Meet the volunteers who are on ‘a mission’ at the Asian Games

NAGOYA – On the night of Singapore sprinter Shanti Pereira’s 100m final, Vicente Tai was a bundle of nerves. 

Once Pereira’s mission was completed with a silver in the bag, Tai got into action.

The 61-year-old had the responsibility of ensuring the runner got back safely to her hotel when the post-race formalities were done.

Tai, who is a volunteer with the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) at the Asian Games, said: “I told her I was very nervous because I felt like I was transporting a very important asset and had to make sure she arrived safely as soon as I could.

“It was kind of a mission, and I was also nervous.”

Apart from escorting officials and athletes to and from the various venues, the Singaporean’s role includes acting as a bridge between the Team Singapore delegation and the locals. Having lived in Japan for the past 30 years, his knowledge and experience has come in handy.

Other than serving as a translator, he also helps the SNOC team navigate the cultural nuances that arise in day-to-day operations.

Tai relocated to Japan in 1996 after meeting his wife Izeki Junko while they were both studying at the University of Hawaii, and they currently live in Osaka.

For the duration of the Sept 19-Oct 4 Asian Games, he is stationed over 100km away from home.

“This is a special one... I don’t know when Japan is going to hold another a big event, so this could be the last one and I wanted to do it,” said Tai, who is involved in a business that manages investments and corporate finance.

While his work typically leaves little time for volunteering, the Covid-19 pandemic presented him with the rare chance to do so when travel came to a halt.

He signed up as a volunteer for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where he was tasked with coordinating activities to make sure things ran smoothly at events.

Through the Tokyo Games, he met some Singapore sports officials, which eventually led to him volunteering with SNOC at the ongoing Asiad.

Tai said: “I’ve been away from the country for many, many years so it’s a good chance to do something for Singapore.”

Although he has lived overseas for a long time, he still remains closely connected to Singapore.

He is also the president of the Singapore Association in Japan, which connects Singaporeans living in Japan and promotes cultural and social ties between both countries.

Singapore permanent resident Yuichiro Kubo, 58, is also a volunteer with the SNOC at the Games.

Kubo, who in 1995 moved from Japan after marrying his Singaporean wife, helps the SNOC secretariat and Team Singapore officials coordinate ground transportation and functions as a translator when necessary.

Being in Nagoya also allowed him to watch his son Junsuke make his Asian Games debut, where he competed in the men’s doubles, reaching the round of 16 with partner Wesley Koh.

Kubo, who also works as a translator with the Badminton World Federation, said: “I wanted to help Team Singapore, partly because my son is in the team. I was also very interested to see how the Games are organised and managed.”

On his role in helping to bridge language barriers, Kubo added: “When it comes to language, I see the improvements, people try to speak English in Nagoya, so I think it is a great improvement.

“But not all of them can speak (English) and that’s why I need to step in and assist in the conversation when needed.”

Also among the volunteers in Nagoya is 28-year-old Malaysian Chin Huey, who is assisting with media operations at the Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium, where badminton matches took place from Sept 20 to 29.

Her tasks include checking credentials or seating numbers, managing media areas, guiding photographers, and directing reporters to designated zones.

According to figures from the organising committee cited by Chinese news agency Xinhua, there are around 40,000 volunteers, aged between 18 and 91, supporting the Asian Games and Asian Para Games. Of these, 85% reside in Aichi Prefecture, and 55% are first-time volunteers.

More than 90% of the volunteers work in direct Games support, such as event operations and athlete transport, while the rest assist spectators at major railway stations and surrounding venues.

Chin, who moved from Melaka to Japan in 2018 for her studies, found out about the opportunity online and applied in late 2024.

The selection process involved an interview followed by two days of training in 2025. She had previously hoped to volunteer for the Tokyo Olympics, but was unable to do so due to Covid-19 restrictions.

An avid badminton fan, Chin specifically requested to be placed in badminton operations so that she could watch women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan compete up close.

She was also able to take wefies with two of her favourite players, Japanese star Akane Yamaguchi and Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew. 

Chin, who works as a caregiver in Tokyo and took leave during this period, said: “This is my first time as a volunteer at a sports event and it has been so thrilling to see the players up close. It has been exciting every day.

“Usually as a fan, you are in the stands and can only watch them playing from afar, so I am so glad I took up this opportunity of a lifetime. I will remember these few days for a long time.”