Tokyo: Japan is considering whether to allow North Korean athletes to participate in the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, following a formal request from Pyongyang to send around 150 athletes to compete in 17 events.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi confirmed that the Organising Committee of the Asian Games has sought guidance from the government, and that consultations are underway between relevant ministries. “We are carefully reviewing the request,” Hayashi said, noting that Japan must balance its national security concerns with its obligations as host of the continental sporting event.

Japan currently bans entry to North Korean nationals under sanctions imposed in 2016 in response to Pyongyang’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs. While Tokyo has no diplomatic relations with North Korea, exceptions have been made in the past to permit athletes to enter for international competitions. However, when Japan last hosted the Asian Games in 1994, North Korea did not participate.

North Korea has shown strong interest in the event, having secured 11 gold medals and a total of 39 medals at the previous Asian Games held in Hangzhou. Its participation in Nagoya would mark a significant gesture of sporting engagement amid tense regional relations.

The potential inclusion of North Korean athletes is expected to raise questions over logistics, security measures, and public opinion in Japan. Observers say the government’s final decision could carry broader diplomatic implications, both regionally and internationally.

For now, Japan has not announced a conclusion, and discussions continue on how to reconcile the 2016 entry ban with the international sporting obligations of hosting the Games.