Sports · Other Sports · 5 hrs ago
Asian Games in Japan faced accommodation, transport and ceremony problems
The Asian Games in Nagoya and Aichi Prefecture faced repeated problems, from accommodation shortages to transport and ceremony errors.
Organisers had planned beds for 15,000 delegation members, but the number rose by 2,000 after more sports were added.
Some participants stayed in container-style units, and a cruise ship with 1,500 cabins was used to help fill the gap.
During the Games, athletes were taken to the wrong venues, the North Korean anthem was played for South Korea’s men’s hockey team, and Taiwan’s sports minister was temporarily barred from a flag-raising event.
These mistakes caused significant inconvenience for some delegations and drew criticism online.
Games deputy director general Takaaki Omi said organisers faced unexpected challenges and made improvements in response to feedback.
A professor who studies major sporting events warned that the problems could weaken confidence in Japan as a host, affecting its ability to attract future international competitions.
The Asian Games in Nagoya and Aichi Prefecture faced accommodation shortages, transport errors and ceremony mistakes.
Organisers had planned accommodation for 15,000 delegation members, but the number grew to 17,000 after more sports were added.
Some participants were housed in hotels and container-style units because organisers did not build a traditional athletes' village.
Other incidents included athletes being taken to the wrong venues and errors involving national anthems and flags.
Organisers acknowledged unexpected challenges and said they responded to feedback with improvements.
- Who
- Organisers, athletes and other participants at the Asian Games. The event's deputy director general was Takaaki Omi.
- What
- The Games faced accommodation, transport and ceremony problems.
- When
- During this year's Asian Games; the article was published on 21 October 2026.
- Where
- Nagoya and the wider Aichi Prefecture in Japan.
- Why
- The number of delegation members grew after sports were added, straining accommodation capacity. Organisers had also chosen not to build a traditional athletes' village to cut costs.
Critics and affected participants
Games organisers
Accommodation
Critics and affected participants
Participants complained about too few rooms and poor-quality accommodation, including cramped container units.
Games organisers
Organisers said they had planned for 15,000 delegation members and later promised Games-appropriate accommodation for more than 17,000 guests.
Management
Critics and affected participants
Critics online called the Games the worst in history and urged a full investigation.
Games organisers
Omi acknowledged unexpected issues and said organisers listened to feedback and made improvements.
Participants complained about too few rooms and poor-quality accommodation.
Organisers said the planned accommodation for 15,000 delegation members had to expand after sports were added, bringing the total to 17,000.
Athletes were bussed to wrong venues, and incidents involving anthems and flags occurred.
Volunteers received an email offering free closing-ceremony tickets, but an organiser later said the decision had not been approved.
- Host locations
- Nagoya and Aichi Prefecture, Japan
- Planned accommodation
- Up to 15,000 delegation members
- Revised participant total
- 17,000, after an increase of 2,000
- Cruise ship capacity
- 1,500 cabins
- Venue operations contract
- 63bn yen, awarded to the Japanese subsidiary of GL Events
What people are saying
If these problems damage international confidence in Japan's ability to operate sporting events, they could also affect Japan's ability to attract international competitions in the future
Hosting and managing an event of this scale was a major challenge for us, and each day involved addressing a range of unexpected issues and challenges
During the Games, we also listened carefully to feedback from the athletes who were actually using the facilities and responded promptly with necessary improvements and measures.