Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games hosting expenses tripled... Difficulty finding a hotel due to lack of accommodation in the athletes' village

Tokyo = Yonhap News) Correspondent Cho Seong-mi = Local media reported on the 17th that the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, two days before the opening, are exposing operational problems due to financial difficulties such as a lack of accommodation for athletes, and that the cost of hosting has soared to more than three times the original estimate.

The Mainichi Shimbun reported that the total cost of hosting the Asian Games, including the Asian Para Games, reached 370 billion yen (about 3.26 trillion won), more than three times the original estimate.

Even though the construction of the athletes' village, which can accommodate 15,000 players and team officials, was canceled due to increased construction costs, the cost increased significantly.

The construction cost of the athletes' village was expected to double from the initially expected 30 billion yen (approximately 260 billion won) due to the increase in the price of construction materials.

In the name of cost reduction and eco-friendliness, the Games organizing committee established an accommodation policy of staying in prefabricated containers and large cruise ships instead of building athletes' villages in the form of high-rise apartments.

Due to a shortage of bedrooms at the Container Athletes' Village, athletes are looking for hotels with empty rooms just a few days before the opening ceremony.

However, the Japanese holiday (Silver Week) continues for 5 days starting on the 19th, the opening day, and finding accommodation continues to be difficult.

Aichi Prefecture Governor Hideaki Omura, who chaired the Games Organizing Committee, explained to local media that the cost was about 60 billion yen (about 530 billion won) due to unexpected demands from the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), and about 55 billion yen (about 490 billion won) due to rising prices and labor costs.

However, he gave significance to the hosting of the Asian Games, saying that the economic ripple effect of the event would amount to 3.68 trillion yen (approximately 32.47 trillion won).

At a press conference held on the 8th, Governor Omura emphasized the cost-saving policy of operating the Asian Games, saying, "There should not be a situation where only oil-producing countries (with enormous funds) or China can host the Asian Games."

Mainichi pointed out that with the sweltering heat continuing mainly in central and western Japan this year, whether the planned attendance of 50,000 children and students will proceed safely and whether disaster situations such as the heavy rain that hit the Nagoya region on the 8th can be properly dealt with are factors that will determine the success or failure of the tight-fitting Asian Games.

A tournament official complained to this newspaper, "We don't have enough manpower on site. We have no choice but to hold out somehow in a tight situation."

Although costs are increasing, low public interest in the Asian Games is also a concern for organizers.

An official from TBS, a Japanese private terrestrial broadcasting company that broadcasts the Asian Games, said that the public's response to the event was not enthusiastic and said, "Not all participating athletes are top-class, and depending on the sport, there are some questions about the value of winning in Asia."

Hidenori Tomozoe, a professor of physical education at Pacific Rim University (IPU) and an expert on international sports competitions, said, "We must seek innovation and preserve the traditions unique to the Asian Games that do not exist in other international competitions."