The East Asian Games (Japanese: 東亜競技大会, Tōa Kyōgi Taikai), also known as the Asian Development Games (Japanese: 興亜競技大会, Kōa Kyōgi Taikai) were multi-sport events organized by the Japan Association of Athletics Federations (JAAA).
Japan and the Philippines established the Oriental Sports Association (Japanese: 東洋体育協会, Tōyō Taiiku Kyōkai, OSA), which planned two tournaments, now known as the Oriental Games (Japanese: 東洋選手権, Tōyō Senshuken): one in Tokyo (1938) and Manila (1942).
[13] On top of this, Manchuria requested participation in the Tokyo Olympics, but was rejected by the Japanese side as it would develop into a political problem.
[11] When the Second Sino-Japanese War broke out on July 7, 1937, Ichirō Kōno, a member of the Imperial Diet, immediately requested that the Olympics be forfeited.
[18] The event was to be hosted in Xinjing, with various stadiums being built as part of a National Sports Complex as a result.
[17][24] China did not participate in volleyball, leaving Japan and Manchukuo to play against each other, with the remaining three sports being the only ones to feature all three teams.
[30] In November 1939, the OSA was dissolved and the "Greater East Asia Athletic Association" was newly established with the membership of Japan, Manchukuo, the Philippines, China, Thailand, and Burma.
[31] Then, in June 1940, it was decided that the "East Asian Games" would be held in Japan as a substitute for the cancelled Tokyo Olympics and as part of the celebrations commemorating the 2,600th anniversary of the ascension of Emperor Jimmu and thus, the establishment of the Japanese Empire.
[33] It was the first time in ten years since the 9th Far Eastern Championship Games that an international competition was held in Japan.
Of all the countries that participated in this tournament, which was held twice, Manchukuo, China, and Mengjiang had strong ties with Japan.
[2] The following table shows the original schedule, as the baseball and tennis competitions of the Kansai tournament were cancelled due to rain.
[45] A ski competition was held on February 20 and 21 of the same year and was combined with the Kwantung Army's Winter Training Tournament.