Typhoon threat looms as Asian Games events face delays

NAGOYA, Japan — 17 September 2026, Organizers of the 2026 Asian Games are preparing for possible weather disruptions during the opening days of the competition, with a tropical storm potentially developing into a typhoon and approaching the Aichi-Nagoya coast.

The 20th Asian Games will officially open on 19 September, but several sports, including football, basketball and volleyball, have already begun in and around Nagoya.

As of 03:00 GMT on 17 September, Tropical Storm Dujuan was located off Japan’s Pacific coast and moving northwest toward central Japan, where Nagoya is located.

The storm had maximum sustained winds of 90 kilometres per hour near its centre, with gusts reaching 126 kilometres per hour.

Nagoya and surrounding areas were also hit by heavy rain last week. Schools were closed, train services disrupted and hundreds of athletes were evacuated from their accommodation.

Japan’s head of delegation, Kosei Inoue, who also serves as a senior executive board member of the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC), addressed the weather concerns at a press conference on Thursday.

“Due to heavy rain and severe weather, some events have already been delayed or had their schedules changed. There is also a possibility that a typhoon could approach on September 21,” Inoue told reporters.

“Under these circumstances, we are holding detailed discussions within the Japanese Olympic Committee to ensure that we are fully prepared and can respond appropriately to various situations,” he said.

Organizers and officials are therefore monitoring the weather closely as competition continues ahead of the official opening ceremony.