Nagoya mayor apologises to athletes for Asian Games 'inconveniences'

Nagoya Mayor Ichiro Hirosawa apologised to athletes on Wednesday (September 30, 2026) for "inconveniences" at the Asian Games in the Japanese city after a run of complaints about the event.

The continent’s biggest sporting event has been dogged by problems including a shortage of beds and issues with transport, organisers and national delegations say. There are over 17,000 athletes and officials, more than the Olympics, and countries have accused local organisers of mismanagement. Ichiro Hirosawa is also acting chairman of the local organising committee.

Unlike past Games, there is no athletes' village in a bid to save money, with participants instead sleeping in temporary wooden units, on a cruise ship and in hotels. Some teams have complained about the temporary cabins, even saying the beds are too short.

There have been issues with buses for athletes not running when they should, not turning up at all or going to the wrong venues. Some athletes were also stranded for hours at the airport when they landed in Nagoya for the start of the Games on September 19.

Early in the Games, local organisers apologised to South Korea after the North Korean national anthem was played by mistake.

"We must offer our apologies to the athletes and others affected by these inconveniences," said Mayor Ichiro Hirosawa, who is also acting chairman of the local organising committee. "We must sincerely reflect on the mishandling that occurred," he added. "There were human errors and a lack of communication with the national teams. "We are responding based on what has happened."

The Games are taking place in Nagoya and Aichi prefecture and, according to organisers, end on Sunday (September 4, 2026).