Key facts
- North Korea's sports minister, Kim Il-guk, arrived in Nagoya, Japan, on September 17, 2026, ahead of the Asian Games.
- Kim Il-guk also serves as president of the Olympic Committee of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
- This is the first time in eight years a North Korean ministerial-level government official has visited Japan.
- Japan temporarily lifted its sanctions ban on North Korean nationals for the Asian Games.
- North Korea will send a 188-member delegation, including 107 athletes competing in 14 sports.
North Korea's sports minister, Kim Il-guk, arrived in Nagoya, Japan, on September 17, 2026, two days before the official opening of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. Kim, who also heads the North Korean Olympic Committee, arrived at Chubu Centrair International Airport via China, accompanied by several officials. He was welcomed by representatives of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, also known as Chongryon. This visit marks the first time in eight years that a North Korean ministerial-level official has set foot in Japan, with Kim having previously visited Tokyo in 2018 for an Olympic assembly. Japan had temporarily suspended its entry ban for North Korean nationals to allow participation in the Asian Games, which are subject to sanctions against Pyongyang's nuclear program. North Korea is expected to send a delegation of 188 individuals, including 107 athletes competing across 14 sports, with aspirations for gold medals in weightlifting, wrestling, and boxing. The country's men's and women's football teams have already arrived and played preliminary matches.