Japan is considering allowing North Korean athletes and others involved in the Asian Games to enter the country ahead of the event's opening later this month, a Japanese government source said Monday.
The government has in principle banned North Koreans from entering Japan as part of sanctions against Pyongyang's nuclear and missile development programs, but has made exceptions for sports events. The two nations have no diplomatic relations.
According to a source at the pro-Pyongyang General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, North Korea's delegation for the Sept. 19-Oct. 4 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games is expected to consist of about 180 individuals.
It would be one of the largest delegations North Korea has ever sent to a sporting event in Japan.
North Korea has several athletes considered favorites to win gold medals in weightlifting and wrestling. Its women's football team has also been gaining strength, with a Pyongyang-based club clinching the Asian Champions League title in May.
Two Korean residents of Japan who are athletes are also expected to join the North Korean delegation for the Asian Games, which are generally held every four years.
In 2024, the Japanese government allowed North Korean athletes to enter the country for the Asian final qualifiers in women's football for the Paris Olympics.
North Korea did not send a squad to the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
