NAGOYA, Japan — Japan’s Nonoka Ozaki won women’s freestyle 62kg gold at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on October 1 after defeating North Korea’s Kim Ok Ju 3-0. The victory added another wrestling title for the host nation during a busy day in which Japan also celebrated gold through Yuri Nakazato in men’s Greco-Roman 97kg.
Ozaki controls the final
Ozaki produced a controlled performance to beat Kim 3-0. The Japanese wrestler managed the contest without allowing her opponent to turn the final into a high-scoring exchange. The result gave the home crowd another reason to celebrate as wrestling continued to contribute to Japan’s medal campaign.
For Kim, reaching the final still delivered a silver medal for North Korea. The bout also demonstrated the importance of wrestling in the Asian Games programme, where athletes from across the continent compete for medals in Greco-Roman and freestyle categories.
Another Japanese gold on the same day
Ozaki’s title came shortly after Yuri Nakazato defeated India’s Nitesh Siwach 4-0 in the men’s Greco-Roman 97kg final. Two Japanese wrestling golds on the same day strengthened the host nation’s position in the medal table and highlighted the depth of its home programme.
Kusaka adds a silver
Olympic champion Nao Kusaka also reached a final but finished with silver in the men’s Greco-Roman 77kg category. Kusaka’s route included a dramatic quarterfinal comeback against Kazakhstan’s Demeu Zhadrayev before Iran’s Alireza Abdevali won the final.
The combination of gold and silver medals made October 1 one of the notable wrestling days for Japan. The host country was already close to its historical Asian Games medal record, making each additional podium finish significant in the final stretch.
Japan’s wider campaign
Japan has been competing across a wide range of sports during Aichi-Nagoya 2026. The country has collected medals in swimming, gymnastics, athletics, wrestling, cycling, shooting, judo and other disciplines. Hosting the Games has also placed additional attention on Japanese athletes performing in front of domestic spectators.
Reuters reported that Japan was approaching its all-time Asian Games medal record of 218, set at Hiroshima in 1994. The final days of competition could determine whether the host nation passes that benchmark.
What the gold means for Ozaki
The Asian Games title adds an important continental achievement to Ozaki’s career. Winning at home also places her result within a larger Japanese wrestling tradition that has produced Olympic and world champions across multiple generations.
The result is also relevant to the next international cycle. Asian Games medals do not automatically determine Olympic qualification, but major continental performances can be important indicators of an athlete’s standing before future world-level competitions.
Final days in Nagoya
With the Games scheduled to conclude on October 4, Japan still has opportunities to add medals. Team sports, athletics finals and other late-stage events can rapidly change the medal table during the closing days of a multi-sport event.
Readers can follow the host nation’s results through the official Aichi-Nagoya 2026 website and the Olympic Council of Asia. NewsNationOnline’s Asian Games guide provides additional tournament context.
Editor’s note: This report reflects information available on October 1, 2026. Medal tables and official results can change as event records are confirmed.
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