NAGOYA, Japan : The 20th Asian Games opened in Nagoya on Saturday with a glittering ceremony featuring dance and fireworks, as organisers sought to put a troubled buildup marked by operational and logistical problems behind them.
Five years after the Tokyo Olympics were held at empty venues because of COVID-19 restrictions, Japan welcomed spectators to the Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium for the opening ceremony, which began with a subdued display before building into a colourful festival of music and light.
Emperor Naruhito formally declared the Games open after watching the parade of 45 nations and regions alongside International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry.
Naruhito’s attendance, accompanied by members of the royal family, prompted a major security operation, with organisers saying up to 10,000 police officers would be deployed around the ceremony.
“While the world is too often divided by conflict, they remind us that sport remains a powerful force for peace, understanding and friendship among nations,” Olympic Council of Asia President Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani said in a speech.
Complaints over accommodation and transport
The ceremony provided organisers with an opportunity to turn the page on a difficult buildup that has generated complaints from athletes and officials over accommodation and transportation.
Japan’s reputation for precision and efficiency has come under scrutiny as more than 11,000 athletes prepare to compete for 369 gold medals across 43 sports.
Rather than construct a dedicated athletes’ village, organisers have housed athletes and officials in a combination of hotels, temporary wooden containers and a cruise ship docked in the bay, a cost-cutting approach defended by the Olympic Council of Asia.
Several delegations, including hosts Japan, have complained about accommodation arrangements, citing mix-ups and double bookings. South Korea said the temporary containers at Garden Pier were too cramped for its basketball players.
India’s cricket board separately arranged accommodation for its men’s team at another hotel after concerns over the number of beds allocated by organisers.
Delegations have also reported lengthy waits during athlete registration, while some buses arrived late or took athletes to the wrong venues.
The Olympic Council of Asia acknowledged the problems on Saturday but described them as teething difficulties.
Ceremony celebrates Asian unity
Directed by Japanese filmmaker Yukihiko Tsutsumi, the ceremony began with classical music and dance performances on a heart-shaped stage before the parade of nations, which included a delegation from North Korea.
The spectacle intensified later, with dancers in boiler suits highlighting Nagoya’s manufacturing heritage before fireworks brought the ceremony to a close.
The theme, “Harmonic Heart Beat”, was intended to highlight Asian solidarity at an event that has often been affected by geopolitical tensions and historical disputes.
There have already been several incidents testing that message.
Taiwan’s delegation temporarily declined to take part in its welcoming ceremony on Friday after sports minister and former Olympic champion Lee Yang was prevented from attending.
South Korea’s men’s hockey team were also angered when North Korea’s national anthem was mistakenly played at the stadium before their match instead of South Korea’s.
Competition in basketball, soccer and several other sports began before the opening ceremony, while the first gold medal is expected on Sunday, most likely in the triathlon.
Swimming will also begin in Tokyo on Sunday, with China’s world-record holder in the men’s 100 metres freestyle, Pan Zhanle, among the leading names. Thirteen-year-old Chinese swimmer Yu Zidi is another major attraction.
The Games will feature traditional Olympic sports alongside Asian favourites such as kabaddi and sepak takraw.
Esports will award medals for a second consecutive Asian Games after making its debut in Hangzhou, while teqball, a combination of table tennis and soccer, and virtual taekwondo will make their first appearances.
