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Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe talks to media in front of the prime minister's residence in Tokyo, Japan, March 24, 2020. (Kyodo News/Handout via Xinhua)
Three Japanese professional baseball players have tested positive for the coronavirus.
Japanese broadcaster NHK said that one of the players is Shintaro Fujinami of the Hanshin Tigers, who was confirmed to have been infected on Thursday.
The report added that Fujinami had lost sense of taste and smell for several days, and that he has not developed any other symptoms, such as a fever, cough, or fatigue.
The two other players who tested positive had dined with Fujinami on March 14, and reportedly complained of being unable to taste food properly.
The club has told players and staff to stay home for at least one week starting Thursday.
Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike has said that Tokyo is "now at a critical juncture" and appealed to residents to grasp the gravity of the situation and work from home as much as possible.
She also called on people to refrain from going out in the evening and this weekend, and suggested a lockdown was possible if the virus spreads further.
