Indians living in Japan on stand-by to house Asian Games athletes

Indians residing in Japan are prepared to provide lodging for athletes participating in the Asian Games, should accommodation shortages persist, officials announced on Saturday. The world's largest sporting event commences in Nagoya and Aichi prefecture on Saturday night, but the preparations have been marred by challenges. In a bid to cut costs, Japan opted against constructing an athletes' village, instead placing competitors in a mix of hotel rooms, temporary wooden container-like structures, and even a cruise ship.

However, numerous of the 17,000 athletes and officials arriving in Japan for the Games have expressed dissatisfaction with their temporary accommodations, citing a lack of storage space for equipment and excessively small beds.

India, sending nearly 500 athletes to the Asian Games, has already relocated some from the huts to hotels and has put contingency plans in place should the shortage of suitable rooms worsen as more competitors and support staff arrive in the coming days. Sahdev Yadav, India's chef de mission at the Asian Games and treasurer of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), informed AFP, "We have booked hotels for our athletes here.

But if the hotel rooms fall short, yes, we have Indian households here on standby to accommodate the athletes. They are all more than happy to welcome the stars at their homes."

According to reports, the Indian embassy in Japan has facilitated outreach to around 2,000 families in Nagoya, some of whom have expressed willingness to assist. Organisers maintain that the accommodations are safe, cost-effective, and comfortable, and they urge Japan to be commended for attempting something unique.