Among the videos were messages from three athletes with connections to the Nagoya prefecture and its capital city Aichi - Yurie Nabeya, Yuki Soma and Miki Kobayashi (née Kanie).

Kobayashi was a member of the Japanese team that won bronze in the women's team event at the London 2012 Olympics.

Volleyball player Nabeya plays for the Aichi-based Denso Airybees, while footballer Soma represents Nagoya Grampus at club level.

Both are in line to feature at a home Olympics later this year.

Another video released by the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Organising Committee on March 29, when the 2,000-days-to-go landmark fell, includes a time-lapse of various milestones already passed, such as being awarded the Games and releasing a slogan - "Imagine One Asia".

Local children, Organising Committee officials and Japanese athletes also feature, displaying placards announcing 2,000 days to go until the Games.

At one stage, the message "20th Asian Games Achi-Nagoya 2026" is spelled out using GPS tracking.

It will be the third time Japan hosts the Asian Games, after Tokyo in 1958 and Hiroshima in 1994, and competition is due to take place from September 19 to October 4.

Hangzhou in China is due to host the next Asian Games in 2022, with Doha in Qatar awarded the 2030 edition and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia to host in 2034.