Nagoya, September 18: The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games face an early weather challenge, with a tropical storm threatening to disrupt events in central Japan as the continental sporting extravaganza prepares for its official opening.
The 20th Asian Games will formally begin with the opening ceremony in Nagoya on Saturday, September 19. However, several sporting events, including football, basketball, volleyball and cricket, have already got underway. The Games will continue until October 4 and feature competition across 43 sports.
Tropical Storm Dujuan was positioned off Japan's Pacific coast early Thursday and was tracking northwest towards central Japan, where the host city of Nagoya is located. The system recorded maximum sustained winds of 90 kmph,
with gusts up to 126 kmph. Weather forecasts indicated that the storm could move closer to the Aichi-Nagoya region around Monday.
The potential storm comes only days after heavy rainfall caused widespread disruption in Nagoya and nearby areas. Torrential downpours affected transportation and forced several hundred athletes to leave their accommodation temporarily.
Japan's chef de mission for the Asian Games, Kosei Inoue, addressed the weather concerns during a press conference on Thursday. Inoue, who is also a senior executive board member of the Japanese Olympic Committee, said organisers were preparing for possible disruptions.
"Due to the heavy rain and severe weather, some competitions have already experienced delays or postponements, and there is also a possibility that a typhoon could approach on September 21," Inoue said.
"Under these circumstances, we are holding thorough meetings within the JOC to ensure that we are fully prepared and capable of responding appropriately to these situations. "
The weather situation presents another operational challenge for organisers, who are overseeing one of the largest editions of the Asian Games. Around 17,000 athletes and officials are expected to be involved in the event.
Bangladesh Advance After China Quarter-final Is Abandoned
The impact of the weather has already been felt in the women's cricket competition, where Bangladesh reached the semi-finals after their quarter-final against China was abandoned due to a waterlogged outfield at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin.
The match was called off without a toss being conducted, allowing Bangladesh to progress under the tournament's washout regulations. Bangladesh, ranked 10th in the ICC women's T20I rankings, moved ahead of China, who are ranked 36th.
Bangladesh will now meet the winner of Friday's quarter-final between defending champions India and hosts Japan in the semi-final on September 20.
The abandoned fixture underlined the challenges that adverse weather can create for outdoor competitions. With forecasts indicating a possible approach by a typhoon around September 21, organisers could face further scheduling and logistical complications during the opening week of the Asian Games.
