The 20th Asian Games officially kicked off in Japan on Saturday, September 19, bringing together more than 11,000 athletes from 45 countries and regions.
The quadrennial Games, which run from September 19 to October 4, feature 43 sports and are being hosted in the Aichi-Nagoya region of Japan.
The opening ceremony, held at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium, lasted about two hours and was guided by the “Social Good Games” concept, with a strong focus on low-carbon and sustainable practices.
Performances, stage designs and props were streamlined, with greater emphasis placed on emotional expression.
Delegations entered the stadium according to the Japanese kana syllabary. Organizers also allocated more time for the athletes’ parade, allowing competitors from different countries and regions to have a greater presence during the ceremony.
China has sent 815 athletes to compete in 38 sports and 369 events. According to the Chinese Olympic Committee, the team is relatively young, with 27 percent of its athletes born in 2005 or later.
Of the Chinese delegation, 548 athletes are making their Asian Games debuts, while 306 have previously competed at the Olympic Games or Asian Games.
Basketball player Hu Mingxuan and boxer Wu Yu served as China’s flag bearers during the opening ceremony.
Wu, who competes in the women’s 50-kilogram category, won gold medals at the 2023 World Boxing Championships and the Hangzhou Asian Games.
Hu helped China’s men’s basketball team win bronze at the Hangzhou Asian Games and will captain the team at this year’s Games.
BMX freestyle and mixed martial arts (MMA) have joined the Asian Games programme for the first time. BMX freestyle features riders performing a series of tricks and jumps on specially designed courses.
Virtual taekwondo has also been added to the programme, featuring one mixed individual event.
Meanwhile, breaking and esports, which made their official Asian Games debuts at the Hangzhou Games in 2023, will return for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
Cover: The opening ceremony of the 20th Asian Games at Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium in Nagoya, Japan, on September 19, 2026. /CFP