According to a report by the Japanese newspaper Mainichi Shimbun on September 30, regarding the numerous problems that occurred during the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Japan, Nagoya Mayor and acting chairman of the organizing committee, Ichiro Hirose, apologized at a press conference, stating that he would 'carefully reflect on the matter'.
Guangze said, ‘We must apologize to the athletes who encountered difficulties and other relevant individuals. We must seriously reflect on the inadequate arrangements.’ He stated that the various problems that occurred during the Asian Games were related to human errors and poor communication. ‘The problems have now been resolved. We will learn from these mistakes and use the experience we gained to address similar issues in the future.’
Japanese Mayor of Nagoya, Ichiro Kōze, apologizes for issues that occurred during the Asian Games. Video screenshot
The report indicates that in order to reduce costs, the Asian Games organized athletes to stay in cruise ships, container houses, and hotels across various locations. The accommodation conditions have sparked widespread controversy. During the event, there were also a series of "mistakes." For example, during the men's hockey match between South Korea and Bangladesh, the organizers mistakenly played the North Korean national anthem. In a men's volleyball match, the official bus carrying the Pakistani men's volleyball team sent the team to the wrong stadium, resulting in the game being delayed by 45 minutes.
Additionally, during this Asian Games, there were frequent instances where buses failed to arrive at the dormitories on time, causing athletes to be unable to train.
This is the first time that Hiroko Ichiro, as Mayor of Nagoya City, has spoken publicly about various issues that have arisen during this Asian Games. As of now, Daidō Hideo, the highest-ranking official of the Asian Games Organizing Committee and Governor of Aichi Prefecture, has not made any statements regarding these issues.
