Foreign Player Ban in Japan

[mcgpgh]

Does anyone know when Japan lifted its ban on foreign players that was instituted in the mid-1980s or so? I believe that those of full or partial Japanese ancestry were allowed to play in the old Japan Ice Hockey League starting in the mid-1990s, but what about non-Japanese foreign players? Thanks.

[adamkex]

Esa Tikkanen played in Japan

[IIHFjerseycollector]

hi,

http://forums.internationalhockey.net/

[H A L L elujah 4]

Originally Posted by adamkex

Esa Tikkanen played in Japan

Yep he did.