[Nagoya AG] Aichi-Nagoya Games Conclude... "See You in Doha in Four Years"

South Korea Finishes Third With 39 Gold Medals
China Dominates at No. 1, Host Nation Japan Comes in Second
Next Asian Games Set for 2030 or 2031 in Qatar

The 20th Summer Asian Games has come to an end.

The 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games concluded its 16 days of competition with the closing ceremony, which was held from 6 p.m. on October 4 at Mizuho Park Athletics Stadium in Nagoya, Japan.

This was the third time Japan hosted the event, following the 1958 Tokyo Games and the 1994 Hiroshima Games, marking a 32-year gap since the last time. This edition of the Games was held across Aichi Prefecture—including Nagoya—and parts of Osaka, Shizuoka, and Gifu, among other areas. Approximately 10,000 participants took part, including delegations from 45 National Olympic Committees (NOC) and a team of refugee athletes.

South Korea earned 39 gold medals, 43 silver, and 68 bronze. While the team maintained its third-place position as in the previous edition, it narrowly missed its target of securing more than 40 gold medals. China came in first with 169 gold, 89 silver, and 83 bronze medals, followed by Japan in second place with 83 gold, 95 silver, and 91 bronze medals.

Seo Chaehyun, who won the gold medal in women's lead sport climbing, is entering holding the Korean flag at the closing ceremony of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games held on the 4th at the Mizuho Park Athletics Stadium in Nagoya, Japan. Nagoya=Yonhap News Agency

Like the opening ceremony, the closing ceremony was produced by Yuki Tsutsumi, a renowned director from Nagoya. After a vibrant performance to celebrate the athletes who had inspired audiences with their achievements during the Games, athletes from each country made their entrance. For South Korea, Seo Chaehyun, who had clinched gold in the women’s lead sport climbing event the previous day, served as flag bearer.

Following speeches from Hideaki Omura, Governor of Aichi Prefecture and head of the organizing committee, and Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), the OCA flag was lowered. The current organizing committee then handed over the flag to the organizers of the next Games. The next Asian Games will take place in Doha, Qatar. The 21st edition is scheduled for 2030, four years from now. However, due to the disruptions that occurred during this year's Games, there have been calls for changes in the operation and status of the Asian Games, with the possibility of a 2031 event being raised.

On the 4th, the closing ceremony performance of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games was held at Mizuho Park Athletics Stadium in Nagoya, Japan. Nagoya=Yonhap News Agency

The Doha Organizing Committee presented a performance under the concept ‘This Place Is Yours’, symbolizing both the journey from Aichi-Nagoya to Doha and a message of welcome. Qatari sports stars—high jump athlete Mutaz Essa Barshim and equestrian athlete Jassim Al Kuwari—participated in the performance. The cauldron, which had illuminated the Mizuho Park Athletics Stadium, was then extinguished. The festivities concluded with a traditional Japanese Bon Odori dance performance.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.