Japanese organizers of this month’s Asian Winter Games are seeking alternative accommodation for Chinese and South Korean athletes after a blazing row over a hotelier’s inflammatory war book, officials said yesterday.
The Tokyo-based APA hotel group, as well as Prince Hotels, will welcome about 2,300 athletes and supporters from more than 30 countries to Sapporo for the Feb. 19 to Feb. 26 Games.
However, APA, one of Japan’s largest hotel chains, has triggered an angry backlash from China for a book it places in guest rooms which claims the 1937 Nanjing massacre committed by Japanese troops was a “fabrication.”
“We have received a request from the Olympic Council of Asia [OCA] that Chinese delegations not stay at the hotel,” am official of the organizing committee said. “All the arrangements have to get the final approval from the OCA, so we will need to meet the request.”
The official also said the South Korean delegations will likely stay at the Sapporo Prince Hotel.
“We have received a request from the South Korean side to find an alternative hotel, and we have informed the OCA of it,” he said.
Organizers and the OCA are hastily rearranging with a final decision on where the 230 Chinese and 230 South Koreans will stay to be made shortly, he added.
APA on Tuesday said it would “temporarily” remove all items from rooms in Sapporo, except those deemed acceptable by Games organizers.
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