Cruise Ship to Serve as Hotel for Asian Games Athletes

Tokyo, Sept. 3 (Jiji Press)--A large cruise ship will be used as an accommodation base for athletes participating in the Asian Games, scheduled to open in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture's capital in central Japan, on Sept. 19.

It is the first attempt to use a ship as a "hotel" in a large-scale international competition held in Japan.

Initially, the construction of an athletes village was planned, but the idea was abandoned due to soaring costs amid inflation.

The organizers decided to use a cruise ship, mobile accommodation facilities and existing hotels to encourage interaction among athletes.

The cruise ship is the Italian-registered Costa Serena. The 290-meter-long vessel has about 1,500 rooms, gym equipment, spacious open-air decks and restaurants.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]