Tokyo, June 3 (IANS): Former Japan international footballer Mu Kanazaki has tested positive for COVID-19, his club Nagoya Grampus has announced.

The announcement was a hard blow for the J-League, which last week decided to resume the first division league season on July 4 behind closed doors, reports Xinhua news agency.

Nagoya said that club staff will resume work from home because of Kanazaki's infection.

Kyodo news agency said that the 31-year-old Kanazaki had a headache and a 38.5 degree celsius fever after a group training session on Friday. He underwent a test for the coronavirus on Monday, with the positive result being released the following day. He is currently hospitalised in the Aichi Prefecture.

The number of confirmed cases has continued to rise in Japan since Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe lifted the COVID-19 state of emergency two weeks ago. A total of 34 new infections were reported in Tokyo on Tuesday, marking the first time since May 14 that new daily infections topped 30.