Nagoya Mayor Apologizes for National Anthem Errors at Asian Para Games
The acting president of the 2026 Asian Para Games organizing committee has issued a formal apology following three separate incidents where incorrect national anthems were played during medal ceremonies and match openings.
Nagoya Mayor Ichiro Hirosawa, serving as the acting president of the 2026 Asian Para Games organizing committee, publicly apologized on October 21 for a series of technical errors involving national anthems. According to reports from Khaosod Online, the incidents occurred on October 19 during events in Aichi-Nagoya.
Two of the errors took place during para-taekwondo medal ceremonies. In the men’s event, the Iranian national anthem was played in its entirety instead of the Taiwanese anthem for the gold medalist. In the women’s event, the Iranian anthem was mistakenly played for the Mongolian gold medalist, though this was halted after athletes intervened, allowing the correct anthem to be played using a file provided by the team. A third incident occurred during a sitting volleyball match between China and Iran, where the South Korean anthem was played instead of the Chinese anthem. The music was stopped immediately, and the correct anthem was subsequently played.
For residents and travelers, these logistical lapses highlight ongoing organizational challenges at the Aichi-Nagoya games. While the committee has acknowledged the mistakes and issued apologies to the affected delegations, it remains to be confirmed what specific technical measures will be implemented to prevent further errors during the remainder of the competition. Visitors attending future events should be aware that such operational hiccups may occasionally cause delays in ceremony schedules.
