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Competition begins with celebration of host city's hospitality, harmony in Asia

The 20th edition of the Asian Games opened with a celebration of warm hospitality in the main host city of Nagoya on Saturday, with thousands of athletes from 45 nations gathering for the continent's largest sporting event. The official name of the competition, the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, features the name of both Aichi Prefecture and its capital, Nagoya. This is the third Asian Games to be…

Competition begins with celebration of host city's hospitality, harmony in Asia

The 20th Asian Games commenced on Saturday, showcasing the warm hospitality of host city Nagoya. Athletes from 45 nations converged for the continent's largest sports gathering. The official title, Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, pays homage to both Aichi Prefecture and its capital, Nagoya. This marks the third time Japan hosts the event, following Tokyo in 1958 and Hiroshima in 1994.

While Nagoya assumes the main hosting role, select sports events will unfold in and around Aichi Prefecture. Swimming competitions will take place in Tokyo, while football matches will be played in Osaka and Shizuoka, both outside Aichi Prefecture.

The opening ceremony, directed by Nagoya native filmmaker Yukihiko Tsutsumi, was held at Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium. The theme, "Harmonic Heart Beat," emphasized athletes forging connections across the continent. Tsutsumi stated that the ceremony honored the spirit of warm hospitality that defines the Asian Games.

Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.

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