TEHRAN - Tsukada Tamaki, Japan’s Ambassador to Iran, affirmed during a meeting with Mahmoud Khosravi Vafa, President of the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Iran, that Tokyo will provide full support and cooperation to ensure the smooth participation and dispatch of the Iranian sports delegation to the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya.
The meeting took place on Wednesday morning at the NOC headquarters in Tehran ahead of the upcoming Asian Games, the NOC Public Relations office reported.
At the outset of the meeting, Khosravi Vafa welcomed the Japanese envoy and addressed the recent tragic events in the country, noting that despite severe losses—including leaders, scientists, commanders, students, athletes, and damage to civilian and athletic infrastructure—the resolve of Iranian athletes and officials remains unshaken.
“Unfortunately, during this period, in addition to losing our dear leader, we witnessed the loss of scientists, commanders, students, as well as athletes, alongside damage to sports venues and the general public who bore the heaviest impact of these events,” Khosravi Vafa stated. “In a way, you experienced even bitterer historical trials in Hiroshima, and this shared wound creates a strong convergence where we can deeply understand one another. These incidents have caused no disruption in the willpower and motivation of our officials, people, and athletes.”
Highlighting the unique logistics of the upcoming Games, Khosravi Vafa pointed out that the absence of a single Athletes’ Village and the geographical dispersion of accommodations in Aichi-Nagoya present novel operational conditions. He emphasized the need for comprehensive backing from the Japanese Embassy and the Organizing Committee regarding foreign exchange arrangements, athlete accreditation, and contingency dispatch procedures.
Ambassador Tsukada Tamaki expressed deep condolences over the recent events and the disruption of certain sporting activities, while emphasizing the unifying power of athletics over politics.
“We are fully prepared to host the Asian Games, and I am aware that you are dispatching over 300 athletes to Nagoya, making it one of the largest participating delegations,” Tsukada stated. “The points you raised are logical, and we understand your concerns. While conveying these issues to the Organizing Committee, necessary solutions will be devised, and you should have no worries in this regard.”
The Japanese ambassador also commended the Iranian national football team’s recent performances on the international stage, noting that the achievements of both Iranian and Japanese sports demonstrate that “the power of sports transcends politics.”
Prior to the formal bilateral talks, Ambassador Tsukada paid respects at a symbolic memorial set up at the NOC headquarters to honor Iran’s late leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei. Accompanied by NOC Secretary-General Mehdi Alinejad, the envoy laid a branch of flowers at the memorial, offering a formal tribute on behalf of the diplomatic mission.
At the conclusion of the official meeting, Khosravi Vafa presented the ambassador with a commemorative photo album featuring selected historical moments of Iranian delegations at the 1958 Tokyo Asian Games and the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games. Ambassador Tsukada praised the collection as an exceptionally valuable and historical token of bilateral cultural and athletic ties.
The meeting was attended by senior Iranian sports officials, including NOC Secretary-General Mehdi Alinejad, Delegation Chef de Mission Asghar Rahimi, and representatives from international affairs, protocol, and public relations.