Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games begin as Japan plays host for 1st time since 1994

The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games kicked off on Saturday, marking Japan's first hosting of the continental summer games since 1994. The quadrennial event, held in Nagoya and other cities across Aichi Prefecture, neighboring Shizuoka and Gifu prefectures, as well as Tokyo and Osaka, welcomed 45 countries and regions competing in 43 sports.

Over 17,000 athletes and officials, with Japan sending its largest-ever contingent of 932 athletes, participated in the games. The opening ceremony, held at the renovated Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium, saw Japan's women's Olympic wrestling gold medalist Akari Fujinami and freestyle BMX rider Rimu Nakamura carry the flag.

Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, and International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry attended the ceremony. The torch relay began on August 22 and concluded with hammer throw icon Koji Murofushi and his father Shigenobu lighting the cauldron. The games, which include non-Olympic sports such as sepak takraw, kabaddi, and esports, are testing the local organizing committee, with costs rising above 370 billion yen, a significant increase from the original estimated cost of 100 billion yen.

The games come amid Japan's three-decade-long economic decline and serve as a stark contrast to the 1994 edition, which took place after Japan experienced its asset-inflated bubble economy.