Dancing robots replace fans at Japanese baseball game

VIDEO SHOWS: FOOTAGE OF DANCING ROBOTS AT JAPANESE BASEBALL GAME

SHOWS: FUKUOKA, JAPAN (JULY 8, 2020) (FUKUOKA SOFTBANK HAWKS HANDOUT - MUST ON-SCREEN COURTESY FUKUOKA SOFTBANK HAWKS)

1. ROBOTS ON PODIUM IN STAND AT FUKUOKA DOME AHEAD OF NIPPON PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL GAME BETWEEN FUKUOKA SOFTBANK HAWKS AND RAKUTEN EAGLES

2. ROBOTS DANCING ON PODIUM IN OTHERWISE EMPTY STADIUM

3. VARIOUS OF ROBOTS DANCING AS HAWKS FIGHT SONG PLAYS

4. FIGHT SONG ENDING AND ROBOTS POSING

STORY: With their stadium devoid of fans due to coronavirus restrictions, Japanese baseball team Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks have come up with an imaginative, if a little creepy, replacement: dancing robots.

Before their most recent Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) game against Rakuten Eagles on Tuesday (July 7), over 20 robots danced to the team's fight song on a podium in the otherwise empty stand.

Two different robots, some resembling humans and others on four legs like a dog, stamped and shimmied in a choreographed dance that is usually performed by the Hawks' fans before games in the 40,000 capacity Fukuoka Dome.

Some of the robots wore Hawks caps and waved flags supporting the team.

Boosted by the supportive robots, the Hawks won 4-3 as they look to defend their 2019 NPB title.

The NPB season began three months late on June 19 due to the coronavirus pandemic and currently no supporters are allowed to attend games.

However, from Friday, up to 5,000 fans will be allowed to attend professional baseball and soccer games in Japan due to an easing of restrictions.

(Production: Jack Tarrant)