North Korean football squads land in Osaka ahead of the Asian Games
North Korea's football delegations touched down at Kansai International Airport, marking the first arrival for the upcoming Asian Games in Japan.
On Friday, North Korea's national football squads landed at Kansai International Airport in Osaka, beginning the arrival of a delegation that could include roughly 180 athletes and officials for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. Japan, which normally prohibits entry for North Korean nationals due to sanctions, has granted a sports exemption for the event. A source from the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, also known as Chongryon, confirmed the size of the team.
The women's football team is scheduled to play Bangladesh on Monday and South Korea on September 21 in the group stage held in western Japan. Arrangements are underway for North Korean sports minister Kim Il Guk to join the delegation, underscoring Pyongyang's push to re-engage in international competition after missing the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
Why it matters
The arrival shows Japan's willingness to allow North Korean athletes despite sanctions, highlighting sport as a diplomatic bridge.
How this story developed
- Sep 7 Tokyo weighs permitting North Korean athletes and officials to attend Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games
- Sep 10 Tokyo is now assessing a request to permit a record-sized North Korean delegation to attend the Asian Games.
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