Japan bars N. Korea athletes from bullet trains at Asian Games; Pyongyang calls it 'discriminatory'

Japan has barred North Korea's delegation to the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games from using the Shinkansen bullet train — a restriction not imposed on any other participating country. Japan also reached out to North Korean Sports Minister Kim Il-guk, who is visiting for the Games, to signal its interest in dialogue, but received no response, according to reports.

A North Korean delegation official told Japan's Kyodo News on Monday that the delegation has been restricted from using the Shinkansen during its stay in Japan.

Japanese authorities cited security concerns as the reason, but North Korea pushed back, calling the restrictions "considerably discriminatory compared to other delegations" and noting that no other team faces such detailed constraints.

Venues for the Games are spread across Aichi Prefecture and as far as Osaka, making frequent travel between sites necessary for all delegations.

North Korea's women's football team played its group-stage matches in Osaka before the opening ceremony, while the men's team arrived at Osaka's Kansai International Airport on Sept. 11. Without access to high-speed rail, the delegation faces significantly longer travel times between venues.

Japan generally bans North Korean nationals from entering the country as part of its unilateral sanctions over Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs. An exception was granted for the Games.

According to Kyodo News, the North Korean delegation numbers about 180 people, including 107 athletes competing in 14 sports — the largest sports delegation North Korea has ever sent to Japan. It is also the first time North Korea has participated in a Summer Asian Games held in Japan.

Kim Il-guk, the sports minister heading the delegation, left Pyongyang on Tuesday, traveled through China and arrived at Nagoya's Chubu Centrair International Airport on Thursday. His visit marks the first time a North Korean minister-level official has traveled to Japan in eight years, since Kim attended the 2018 Association of National Olympic Committees General Assembly in Tokyo.

Kyodo News, citing multiple sources familiar with Japan-North Korea relations, said a Japanese government official handling North Korean affairs approached Kim at the Nagoya venue during Saturday's opening ceremony, welcomed his visit and expressed Japan's desire to promote exchanges between the two countries.

However, Kim appeared flustered and left without responding, according to the report. Kyodo News said operational grievances over the Shinkansen restrictions appeared to be among the reasons Kim avoided the conversation.

Meanwhile, Kim is the top figure in North Korean sports administration and also serves as chairman of the country's Olympic committee. He attended the Games in his capacity as an official of the Olympic Council of Asia.

The Games run through Oct. 4.