InsideJapan News Network

The beginning of the new Japanese baseball season is under threat of postponement after the Sendai earthquake, as rolling blackouts may limit the power supply.

Baseball is widely seen as the most popular sport in Japan, ahead of sumo wrestling, and the season is due to start next Friday (March 25th).

Meanwhile, the national football league has been postponed by two months, with the season only having started last week.

Other events to be either cancelled or rescheduled include the International Figure Skating Championships and the annual international women's marathon, which was due to be held in Nagoya.

Nonetheless, the Japan Football Association (JFA) has declared it will go ahead with two international friendlies at home - against Montenegro on March 25th at Shizuoka and against New Zealand on March 29th in Tokyo.

Junji Ogura, JFA president, said: "It is meaningful to stage games in Tokyo when people around the world are worried about Japan. By doing so we can show Tokyo and Japan are alright."

Written by Mark Smith


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