According to the Japan Times, the JOC have confirmed that the confirmation letter was jointly issued by Aichi Governor Hideaki Omura and Nagoya Mayor Takashi Kawamura.

It confirms the two local Governments wish to work together in order to jointly host the event.

This comes as a boost both for Japan and for the wider Asian sporting community after recent concerns as to whether the bid could be aborted.

Discussions between the two sides appeared to be floundering after the central Japanese prefecture had not come up with detailed cost estimates.

Representatives of Nagoya city and Aichi Prefecture then paid an emergency visit to the JOC office in order to resume talks regarding a joint bid.

“It is a very welcome development that the preparations for filing the candidacy are now set,” said JOC President Tsunekazu Takeda.

“We will cooperate with Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya city to do our best to win a decision to hold the event in Japan.”

Aichi's Prefectural Government has since indicated to Nagoya that total costs are estimated to reach roughly ¥85 billion (£623 million/$823 million/€732 million), out of which ¥25 billion (£185 million/$244 million/€200 million) is expected to be covered by sponsorships and other revenue.

This confirmation comes just four days before the General Assembly of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) in Danang at which the Japanese project now seems likely to be officially confirmed as host.

No other interested cities have come forward.

A host was not expected to be confirmed until 2018, but the OCA are known for favouring an ad-hoc approach.

Last year, OCA President Sheikh Ahmad Fahad Al-Sabah told insidethegames that "many cities were interested in bidding" for the Asian Games in 2026, but the "Asian tradition" is to favour one pre-meditated choice over an election-process.

It would become the third time the summer edition of Asia's premier multi-sport event would take place in Japan after editions in Tokyo in 1958 and in Hiroshima in 1994.

Sapporo is due to host the Asian Winter Games in February 2017.

Jakarta and Palembang in Indonesia are due to host the 2018 Asian Games.

They were selected following the withdrawal of original host, Hanoi in Vietnam, for economic reasons.

Hangzhou in China was selected to stage the 2022 Asian Games by the OCA at its General Assembly in Ashgabat last September after they were the only bidder.