foreigner visas has been suspended. Under the current circumstances, it is not known whether Lohas and Alcantara will join the spring camp in February.”
At the end of last year, the Japanese government announced that it will temporarily suspend new entry of foreigners from all countries and regions from December 28 last year to the end of this month.
This month, the number of new corona19 confirmed cases is increasing significantly.
NHK, a Japanese public broadcaster, said, “As of the 5th, there are 4,915 new cases of Corona 19 in Japan.” The Japanese government is expected to declare a corona 19 emergency on the 7th.
Foreign players trying to start a new start in Japanese professional baseball in 2021 were hit directly.
“It seems that players who played in Japan last year will be able to enter the country because their work visas remain valid. However, it is not easy to obtain visas for players who are new to the Japanese league.”
“Baseball and the world are not separated. Of course the club will follow the government policy,” he added.
Hanshin has emerged as a candidate for the Japanese Professional Baseball Central League championship in 2020 by signing Mel Lohas Jr., the best player in the regular season of Korean professional baseball (MVP) and Raul Alcantara, who placed many wins.
However, in the aftermath of Corona 19, it is possible to start the Okinawa Spring Camp in Japan without Lohas and Alcantara. The Japanese professional baseball starts spring camp from February 1.
Hanshin is not the only club struggling with restrictions on entry of new foreign players.
The Yomiuri Giants, who was a former KBO League MVP and recruited Eric Thames, who played in the big leagues until this year, have the same concerns.
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