TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Sports on Tuesday announced the roster of athletes participating in the upcoming Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Japan, beginning in mid-September.
Taiwan will send 482 athletes to compete in 34 sports. Including coaches and training staff, the total delegation will number more than 700 people, according to a Ministry of Sports press release.
The delegation includes several high-profile athletes and medal contenders, including boxers Lin Yu-ting (林郁婷), Chen Nien-chin (陳念琴), and Huang Hsiao-wen (黃筱雯); weightlifter Kuo Hsing-chun (郭婞淳); judoka Yang Yung-wei (楊勇緯); and gymnasts Lee Chih-kai (李智凱) and Tang Chia-hung (唐嘉鴻).
Other notable athletes include sport shooter Lin Yi-chun (林怡君), who will compete in her eighth Asian Games, and badminton player Chou Tien-chen (周天成), who will make his fifth Asian Games appearance. Badminton player Lin Chun-yi (林俊易), nicknamed the "left-handed cannon," is also expected to attract attention after winning the men's singles title at the BWF Super 1000 series.
The women's softball team is also aiming for a strong performance after qualifying for the 2027 World Cup finals last month. The men's baseball team will also look to make an impact with a roster strengthened by overseas-based players, including pitcher Hsu Jo-hsi (徐若熙), pitcher Gu Lin Ruei-yang (古林睿煬), and pitcher Wang Yen-cheng (王彥程), per the press release.
Taiwan will also send an esports delegation to compete in League of Legends and PUBG Mobile, events in which Taiwanese competitors previously won two medals. Taiwan's esports team expanded in seven additional categories this year, including Pokemon Unite and Puyo Puyo Champions, highlighting the country's growing strength across multiple esports disciplines.
However, several sports that contributed to Taiwan's success at the previous Asian Games will not be included in this year's competition program. Roller skating, bridge, and Go, which combined to win Taiwan nine gold medals at the last Asian Games, are absent from the Aichi-Nagoya Games.
The ministry said the National Sports Training Center is assisting individual sports associations as they enter the final intensive training phase beginning in July. Preparations will include overseas training camps and participation in international competitions as final tune-ups.
The ministry said participation in the Asian Games represents an important opportunity for Taiwan's athletes and pledged to continue providing resources and support for training and competition preparation. It added that the goal is to help athletes pursue medals and reach the highest level of performance ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Regarding recent controversy over surfing and sport climbing athletes receiving Asian Games qualification slots but not being sent to compete, Minister of Sports Lee Yang (李洋) said the ministry had already informed relevant sports associations of selection regulations when preparations for the Asian Games began in 2024, per PTS.
Lee said the regulations have been in place for more than two years, making it difficult to make last-minute adjustments before the competition. However, Lee said that after this year's Asian Games, the ministry will invite sports professionals to review selection procedures and develop sport-specific qualification systems to ensure Taiwan sends its strongest possible teams to future international competitions.
