Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games organising committee president Hideaki Omura has revealed that ticket sales for cricket have not been particularly strong despite India bringing a star-studded squad to Japan. With Indian residents eagerly waiting to watch their cricketing heroes in action, the sport is still struggling to attract wider attention among Japanese fans.
Athletes from 45 countries and territories are set to compete across more than 40 sports during the two-week Asian Games. Omura said overall ticket sales were progressing fairly well, especially for some of the marquee events. However, he admitted that sports with less recognition in Japan continue to struggle to attract spectators.
Cricket remains one of those sports, with the game still relatively unfamiliar to the Japanese public. “India have a superstar cricket squad coming and Indian residents in Japan are saying, ‘I cannot believe we get to watch matches like this’, but ticket sales have not been very strong,” Omura told AFP.
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He urged Japanese fans to use the Asian Games as an opportunity to experience cricket for the first time. “A lot of people in Japan have never seen cricket, so I really hope they take this chance and go and watch,” Omura added.
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Cricket will be among the sports seeking greater exposure during the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. Basketball and football events had already begun before the official opening ceremony, giving organisers an early glimpse of the competition.
Omura attended the opening basketball action and watched Qatar face Iran in the men’s tournament. Reflecting on the contest, he said sporting events can provide an opportunity for countries to maintain friendships despite tensions outside the sporting arena.
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“Iran and Qatar are in a situation where missiles are flying back and forth, but they can still play basketball together,” Omura said. “Without the Asian Games you could not have a match like that,” he added.
Ahead of the opening ceremony, Omura, who is also the governor of Aichi prefecture, said organisers were focused on ensuring athletes remained comfortable throughout the Games and that their concerns would be addressed appropriately.
