Organizers of the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya are preparing for potential disruptions due to severe weather conditions, with a typhoon forecasted to approach the Aichi-Nagoya coast early next week. The Games officially open on September 19, but several competitions, including football, basketball, and volleyball, have already begun in the region.

As of September 17, Tropical Storm Dujuan was positioned off Japan’s Pacific coast, moving northwest toward central Japan where Nagoya is located. The storm was recorded with sustained winds of up to 90 kilometers per hour and gusts reaching 126 kilometers per hour. Over the past week, Nagoya and its surrounding areas have experienced heavy rainfall, which caused school closures, train suspensions, and forced the evacuation of hundreds of athletes from their accommodations.

Kosei Inoue, Japan’s chef de mission for the Games and a senior executive board member of the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC), acknowledged the impact of the weather at a news conference. He noted that some competitions have already faced delays or postponements due to the heavy rains and severe weather, and expressed concern about the possible typhoon arrival on September 21. Inoue stated that the JOC is conducting thorough internal meetings to ensure readiness and appropriate responses to any emerging situations related to the weather.

In addition to weather-related challenges, the Games have encountered logistical issues affecting some teams. On September 16, the defending men’s football champions South Korea experienced delays when their team bus failed to arrive at the hotel on time for a training session, causing them to be 20 minutes late. Earlier the same day, a transport error had taken the South Korean team to the wrong venue—a baseball ground—instead of their scheduled match location at Mizuho Rugby Stadium.

A Korea Football Association official confirmed that transportation problems have been a recurring concern throughout the tournament, affecting multiple teams. He described the issues as minor but persistent difficulties with vehicle scheduling and operations that have affected training sessions and official events.

Organizers continue to balance the challenges of unpredictable weather and logistical complexities as the Games proceed, working to minimize disruptions while ensuring the safety and smooth operation of the multi-sport event.