Nagoya Asian Games Set to Bring Japan Back to the Sporting Spotlight

Five years after the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted Tokyo's Olympic celebrations, Japan is preparing to welcome spectators back for a major multi-sport event as the 20th Asian Games open in Nagoya on Saturday.

The Aichi-Nagoya Games will be Japan's third staging of the continental sporting event and its first since Hiroshima hosted the Asian Games in 1994.

For Japan, the tournament provides an opportunity to revive the communal sporting atmosphere that was largely absent from the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics, when health restrictions kept spectators away from almost all competitions.

However, enthusiasm surrounding the Asian Games has so far been more subdued than the excitement Japan had anticipated for the Olympics.

Organisers Face Challenges Ahead of Opening

The Aichi-Nagoya Games have struggled to generate strong public interest, with organisers working to boost ticket sales in the run-up to the event.

Heavy rain in the buildup has also created difficulties. Hundreds of athletes and officials were temporarily evacuated from their accommodation last week because of the weather, while leaks were reported at several competition venues.

Organisers have also faced differences over the scale and presentation of the Games, with local officials promoting a “simple, streamlined and functional event” while the Olympic Council of Asia has pursued a broader vision for the continental competition.

Bigger Field and Packed Competition Schedule

Organisers initially planned for approximately 15,000 athletes and officials representing 45 participating countries and regions.

Registrations, however, have risen to around 17,000, partly because of the late addition of new sports.

The Games will feature 469 medal events across 43 sports, compared with 329 medal events across 32 sports at the Paris Olympics and 40 sports at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games.

Several sports featured in Hangzhou have been removed from the programme. Chess, go, xiangqi and bridge will not return, while dragon boat racing, roller skating and open-water swimming have also been dropped.

They have been replaced or supplemented by sports including mixed martial arts, padel and surfing, alongside less conventional additions such as virtual taekwondo and teqball, a sport combining elements of football and table tennis.

Esports will again be included as a medal sport after making its Asian Games debut in Hangzhou. Breaking, or breakdancing, has also been retained following its Olympic debut in Paris.

Competitions Spread Across Japan

The Games will not be confined to Nagoya and Aichi Prefecture.

Competitions will take place across a wide area, with Tokyo hosting swimming events and Osaka among the cities staging football matches.

Organisers have also taken a different approach to athlete accommodation, choosing not to establish a traditional athletes' village.

Instead, thousands of competitors will stay in temporary facilities, including wooden accommodation units at Garden Pier and a cruise ship docked in the bay.

Asian Sporting Powers Set for Strong Competition

Competition is expected to be intense in traditional Asian sporting strengths such as table tennis, badminton and weightlifting.

Several events will also provide athletes with opportunities to secure Olympic qualification places for the 2028 Los Angeles Games, including archery, hockey, sailing, squash, surfing, tennis and triathlon.

The swimming programme begins on Sunday at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, with China's Olympic men's 100 metres freestyle champion and world-record holder Pan Zhanle among the leading competitors.

China's team also includes 13-year-old swimmer Yu Zidi, who is expected to attract attention during the competition.

In tennis, Filipino star Alex Eala will bid for Asian Games gold after winning bronze in both the singles and mixed-doubles competitions at Hangzhou three years ago.

Japan's Medal Hopes

Home support could increase as Japanese athletes begin to challenge for medals.

Japan finished third at the Paris Olympics with 20 gold medals, and the hosts will be looking to build on that performance in Nagoya.

Javelin thrower Haruka Kitaguchi, the first Japanese woman to win Olympic gold in a field event, will lead the country's athletics hopes.

Three-time Olympic gymnastics champion Shinnosuke Oka is also expected to compete for gold, although he has been managing a back injury during preparations.

As Nagoya prepares to welcome thousands of athletes and spectators, the Asian Games will offer Japan an opportunity to showcase its sporting capabilities while reconnecting audiences with the atmosphere of a major international competition.