NAGOYA, JAPAN – Yusuke Kinoshita, a 27-year-old professional baseball player for the Chunichi Dragons has died following a 1-month struggle in hospital. Kinoshita was hospitalized after collapsing during practice on July 6th and then put on a ventilator until his death on August 3rd. He had received his vaccine just eight days prior to his collapse.

Japanese media reported widely on his shocking death. News website ‘Sponichi’ initially included the headline: “Was vaccinated against corona” but this was quickly changed:

However, Yahoo Japan did report that the sudden collapse of the baseball player might have been connected to his recent COVID-19 vaccination.

Uichiro Oshima, the owner of the Chunichi Dragons, said in a recent interview:

“I’ve heard that he became sick after vaccination. He is hospitalized and fighting for his life. I don’t know the causal relationship between his vaccination and collapse.”

The 27-year-old pitcher from Osaka is said to have exercised intensely directly after his vaccination, which may have been the link to his collapse and sudden death:

Kinoshita leaves behind his wife and daughter.