Japan considers allowing North Korean team into Asian Games

Japan is considering allowing a North Korean delegation to enter the country for the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, despite Tokyo’s general ban on North Korean nationals, Kyodo News reported.

The Games open on the 19th, and Kyodo cited Japanese government sources in reporting that officials are examining whether to permit the delegation’s entry. Japan maintains its ban as part of independent sanctions linked to North Korea’s nuclear and missile development, but the government has previously made exceptions for sporting exchanges.

A person connected with the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan said the North Korean delegation is expected to number about 180 people, including officials. That would make it the largest North Korean team ever to visit Japan for a sporting competition.

North Korean football teams have already travelled to Japan since the sanctions took effect. The women’s team arrived in February 2024 for a Paris Olympic qualifying match, followed by the men’s team in March for an Asian qualifying match for the 2026 North and Central American World Cup.

North Korea said last month through an interview with Ko Chol-ho, secretary of its Olympic committee, that it intended to send more than 100 athletes in 14 sports at the Asian Games. The sports listed included football, weightlifting and boxing.