Nagoya, Japan, May 1, 2025: The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 have supporters in high places – none more so than Japanese sports trailblazer and politician Seiko Hashimoto.
The seven-time Olympian attended the welcome reception for members of the OCA Coordination Committee and participants of the 1st Technical Delegates Meeting at the Nagoya Tokyu Hotel on Thursday in her role as Chair of the Parliamentary Association for the Asian Games 2026.
In proposing a toast to the success of Aichi-Nagoya 2026, Hashimoto reflected on the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and looked forward to next year.
“I would like to thank everyone here for helping to make Tokyo 2020 a great success, and I ask for your support again,” she said.
“I promise you that I will work very hard with all the parties to support the Asian Games 2026.”
Hashimoto is a former speed skater and track cyclist who represented Japan in seven Olympic Games.
As a politician with the Liberal Democrat Party, she rose to become President of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games Organising Committee.
She is a champion of gender equality and will add some political star quality to the promotion of the Asian Games, which will run from September 19 to October 4, 2026.
The President of organising committee AINAGOC, Aichi Prefecture Governor Hideaki Ohmura, said the joint welcome reception would “strengthen the bonds of friendship” to ensure a smooth build-up to Aichi-Nagoya 2026.
The Chair of the OCA Coordination Committee, Tayyab Ikram, said he was confident that all parties would have a unique experience and successful journey on the road to Aichi-Nagoya. He also recognized the “concept and vision” of OCA Vice President Tsunekazu Takeda in bringing the Asian Games back to Japan for a third time following Tokyo 1958 and Hiroshima 1994.