{
  "id": 9966980,
  "title": "Japan’s organisers ‘not satisfied’ as empty seats blight Asian Games",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/26/japans-organisers-not-satisfied-as-empty-seats-blight-asian-games-9966980",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-26T10:19:20.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/sports/2026/09/26/japan-organisers-not-satisfied-as-empty-seats-blight-asian-games"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "NAGOYA: Asian Games officials expressed dissatisfaction on Saturday regarding the low ticket sales and empty seats at various venues across Japan. The 100m sprints, a key highlight of the Games, saw only about a quarter of the 30,000-capacity Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium filled on Friday night. Even the prospect of a home gold in women's pole vault failed to draw significant crowds in the early stages of the weekend. The Aichi-Nagoya Games reported that less than 60% of tickets had been sold for eight sports, with a similar amount of unsold tickets remaining for the closing ceremony in a week's time. \"We are not satisfied,\" stated Satoshi Murate, secretary-general of the Games organising committee. \"We will keep aiming for full stadiums, keep selling tickets, and work to ensure people who have secured seats actually come.\" Murate acknowledged that over 90% of tickets were sold for the opening ceremony a week earlier but attributed the issue to no-shows for large sections of empty seats greeting the parading athletes and the lighting of the Games torch. The organising committee cited several reasons for the empty seats, including sessions with multiple matches on the same day, where fans focus on the headline event; tickets given away to stakeholders not being used; and some individuals unable to attend. The committee also apologized for mishaps with accommodation and transport, noting that several teams had complained about the lack of rooms for the 17,000 participants. The shortage was exacerbated by delays at airports and long waits to board a cruise ship serving as a floating hotel, with traditional athletes' village lacking due to cost-cutting measures. Instead, teams were accommodated in temporary container-style huts, hotels, and the Costa Serena cruise ship. Erratic transport services led to buses to training and venues arriving late or not at all. Murate admitted that the mishaps were the committee's responsibility and apologized sincerely. He stated that the staff work daily to identify causes and prevent future mistakes.",
  "summary": "Less than 60% of tickets had been sold for eight sports, including football, with a similar amount unsold for the closing ceremony in eight days' time, says the Aichi-Nagoya Games.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Channel News Asia",
        "title": "Japan organisers 'not satisfied' as empty seats blight Asian Games",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/26/japan-organisers-not-satisfied-as-empty-seats-blight-asian-games",
        "published": "2026-09-26T08:50:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Japan’s organisers ‘not satisfied’ as empty seats blight Asian Games",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/26/japans-organisers-not-satisfied-as-empty-seats-blight-asian-games",
        "published": "2026-09-26T10:19:20.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "Asian Games security forces media to sip bottled drinks at venues",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/26/asian-games-security-forces-media-to-sip-bottled-drinks-at-venues",
        "published": "2026-09-26T11:09:14.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}