NAGOYA, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- A series of countdown events marking one year to go until the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games began in Nagoya, Japan here on Saturday.
According to organizers, the events will be held in four phases, including demonstrations and interactive experiences of sports such as BMX freestyle, 3x3 basketball, breaking, archery and wheelchair tennis.
Cultural performances, along with talk sessions featuring entertainers and athletes including Miharu Ozawa and Kaito Oda, will also be staged to promote the Asian Games, with a similar ceremony scheduled on October 18 to mark the one-year countdown to the Asian Para Games.
At the launch ceremony, Aichi Governor and organizing committee president Hideaki Omura said the 20th Asian Games will open on September 19, 2026, in Aichi-Nagoya, bringing together athletes from across Asia to compete at the highest level. "Asia consists of 45 countries and regions, accounting for about 60 percent of the world's population. We hope people will come to watch and take part in the Games," Omura said, adding that the committee is considering an early ticket sale for Aichi residents to help foster excitement.
The 20th Asian Games and the 5th Asian Para Games will take place in Aichi-Nagoya from September 19 to October 4 and from October 18 to 24, respectively. It will be the first time in 32 years for Japan to host the Asian Games since Hiroshima staged the 1994 event. Around 15,000 athletes from 45 countries and regions are expected to compete in more than 41 sports. ■
