Hifumi and Uta Abe skip Asian Games due to IJF calendar change
Top-tier judoka including Hifumi Abe and Uta Abe have been forced to skip the upcoming Asian Games due to an abrupt calendar change by the International Judo Federation, which has sparked sharp criticism from the Japanese national team. The judo competition at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games is scheduled to run from September 30 to October 3, directly colliding with the World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, which open on October 4.
Schedule Collision Forces Elite Competitors to Sidestep Asian Games
The timing conflict leaves elite athletes with an impossible choice between continental and global honors. World Championships performance points directly influence qualification slots and seeding for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Consequently, top competitors like the Abe siblings, competing out of Park24, must bypass the regional showcase to prioritize world ranking points. TOKYO-SPORTS reported that the venue itself, the Aichi International Arena, has drawn large crowds, with tournament staff noting that judo attendance outpaced the preceding basketball events. Despite the local enthusiasm and the Japan Judo Federation’s desire to field a full-strength roster on home soil, the schedule overlap forced a withdrawal.
The root of the conflict lies in a sudden announcement by the International Judo Federation in late October 2025, which shifted the 2026 World Championships schedule. The global event moved about three months away from its original mid-July slot. Because the Asian Games dates had been locked in more than two years prior, adjustment proved impossible. A Japan Judo Federation training official stated that the IJF change threw the national coaching staff into deep confusion.
National Federation Criticizes International Body Over Disregard for Asian Region
The Japan Judo Federation’s training staff expressed strong frustration over the lack of coordination from international organizers. A federation insider bluntly asserted that the Judo Union of Asia is being heavily undermined by the IJF’s unilateral decisions. The official noted that while internal objections may have been raised at the ground level, leadership intervention is required to effect change, pointing out that European marquee events would likely never be scheduled directly against a World Championship.
The World Championships open on October 4, marking the next critical milestone on the international judo calendar.
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