Nilakshika Silva out of Asian Games with finger injury

After a quiet return to the Olympics without the fanfare expected in Tokyo, Japan now eagerly anticipates the arrival of the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya. This marks Japan's third participation in the Asian Games, and their first since the 1994 event held in Hiroshima. The Games, which commence on Saturday, present an opportunity for Japan to rebuild the communal sporting spirit that was disrupted during the COVID-delayed 2020 Olympics.

However, the atmosphere may not be as enthusiastic as initially hoped. Public interest in the Aichi-Nagoya Games, hosted in Japan’s industrial center, has been relatively subdued. Organizers have faced challenges in selling tickets, and torrential rain in the lead-up to the Games dampened spirits. In some cases, hundreds of athletes and officials had to temporarily evacuate their accommodations due to the weather, with roofs leaking at several venues.

There has also been a disagreement between local organizers’ desire for a simple, streamlined event and the grander vision proposed by the Olympic Council of Asia, the governing body for the quadrennial Games. Despite this, Japan has managed to secure around 17,000 athletes and officials from 45 participating countries and regions for the September 19 to October 4 Games.

The program has expanded from 40 sports at the 2018 Hangzhou Games to 43 sports in Nagoya, featuring 469 medal events. While some traditional sports like chess, go, xiangqi, and bridge have been dropped, new additions include mixed martial arts, padel, surfing, virtual taekwondo, and teqball. The Games will span across Aichi Prefecture and various parts of Japan, with Tokyo hosting swimming and Osaka staging soccer.

Organizers have opted against a traditional athletes’ village, instead relying on temporary accommodations such as wooden containers and a cruise ship. Japan will be looking to capitalize on its strengths in table tennis, badminton, and weightlifting, as well as aiming for Olympic quota spots in various sports for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

The swimming competition in the Tokyo Aquatics Centre will feature a strong Chinese squad, led by Pan Zhanle, the men’s 100 meters freestyle champion and world record holder. However, young Chinese swimmer Yu Zidi may steal the show. Filipino tennis player Alex Eala, who won bronze in Hangzhou, will compete for gold three years after his previous medal.

Japan's performance in the Tokyo Olympics, where they finished third with 20 gold medals, will likely boost enthusiasm for the Asian Games. Notable athletes include javelin thrower Haruka Kitaguchi, the first Japanese woman to win Olympic gold in a field event, and triple Olympic gymnastics champion Shinnosuke Oka, who will compete despite battling a back injury.