(Asiad) N. Korean sports minister arrives in Japan ahead of Asian Games

Nagoya, Japan experienced the arrival of North Korea's sports minister, Kim Il-guk, on Thursday. This marked a significant event as it was the first time in eight years that a North Korean ministerial-level official visited Japan. Kim's trip was preceded by two days by his delegation for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, which officially commenced on Saturday.

Kim, who also heads the Olympic Committee of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), boarded a flight from Pyongyang to Chubu Centrair International Airport in Nagoya via China. The arrival was welcomed by officials from the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, or Chongryon, and other North Korean residents residing in Japan.

This visit comes after North Korea lifted its travel ban on its citizens to Japan, an exception made specifically for the Asian Games, which runs for 16 days. The DPRK is expected to field an 188-member team, comprising 107 athletes across 14 sports, with a particular focus on winning gold medals in weightlifting, wrestling, and boxing.

The country's men's and women's football teams have already arrived and played their preliminary matches. However, the arrival times of other teams remain undisclosed.