‘Chaotic’ Asian Games threaten Japan’s hopes of hosting Olympics again

The chaotic Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, have raised questions about the country's ability to host the Olympics again, according to experts. The Games, held from March to April 2023, witnessed numerous organizational issues, including empty seats at the opening ceremony, athletes being sent to the wrong venues, and the North Korean national anthem being played for the South Korean hockey team.

The poor organization extended to a shortage of beds for over 17,000 athletes and officials, with some stranded at the airport for up to six hours. Countries criticized the local organizers, with Ryu Seung-min, president of the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee, grading the Games an F. Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) president Seiko Hashimoto admitted to many problems but expressed a desire to host more international events.

Hirokazu Arai, a professor specializing in sports psychology, stated that Japan might struggle to escape the shadow of the Asian Games for a while, as trust in the country's ability to host a successful Olympics could be tarnished. Within Japan, there are concerns about the value of hosting major sporting events, given the country's recent experience with the Tokyo Olympics, which was plagued by cost overruns, corruption, and the pandemic.

Despite some praise for the Games being held during unprecedented circumstances, there is a fear that the negative publicity could intensify criticism if Japan were to bid for the Olympics again.