Society
Blunders at the Nagoya Asian Games Draw International Criticism
Two operational failures hit the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at once: the North Korean anthem played by mistake before a South Korean hockey match, and Thailand's sepak takraw team left sleeping on a lobby floor. Japanese netizens read both as fresh proof that the country can no longer stage large international events. The dominant tone was self-flagellation about national decline, mixed with shame over the discourtesy to guest nations.