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

India's athletes are prepared to house the majority of Asian Games competitors in the event's upcoming days, officials disclosed on Saturday. Approximately 2,000 Indians currently residing in Japan have pledged to offer their homes to the 17,000 athletes and officials expected to gather in Nagoya and Aichi prefecture for the nation's biggest sporting event. The Asian Games will officially commence on Saturday night, despite the event planning process encountering numerous challenges.

Despite opting to avoid an athletes' village, Japan has arranged accommodations for competitors through a mix of hotel rooms, temporary wooden container-style huts, and a cruise ship. However, the 17,000 athletes and officials arriving in Japan for the Games have expressed dissatisfaction with their temporary accommodations. Many have complained about the lack of storage space for equipment and the bed size being too small.

India, which is sending nearly 500 athletes to the Asian Games, has moved some athletes from the huts to hotels and has put together contingency plans in case of further accommodation shortages as more competitors and support staff arrive in the coming days.

Sahdev Yadav, India's chef de mission for 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 then 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."

The Indian embassy in Japan has assisted in reaching out to around 2,000 families in Nagoya, some of whom are prepared to assist. Although organizers have assured that the accommodations are safe, cost-effective, and comfortable, Japan should be commended for attempting to take an alternative approach.