As the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games approach, Japan has introduced an 'eco-friendly village' utilizing containers and cruise ships instead of building new accommodations. However, the substandard living conditions have sparked controversy.
According to Yonhap News on September 11, approximately 2,000 athletes participating in the Asian Games will be housed in container-style wooden modular accommodations near Nagoya Port. The organizing committee decided against constructing a separate village due to an anticipated increase in participants, now estimated at around 17,000, which would help reduce costs.
Of the total athletes, about 9,000 will stay in existing hotels, while around 4,000 will be aboard the Italian cruise ship Costa Serena. The remaining 2,000 will utilize the container accommodations at Nagoya Port.
The issue lies in the actual living conditions. According to the organizing committee, each container unit measures 70 square meters (approximately 750 square feet) and is designed to accommodate up to six people. While the beds are 195 cm long, with extended mattresses available for taller athletes, some have expressed discomfort.
Chinese media outlet Record China highlighted the situation of the South Korean men's basketball team, which is sharing rooms with three athletes per unit and using communal bathrooms and showers. On social media, player Byeon Jun-hyung posted a video showing a flooded bathroom due to leaking plumbing, captioned, "Help me!"
Safety concerns have also emerged. Local reports indicate that on September 8, record rainfall in Nagoya forced hundreds of athletes staying in the container accommodations to evacuate. The South Korean men's basketball team, which was training at the time, did not have to evacuate but had to wait at the training facility for about four hours.
Conversely, some view the container village as a new model for accommodations at large international events. This approach aims to reduce costs and resource waste by utilizing existing facilities and modular housing, rather than incurring massive construction expenses for a dedicated athlete village that would be underused post-event.
The South Korean delegation will use the container accommodations for five sports, including basketball and cycling, while 18 other sports, such as archery and table tennis, will be assigned to the cruise ship. The Costa Serena is scheduled to dock at Nagoya Port on September 14.
As the Nagoya Asian Games promotes a 'sustainable event,' it remains to be seen how well it can balance cost savings and environmental goals without negatively impacting athletes' performance as the opening approaches.
The Asian Games will commence on September 19 and run for 16 days until October 4.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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