Japan Breaks Silence On India, Pakistan Concerns Over 'Tiny' Hotel Rooms At Asian Games

News cricket Japan Breaks Silence On India, Pakistan Concerns Over 'Tiny' Hotel Rooms At Asian Games

Japan Breaks Silence On India, Pakistan Concerns Over 'Tiny' Hotel Rooms At Asian Games

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Last Updated: September 01, 2026, 17:26 IST

Japan Cricket Association defends 2026 Asian Games facilities after concerns from India, Pakistan.

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India and Pakistan will meet in Japan for the Asia Games. (PTI)

The Japan Cricket Association has pushed back on concerns raised by Asia’s cricketing heavyweights about the facilities at the 2026 Asian Games to be hosted from September 19-October 4.

Last week, concerns were raised over the cricket venue and facilities for the Asian Games in Japan. Matches will be played at the Nisshin Cricket Ground at Korogi Sports Park, a remodeled baseball facility completed in March. The 2,000-capacity venue has hosted matches during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup East Asia-Pacific Qualifier but has otherwise seen limited use.

India and Pakistan reportedly protested the relatively new pitch and lack of proper dressing rooms. Following discussions involving the cricket boards of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) was expected to send representatives to Japan to inspect the facilities.

JCA CEO, Naoki Alex Miyaji, said that the Aichi-Nagoya Games Organizing Committee (AINAGOC), in collaboration with the ACC under the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), had done their best to prepare the country for a sport that wasn’t popular among the locals. Sri Lankan Cricket (SLC) helped with curators to prepare the pitches.

“They only had 17 months to prepare and had to start from scratch as there were no Cricket venues of any standard in Aichi Prefecture. Considering the limited time and resources available, AINAGOC and ACC have worked together to ensure that the playing facilities are suitable," he told PTI.

“It will be a full size ground with turf and hybrid pitches prepared by the best curators which Sri Lanka Cricket should be credited for providing. There are limits on what they can do within these tight limits, but from what I have seen, the playing surface and field will be the best seen in Cricket’s inclusion in the Asian Games," he added.

Accommodation also emerged as an issue, with players from cricket, football and softball set to stay at hotels in Nagoya, around 20km from the ground. Concerns were raised that the rooms could be too small for two athletes, particularly with cricket equipment and luggage.

But Miyaji argued that other sportspersons were given even more rudimentary options, adding that cricket teams will be allowed to arrange accommodations for themselves if they wished to.

“Many other sports are being accommodated in much more limited facilities such as a cruise ship or container hotels. The teams are free to arrange their own accommodation if they choose to do so," he said.

Miyaji also rejected rumors of toilets being far away from the playing facilities.

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Quick Answers Powered by Ask News18 How will tiny hotel rooms impact Asian Games athletes? The tiny hotel rooms at the Asian Games are so small that if an athlete opens a kit bag, there will not be much space left to stand. What are the alternative accommodation options for teams? Because there is no dedicated athletes' village, the organisers are using a luxury cruise ship, temporary wooden containers, and hotels to accommodate participants. Additionally, teams are free to arrange their own alternative accommodation if they choose to do so. Powered by Ask News18

First Published: September 01, 2026, 17:26 IST

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