Korean media: Attention to detail is a thing of the past—Japan now bears the stigma of the 'worst Asian Games.'
On October 7, South Korea’s *Korea Economic Daily* published an article highlighting growing criticism within Japan over numerous issues and setbacks encountered during the organization of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
Japan’s *Tokyo Shimbun* reported that despite the Games returning to Japan after a 32-year absence, persistent problems have emerged, largely attributed to poor management by outsourced event operators and insufficient human resource deployment.
For instance, during a men’s ice hockey match between South Korea and North Korea, the North Korean national anthem was mistakenly played instead of the South Korean one; on the day of the men’s basketball final, South Korean athletes were unable to train due to a bus failing to arrive; and 156 lighting fixtures at the volleyball venue were damaged.
The report places particular emphasis on the role of French event company GL Events, which signed a contract worth 6.3 billion yen to oversee event operations.
Although budget constraints were noted, the recurrence of such basic errors suggests that staff training and operational simulations were not conducted in a timely manner.
Experts stated: “Comprehensive training, coordination, and simulation exercises should have been carried out in advance. The repeated occurrence of such fundamental mistakes indicates no preparation for potential emergencies.”
The organizing committee responsible for overall Olympic operations has also come under increasing scrutiny.
Haruo Kasuga, former advisor to the Japanese Olympic Committee, remarked: “Cost-cutting has taken precedence over the principle of ‘peace through sport.’ Japan’s reputation for hosting major international events has long been strong—but it has now become a liability.”
The 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games have exposed systemic shortcomings across all operational dimensions, including accommodation, transportation, training facilities, and competition venues.
These issues emerged well before the opening ceremony. To reduce expenses, the organizing committee opted not to construct a dedicated athlete village. Instead, athletes were dispersed across temporary container villages, cruise ships, and hotels.
Moreover, many competitions were scheduled at venues far from Nagoya—such as swimming events held in Tokyo.
Given the widespread distribution of venues and accommodations, meticulous planning was essential to ensure smooth operations. However, deficiencies in management have become evident across multiple areas.
Delegations from South Korea, China, India, Thailand, and other nations reported waiting several hours to more than ten hours upon arrival. Some athletes were forced to sleep on airport floors.
As challenges mounted, Lee Seung-min, president of the Korea Sports & Olympic Committee, said: “Having participated in and served at numerous international competitions as both an athlete and official, this is the first time I’ve witnessed such extensive problems. If graded on an ABC scale, this event would receive an F.”
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1878392125919232/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.