Korean Media: Japan Aims to Break Records, but This Asian Games Criticized as the Worst Yet
On October 1, South Korean media outlet Kyunghyang News published an article stating that the Japanese team is making every effort to achieve its best-ever performance at this year’s Asian Games, hosted controversially on home soil.
On the 11th day of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, Japan has secured 183 medals—45 gold, 71 silver, and 67 bronze—ranking second on the medal table behind China, which leads with 254 medals (143 gold, 62 silver, 49 bronze).
Swimming remains Japan’s standout sport. In swimming alone, Japan has won 37 medals (7 gold, 15 silver, 15 bronze). The country has also seen the emergence of several promising young athletes. At just 17 years old, Shinnosuke Ohashi claimed gold in both the men’s 100-meter and 200-meter breaststroke events.
Track and field is another key strength for Japan. Although the total number of medals—32—is lower than in swimming, it includes 10 golds, 12 silvers, and 10 bronzes.
As of the 11th day, Japan has accumulated 183 medals and is aiming for its most successful performance in Asian Games history. According to Sankei Sports, a Japanese sports publication, “Judo and wrestling are traditional strongholds for Japan, and competition in these sports will begin on October 30. The delegation is now targeting a record-breaking medal haul at a single Asian Games, surpassing the previous high set at the 1994 Hiroshima Asian Games, when Japan won 218 medals (64 gold, 75 silver, 79 bronze). The record for most golds at one Asian Games stands at 78, set during the 1966 Bangkok edition. Attention is now focused on whether Japan can break these records in the final five days before the closing ceremony.” Local media have expressed high expectations for Japan’s potential historic achievement at this event.
Despite strong performances by Japanese athletes, the Games have drawn widespread criticism due to organizational shortcomings and have been labeled the worst in history. Issues have also arisen during the national anthem ceremonies. On October 18, during a men’s field hockey match between South Korea and Bangladesh, the wrong national anthem—the North Korean anthem—was played at the venue, sparking controversy. Transport arrangements for teams have also been poorly managed. On October 20, the day of the men’s basketball final, buses scheduled to arrive at the athletes’ accommodation by 10 a.m. failed to show up on time, forcing the South Korean team to skip training and compete directly in the final. These problems were not isolated to South Korea.
Pramod Prakash Hasya Sunil Kumar, who earned a bronze medal in the men’s team badminton event, criticized the Games in a Reuters interview: “I expected the standard to be higher after three or four years since the last Games held in China. Instead, the overall quality has declined significantly. I faced serious difficulties with accommodation and transportation. To be honest, this was merely an average-level event—nothing more.”
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1877812414920906/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.