Japan exempts North Korean football team from entry ban for Asian Games
About 30 players and officials travelled to Aichi after receiving exceptional permission, while Tokyo kept its wider restrictions in force.
- Japan granted a special exemption to its entry ban for North Korean nationals, allowing the country's men's football team to enter for the Asian Games.
- A Japanese government official cited "special circumstances" and past precedent as the justification for this exceptional measure.
- Despite the exemption for the team, Japan emphasized that its general sanctions-based entry ban on North Korean nationals remains fully in effect.
- The North Korean delegation of around 30 players and officials has already arrived in Japan for the sporting event.
Japan’s sanctions-based entry ban on North Korean nationals remains in force despite its decision to admit the country’s men’s football squad for the Asian Games under a special measure.
Explaining the exception at a press conference in Tokyo, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara stated: “We judged that there are special circumstances to allow entry exceptionally, referring to similar cases in the past.”
He added that “There is no change” to the prohibition on North Korean nationals entering Japan.
A plane carrying some 30 players and officials touched down at Kansai International Airport near Osaka on Friday (September 11).
The group reached the arrivals hall during the afternoon, dressed in white jackets displaying the national flag on the left side of the chest.
About 100 people gathered to welcome the visitors, who received flowers and greeted the crowd with smiles and waves.
They later travelled by bus to their accommodation in Aichi.
Further members of the North Korean delegation are scheduled to arrive on Thursday.
The sporting event will be held mainly in Aichi Prefecture.
[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
