Pro-Pyongyang Group in Japan Calls Cheering for North Korean Athletes a ‘Patriotic’ Mission Ahead of Asian Games
TOKYO, Japan — A pro-North Korean organization in Japan is urging its members to mount an active cheering campaign for North Korean athletes ahead of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, describing support for the delegation as a “patriotic” mission.
The call was reported Tuesday by Choson Sinbo, a Japan-based newspaper associated with the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, or Chongryon, which maintains close ties with Pyongyang.
The 2026 Asian Games are scheduled to take place in Aichi and Nagoya from September 19 to October 4, bringing athletes from across Asia to Japan.
Chongryon urges members to rally behind North Korean athletes
According to Yonhap News Agency, Choson Sinbo characterized cheering for North Korean athletes as more than ordinary sporting support, calling it a public expression of Chongryon's identity and solidarity with North Korean residents in Japan.
The newspaper urged Chongryon members to participate in grassroots activities supporting the North Korean delegation, portraying the Asian Games as an opportunity to demonstrate unity.
Preparations are reportedly already underway. Choson Sinbo previously reported that Chongryon members in different parts of Japan have been preparing cheering towels and organizing plans to attend events in person to support the athletes.
North Korea preparing a sizable delegation
North Korea plans to send about 100 athletes competing in 14 sports, according to North Korean Olympic Committee Secretary General Ko Chol-ho.
The delegation is expected to compete in sports including football, weightlifting, boxing, table tennis and wrestling.
The team will also include two ethnic Koreans from Japan: footballer Ri Song-a and karate practitioner Jong Se-ri.
North Korean officials have said they want to improve on the country's performance at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, where North Korea returned to major international competition after its pandemic-era absence.
The Japan Times and South China Morning Post previously reported that Pyongyang is targeting a stronger medal haul at the upcoming Games.
Japan's decision on North Korean entry remains significant
The political backdrop makes North Korea's participation particularly notable.
Japan and North Korea do not maintain diplomatic relations, and Tokyo has been considering whether to allow North Korean athletes and officials to enter the country for the Games.
Yonhap reported Monday, citing Kyodo News, that the Japanese government was considering allowing North Korean delegates to enter for the Aichi-Nagoya competition. Japan's Mainichi Shimbun likewise reported that Tokyo was examining the issue.
The question is particularly sensitive because Japan maintains sanctions and restrictions concerning North Korea, while the two governments have no formal diplomatic relationship.
Japan previously allowed North Korean athletes to enter for the women's football Asian final qualifiers in 2024, providing a precedent for sporting participation despite the broader political tensions.
Chongryon has a long-standing connection with Pyongyang
The General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, commonly known as Chongryon, was established in 1955 and represents Japan-based ethnic Koreans who identify with North Korea.
The organization has historically maintained close political, cultural and institutional links with Pyongyang.
Yonhap reported that Chongryon's membership has declined substantially from its historical peak, which was estimated at around 500,000 members, although the organization does not publicly disclose its current membership figure.
The group's role makes its planned cheering campaign more than a routine sports-fan initiative: it reflects the continuing political and cultural ties between Chongryon and North Korea.
A sporting event with a broader political backdrop
The Asian Games are traditionally a major sporting event, but North Korea's participation in Japan carries an additional diplomatic dimension.
For Pyongyang, the Games offer an opportunity to showcase its athletes internationally after years of limited participation in major competitions.
For Chongryon supporters in Japan, meanwhile, the event provides a highly visible opportunity to demonstrate solidarity with the North Korean delegation.
With the opening of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games only days away, attention will now turn to whether North Korean athletes are permitted to enter Japan and how large the planned support campaign becomes once competition begins.
What begins as a sports story could therefore become another closely watched intersection of athletics, identity and the complicated Japan-North Korea relationship.