"If this continues, it will be the worst Asian Games in history," Japanese media sighs, citing 'French company involvement' as a factor [Aichi Nagoya AG]

*This content was translated by AI.

The 2026 Aichi-Nagoya (Japan) Asian Games, which opened in Japan for the first time in 32 years, is engulfed in various operational controversies, sparking criticism within Japan itself. There are growing concerns that it may go down in history as the 'worst Asian Games ever.'

On the 22nd, Tokyo Sports reported, "Amid a string of issues, officials involved in organizing the event have expressed deep frustration, saying it is so severe that it hardly feels like a tournament being held in Japan." The outlet added, "Complaints are pouring in regarding substandard accommodation conditions in container houses and poor meal quality. Inadequate handling was also repeatedly observed during preparations for athlete transportation logistics."

Due to cost-saving measures, this edition of the Games does not operate a traditional athletes' village; instead, it provides containers or cruise ships as temporary lodging. However, the facilities are so inadequate that they have triggered numerous controversies. Even some South Korean athletes in certain sports were forced to secure external accommodations outside those provided by the organizing committee. Criticism also mounted over poor meal menus, and recent incidents included buses failing to reach venues or not arriving at all, causing significant inconvenience to the South Korean delegation.

Citing a statement from a senior figure in the large-scale events industry who remarked, "While there have been disappointing international tournaments held in Japan before, this one far exceeds that level," Tokyo Sports analyzed that "one of the causes may be the absence of major Japanese agencies."

According to media reports, following corruption scandals related to agencies during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics held in 2021, major Japanese agencies were unable to secure contracts for this event. The organizing committee, primarily composed of representatives from Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya City, found it difficult to prevent various issues beforehand or effectively respond to controversies.

Instead, GL Events, a company headquartered in Lyon, France, is providing support across multiple areas for this tournament. Some analyses suggest that the company's lack of communication has exacerbated the problems. GL Events is assisting with stadium design, infrastructure installation, access control, registration, and credential issuance.

Tokyo Sports further reported quotes from event officials stating, "Even when we identify issues and offer suggestions, the company dismisses them by saying, 'This is not within our scope,'" and from volunteers who remarked, "There are too many operational problems; I'm truly sorry. We don't even understand why a French company was brought in."

The outlet concluded, "Efforts to exclude major agencies have ultimately backfired," and expressed concern that "if this continues, there is a possibility this tournament will be recorded in history as the 'worst Asian Games ever.'"

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*This content was translated by AI.