The Asian Games in Japan are facing mounting complaints over accommodation, transport and other organisational issues ahead of Saturday’s opening ceremony.

More than 17,000 athletes and officials are expected at the Games. Organisers have placed them in hotels, temporary cabins and a cruise ship instead of building a traditional athletes’ village.

The unusual accommodation plan has already drawn criticism from several delegations. Some athletes have also reported delays in receiving rooms and difficulties with transport.

Chinese Gymnast Reports Long Delays

Chinese world champion gymnast Zhang Boheng said he and some teammates waited for about six hours after arriving in Japan on Wednesday.

Zhang later described himself as “totally exhausted” in a video shared on Chinese social media.

He said registration and paperwork caused delays. He also said heavy rain prevented the group from boarding the cruise ship that will house thousands of Games participants.

Chinese state media later reported that other athletes faced travel problems.

China’s consulate in Nagoya also helped some Chinese athletes after shuttle bus problems and limited public transport tickets.

Indian athletes reported similar problems at the airport.

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India’s chef de mission Sahdev Yadav said accreditation issues created long queues during immigration. He described the problems as early operational issues and said the delegation had resolved them.

Accommodation Draws Complaints

The lack of a dedicated athletes’ village has become another major issue.

Organisers chose hotels, temporary wooden cabins and the Costa Serena cruise ship to accommodate participants. The Olympic Council of Asia has defended the approach as a cost-conscious alternative to building a large permanent village.

South Korean officials have criticised some of the temporary cabins.

They have raised concerns about short beds and other accommodation problems. Reports have also highlighted delayed room allocations and transport difficulties affecting several delegations.

The Korean Sport and Olympic Committee said it was aware of the difficulties. Officials said they were working to address problems faced by athletes.

South Korea Protests Hideyoshi Appearance

South Korea has also filed an official complaint over a ceremony featuring Japanese warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

A performer dressed as Hideyoshi appeared during a welcome ceremony for the Costa Serena on September 15. The ship is being used to accommodate around 4,000 athletes and officials.

Hideyoshi led Japan’s invasions of Korea from 1592 to 1598. The episode remains a sensitive part of Korean history.

The Korean Sport and Olympic Committee sent its complaint to the Aichi-Nagoya Games organising committee and the Olympic Council of Asia.

The organising committee said the performance was not intended to endorse a historical figure or convey a historical message. It also acknowledged that such content could be interpreted differently by audiences from different countries.

Organisers Face Pressure Before Opening

The 20th Asian Games officially open in Nagoya and Aichi on September 19.

The Games will feature athletes from 45 countries and regions across 43 sports. Around 17,000 athletes and officials are expected to take part.

Organisers have defended their accommodation strategy and said they are working to resolve reported problems.

The Games will continue through October 4. Attention will now turn to whether organisers can resolve the logistical issues as competition gets underway.