The 20th Asian Games opened in Nagoya on Saturday, with organisers on the defensive after a string of operational gaffes and logistical problems in the build-up to the massive, multi-sport event.
Five years after the Tokyo Olympics played out at empty venues due to Covid-19 restrictions, Japan welcomed fans to a glittering opening ceremony at the Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium.
Emperor Naruhito declared the Games open after watching the parade of 45 nations and regions at a dignitaries' table along with International Olympic Committee boss Kirsty Coventry.
Naruhito's visit with royal family members was accompanied by a heavy security operation. Organisers had said up to 10,000 police would be deployed for the ceremony.
"While the world is too often divided by conflict, they [the Asiad athletes] remind us that sport remains a powerful force for peace, understanding and friendship among nations," Olympic Council of Asia President Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani said in a speech.
Japan's father-and-son duo of Shigenobu Murofushi and Koji Murofushi, both former Asian Games champions in hammer throw, jointly lit the cauldron after climbing a set of stairs at the end of the torch relay.
The ceremony kicked off the continental sporting event running through October 4, following a unique and cost-saving approach that housed athletes on a cruise ship and container-style lodging rather than a traditional village.
Japan's reputation for precision and efficiency has been under scrutiny as the nation welcomes more than 11,000 athletes from 45 nations and regions competing for 369 gold medals in a 43-sport programme. The UAE have sent a team of 117 men and 48 women to compete across 23 sports.
Instead of building a dedicated Games village, organisers have the athletes and officials staying in a mix of hotel rooms, temporary wooden containers and a cruise ship docked in the bay as a cost-cutting measure.
Several national team delegations, including hosts Japan, have found the arrangements below par, complaining of mix-ups and double-bookings, while South Korea said the containers at Garden Pier were too cramped for their basketballers.
India's powerful cricket board took matters into their own hands, arranging for the star-studded men's cricket team to stay in a separate hotel due to a tight allocation of beds from organisers.
Delegations have also lamented long waits for the athletes registering on arrival and have found buses turning up late or sending their athletes to the wrong venues.
The opening ceremony was designed around the theme "Harmonic Heart Beat" intended to communicate Asian solidarity at an event often riven by geopolitical tension and historic grudges. Directed by acclaimed Japanese filmmaker Yukihiko Tsutsumi, the event focused heavily on live performers, cultural traditions, and future-forward technology.
However, hopes for a peaceful Games have already been undermined by several incidents even before the event opens.
Taiwan's delegation temporarily refused to participate in their welcoming ceremony on Friday after sports minister and former Olympic champion Lee Yang was blocked from attending it.
The South Korean men's hockey team were upset when North Korea's national anthem was played at the stadium before a match instead of their own.
While competitions for basketball, football and other sports have already started, the first gold medal will be won on Sunday, likely in the triathlon.
A high-class swimming competition kicks off in Tokyo on Sunday, with the programme featuring China's 100 metres freestyle world record holder Pan Zhanle and 13-year-old sensation Yu Zidi.
Apart from traditional Olympic sports, the Games will stage regional favourites, kabaddi and sepak takraw, along with quirky, modern events.
Esports will award medals again after making its debut at Hangzhou, while teqball, a mix of table tennis and football, and "virtual taekwondo" will make their first appearance at the Games.
