Indian athletes briefed on Japanese etiquette as they arrive in Nagoya for Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games

Indian athletes arrived in Nagoya for the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games and have been given briefings on Japanese etiquette, the Sports Authority of India and team officials said on September 16, 2026.

Team briefings outlined specific behavioural guidelines ahead of competition, telling athletes not to litter, to carry their trash until they find a bin, to cover visible tattoos, to queue properly, to use earphones and avoid loud music in public, and not to hug or touch strangers. A Sports Authority of India video shared with participants said, “You are not just travelling to Japan as an athlete; you are representing India. Respect the rules, respect the people, respect the culture.” Deputy Chef de Mission and table tennis great Achanta Sharath Kamal said greater emphasis has been placed on cultural sensitivity for this edition.

Sharath warned athletes about local expectations on conduct, dress and waste management, saying, “Japan is very, very strict in terms of how you behave, how you dress and how you manage your waste. There are very few dustbins, but you can’t litter anywhere. You need to carry the trash back to where the dustbin is,” Sharath told Sportstar.

The Indian team has also been briefed on protections against sexual harassment and abuse; Sharath said, “There’s no excuse for it. You can’t touch anybody for any reason.”

Accommodation arrangements include stays in shipping-container units and on cruise ships, and Indian officials set up prototypes at national training centres in Bengaluru, Patiala and elsewhere so athletes could experience the restricted space beforehand.

Sharath, who has visited Nagoya three times during preparations, described changing conditions since his first visit: “Last year it was 40 degrees and clear skies. This year there have been typhoons... there was flooding a few days back.”

Organisers have spread venues and accommodation across a wide area rather than centralising them; hockey will be based near its venue, around 90 minutes from the repurposed Games village. In response, India has decentralised medical support with doctors and physiotherapists positioned across locations and has worked to secure consistent food options, including halal meals and comfort food such as plain daal, while mapping Indian restaurants near athletes’ hotels.

Organisers initially planned four athletes per 12-by-18-foot container but reduced that to two after objections from India and other countries, and team arrangements include moving boxing weigh-ins to the team hotel.