Japan fears hosting ‘worst Asian Games ever’, blames French firm for organisational woes

Organisers address reports of poor dining and housing; local media attribute chaos to lack of Japanese input, involvement of French operator

Plagued by controversy ranging from athlete accommodation and dining complaints to severe operational blunders including misrecorded scores and incorrect national anthems, Asian Games host Japan has faced criticism for deflecting blame onto delegations and foreign contractors rather than addressing its own shortcomings.

And now some in the country are worried they could be landed with the label of hosting the “worst Asian Games ever”.

On Tuesday, the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games Organising Committee (AINAGOC) issued a statement addressing reports of poor athlete dining and housing conditions, while local media analysis attributed the operational chaos to the absence of major Japanese agencies and the heavy involvement of a French operator.

In its statement, the committee acknowledged it was “aware” of the confusion reported on social media by some delegations boarding the cruise ship on September 16.