Asian Games fiasco shows Japan's 'golden age' has faded

Editor's note: Zhou Yaxin, a special commentator on current affairs for CGTN, is an international affairs observer. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

The Asian Games are more than a sporting event. They are also a reflection of a city's and a country's governance capacity and overall strength. The 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026, Japan's first in 32 years, should have been an ideal stage to showcase its national image. Instead, problems emerged even before the Games opened last month, shattering the familiar image of Japan as meticulous, efficient and reliable, and exposing the mounting problems behind its fading prosperity.

From preparations to actual operations, the Nagoya Games have been plagued by mishaps. Athletes from several countries were left stranded upon arrival. The Chinese delegation reportedly waited at the airport for nearly six hours, while athletes from India, Thailand and elsewhere faced delays of up to 10 hours.

The accommodation issues were even more striking. In the name of a "frugal" and "green" Games, organizers abandoned the conventional athletes' village and housed athletes in converted cruise ships and temporary container units. The rooms were so cramped that basketball players over two meters tall could not even lie down comfortably. Athletes also complained of insufficient food, poorly coordinated shuttle bus services and other problems. Large sections of the stands were empty during the opening ceremony, while serious basic mistakes, including playing the wrong national anthem, occurred at competition venues.

The series of failures drew criticism from participating delegations and Japanese citizens alike. One Japanese netizen commented, "Japan today has lost even the basic ability to host a major sporting event." Another wrote, "The government calls it frugality, but the truth is that it lacks the money. An international sporting event has been turned into a joke."

The contrast with the Asian Games in Hiroshima in 1994 could hardly be greater. Japan then had the strong economic foundation accumulated during decades of rapid growth. With ample funding, sound urban infrastructure and professional organization, Hiroshima staged a Games that became a benchmark. More than 6,000 athletes from 42 Asian countries and regions took part, with both the scale and organization setting new records. The event showcased Japan's national strength and urban development to Asia and the world.

Thirty-two years later, the stark contrast between Hiroshima in 1994 and Nagoya in 2026 reflects multiple problems deeply rooted in Japanese society.

The first is aging infrastructure and declining governance capacity. Problems with accommodation and transportation at the Games reflect broader weaknesses in Japan's aging infrastructure and service efficiency. Much of the urban transport and public infrastructure built during the postwar decades has entered an aging cycle, while fiscal constraints have slowed renovation and renewal.

At the same time, Japan's administrative system is rigid and fragmented, often focusing excessively on procedural details while lacking overall coordination and systematic planning. Such weaknesses become especially conspicuous when handling a major international sporting event.

A deeper problem is Japan's weakening fiscal capacity and the serious misallocation of public resources. Government debt has remained high for years, placing heavy pressure on public finances and limiting spending on social welfare, culture and sports. "Streamlining" the Games has thus become a necessity rather than a choice.

Meanwhile, after decades of economic stagnation, wages have seen little growth while living costs continue to rise, increasing pressure on ordinary Japanese people. In contrast, Japan's defense spending has continued to grow year after year, and funding for US forces stationed in Japan remains high. This exposes its distorted policy priorities and an imbalance in resource allocation.

It also raises an obvious question: Why not take a fraction of the expanding defense budget and use it to improve the quality of the Nagoya Games? An international event reflects the fortunes of the host nation. The disorder surrounding the Nagoya Games shows that Japan's golden age has faded and its long-accumulated problems are coming to the surface. If Japan continues to prioritize military buildup over people's livelihoods, the current fiasco may be only the beginning of greater problems ahead.

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