The closing ceremony of an Asian Games [Getty Images]
The closing ceremony of an Asian Games [Getty Images]

Criticism is mounting within Japan over the troubled management of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, with domestic voices growing louder over a string of blunders that have dented the country's pride.

Budget shortfalls have been cited as a contributing factor, but the sheer frequency of elementary mistakes at a Games hosted by a country long proud of its attention to detail has left many in Japan embarrassed. The criticism has grown sharp enough that some are now openly lamenting that Japan has lost the national capacity to stage large-scale international events.

Tokyo Shimbun reported Tuesday that the Games — held in Japan for the first time in 32 years — were plagued by a relentless series of problems, pointing to the sloppiness of the event management company subcontracted by the organizing committee and its stinginess in investing in personnel, according to Yonhap.

The newspaper cited a series of specific failures: North Korea's national anthem was played instead of South Korea's at a men's hockey match; South Korea was introduced as the "Republic of China" at the modern pentathlon team awards ceremony; the South Korean basketball team was unable to practice on the day of the men's final after buses failed to arrive; and 156 lighting fixtures at a volleyball venue were damaged.

The paper focused particular attention on the role of French event management company GL Events, which signed a 63 billion yen ($399 million) contract with the organizing committee to run the Games.

Despite claims of budget constraints, the unrelenting stream of basic errors pointed to a failure to properly train operational staff or run simulations before the Games, the paper said.

Nonfiction writer Kubota Masaki said organizers "should have conducted thorough training, coordination and simulations in advance," adding that the persistence of such elementary mistakes showed "there was no preparation for contingencies."

Criticism has also been directed at the organizing committee itself, which bore overall responsibility for the Games.

Kasuga Ryoichi, a former adviser to the Japanese Olympic Committee, said "cost-cutting was prioritized over the ideal of the Games as a festival of peace," and warned that Japan's reputation for event management — long regarded favorably — "has now become a negative asset."

Writer Kubota was equally blunt. "Japan today has lost the national power to host international events that require massive budgets," he said.

Accommodation, transport and a costumed figure draw fire

The 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games exposed sweeping organizational failures across accommodation, transport, training and competition conditions, Yonhap reported.

Concerns surfaced even before the opening ceremony. To cut costs, the organizing committee opted against building a dedicated athletes' village, instead scattering delegations across temporary container accommodations, cruise ships and hotels.

Several events were also held far from Nagoya — swimming, for instance, took place in Tokyo.

With venues and accommodation spread across multiple locations, meticulous preparation was essential for smooth operations, but signs of poor management emerged throughout.

Delegations from South Korea, China, India, Thailand and other countries were made to wait hours — in some cases more than 10 hours — upon arrival. Some athletes resorted to sleeping on airport floors.

Problems continued after the Games opened.

The container accommodations drew fire over beds that were too small and leaking water, among other complaints. On the cruise ships, the organizing committee drew bewilderment after assigning male and female athletes to the same rooms.

Political sensitivities also came into play.

At a docking ceremony for the cruise ship accommodation, the organizing committee featured a performer dressed as Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a historical figure from Aichi Prefecture. Toyotomi launched the Japanese invasion of Joseon in 1592, triggering the Imjin War.

The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee protested, saying it was inappropriate to feature an invader at a welcoming event meant to celebrate Asian unity.

Ahead of a baseball match between Taiwan and Japan, the organizing committee posted a notice banning both the Rising Sun flag and Taiwan's national flag from the venue. After right-wing groups in Japan pushed back, the committee issued an apology specifically over the ban on the Rising Sun flag, sparking further controversy.

As problems continued to pile up, Korean Sport & Olympic Committee President Yoo Seung-min said he had attended many international competitions as both an athlete and an official, but had "never seen a Games with so many problems." He rated the event an "F" — a failing grade by any measure.


yul@heraldcorp.com