Nagoya, Sept. 19 (Jiji Press)–The opening ceremony of the 20th Asian Games was held at Paloma Mizuho Stadium in Nagoya, the capital of Aichi Prefecture, central Japan, on Saturday evening, marking the official start of the 2026 Games. The Aichi-Nagoya Games are the third Japan-hosted summer Games after the 1958 Tokyo and 1994 Hiroshima Games. More than 15,000 athletes from 45 countries and regions will participate in 43 events that will take place, mainly in Aichi, during the 16-day period through Oct. 4. The Japanese delegation includes 932 athletes, the largest ever from the country. They aim to surpass Japan’s current records of 218 total medals at the 1994 Hiroshima Games and 78 gold medals at the 1966 Bangkok Games. At the opening ceremony, wrestler Akari Fujinami and BMX rider Rimu Nakamura served as flag bearers, leading the Japanese team with smiles on their faces. Japanese Emperor Naruhito declared the opening of the Aichi-Nagoya Games. Empress Masako also attended the opening ceremony, along with Crown Prince Akishino, the honorary president of the Aichi-Nagoya Games, and Crown Princess Kiko. Former Japan Sports Agency Commissioner Koji Murofushi and his father, Shigenobu, were the final torch runners. Some events had already started on Sept. 10. Tennis, surfing and some other events will double as qualifiers for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. The Asian Games also feature sports with Asian roots that are not played in the Olympics, such as kabaddi and sepak takraw. Due to rising prices and labor costs, no athletes’ village was constructed, so athletes are staying in container-type facilities, on a cruise ship, and in existing hotels. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
