Tokyo, Japan, September 2, 2026: Olympic wrestling champion Akari Fujinami received the Japanese flag at the handover ceremony for Team Japan in Tokyo ahead of the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya.
Japanese Olympic Committee President Seiko Hashimoto was also in attendance as the flag was passed to Fujinami, who won gold in the women’s 53kg freestyle wrestling at Paris 2024.
“I pledge here that we will fight together with our teammates until the very end on this special stage held in our home country,” Fujinami said.
“We hope that our pursuit of this challenge will bring courage and hope to all of you cheering us on and to the children who represent our future.
“Let us join forces as Team Japan and create the best Games ever here in Aichi-Nagoya. We kindly ask for you warm and continued support.”
Fujinami, still only 22, has won Olympic gold, Asian Games gold at Hangzhou 2022, two world championships in 2021 and 2023 and two Asian championships in 2022 and 2023 in a glittering career.
The Japanese team for the 2026 Asian Games will comprise 1,430 members, including 932 athletes.
The ceremony took place on August 19 - one month before the opening of the 20th Asian Games from September 19 to October 4.