Japan to create more buzz for Asian Games

TOKYO - Japanese organisers admit public awareness of the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya "needs to be higher" as they look to ramp up interest with Sept 19 marking a year to go until the start of the event.

- 

The pandemic-delayed edition in Hangzhou, China, in 2023 featured about 12,000 athletes - the biggest Asian Games in history boasting more competitors than the Olympics.

Hosts Japan hope the 2026 event will make a similar splash.

Kazuhiro Yagi, vice-secretary-general of the Aichi-Nagoya Games organising committee, told AFP that excitement was still muted but he is confident it will build over the coming 12 months.

"Public awareness of the Games needs to be higher," he said.

"It's partly because they are still a year away and partly because international sporting events like the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics and the Fifa World Cup will be held before then.

"But we won't wait for these events to finish, we'll be proactive in getting the message out there."

About 15,000 athletes and officials are expected at the Games, which are taking place in the city of Nagoya and the wider Aichi region from Sept 19 to Oct 4, 2026.