Chaos, complaints, crisis: How Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games created an alternate view of Japanese perfection

The Tokyo Olympics, in the immediate aftermath of Covid, had received appreciation for managing a never-before situation. The 2026 Asiad, however, has been far from it.

Updated : Sep 17, 2026 18:25 IST , Nagoya - 4 MINS READ

Wooden container units built to house athletes, ahead of the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, in Nagoya. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

For years, Japan was the epitome of perfection, the country that planned things down to the last possible detail. The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, starting in two days, threatens to dent that reputation.

It began with concerns, whispered initially before growing loud and from quarters widespread enough, about the city and the organisers’ preparedness for an event of magnitude larger than the Olympics. It became more immediate when delegates from various national Olympic associations expressed reservations in private about the conditions and facilities for athletes and officials.

None of it caused alarm, given Japan’s reputation of pulling off mega events without a glitch. The Tokyo Olympics, in the immediate aftermath of Covid, had received appreciation for managing a never-before situation.

The 2026 Asiad, however, has been far from it. The first lot of Indian athletes including rowers that landed in the city struggled to get accommodation provided, waiting without any arrangements including food, for almost 12 hours.

The officials fared no better. A quick ask around made it clear that it was becoming the norm than exception with athletes from several countries suffering similar fate. The accommodation that was to be provided - on cruise ship Costa Serena and modified shipping containers in keeping with the organisers’ insistence on sustainability - has also come in for criticism, both for poor quality and insufficient quantity.

A view of the Costa Serena cruise ship, housing athletes for the Asian Games in Nagoya. | Photo Credit: PTI

A report by SCMP with videos of the containers both inside and outside have been shocking to say the least, resembling detention centres than athlete residences. South Korea’s Byun Jun-hyung, member of the basketball team, took to social media to show a leaking sink and wet floor at his accommodation, saying “Please help me.” Another image of Indian shot-putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor showed him in his allotted container with the space and the beds clearly too small for his size.

There have been logistical issues as well, Korea and Qatar football teams being bussed to the baseball stadium instead on Tuesday. The Chinese badminton team had to rely on local Chinese to travel from the airport. Several Indian athletes who did finally manage to get places to stay were welcomed with a closed shutters and a notice on Thursday morning saying breakfast was not included in their bookings.

“The organisers have washed their hands of everything and said there is no accommodation, we need to manage things ourselves. Our team here has been working round the clock to try and find solutions and we have got our rowers and other athletes booked into different hotels. There is hardly any support or facility at the airport also with 1000s of athletes and officials coming every day and barely any arrangement.

“We have deputed our own people now to ensure smooth arrival and transfer of our athletes. I am also staying in a small container only but imagine the plight of athletes who are so much taller and muscular. We have been raising all issues every day at the CDMs’ meetings and will do it again tomorrow,” Indian contingent’s Chef-de-Mission Sahdev Yadav said.

“There have been cases where coaches, team officials, and athletes have been assigned to the same room. There are also situations where room assignments were made purely based on the numbers. It creates challenging situations such as men and women being assigned together, coaches being assigned with athletes,” Japan’s deputy Chef de Mission Hisashi Mizutori told a news conference on Thursday.

The positive, of course, remains the volunteers but they are so few and far between than they are practically non-existent. The city has nothing to indicate an event of this magnitude is happening, there is practically no promotion and many locals that were spoken to did not even know the Asian Games were beginning in a couple of days.

Japan might still pull it off. But the claims of perfection have been undone.