National Skills Competition and Abilympics to be held in Aichi in December — free to watch, with live streamingPlain-language (teen-friendly): national contests of skill in Aichi this December — free for anyone to watch
On November 5, 2026 (Reiwa 8), the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare announced two skills competitions. The 64th National Skills Competition runs from Friday, December 4 to Monday, December 7 at Aichi Sky Expo (Aichi International Exhibition Center) and other sites, 14 venues in all, with 991 competitors expected in 42 occupational categories. The 46th National Abilympics runs from Friday, December 4 to Sunday, December 6 at Aichi Sky Expo, with 406 competitors in 25 events. Venues will be open free of charge during the competitions, and live streaming is planned.
Key points
- The 64th National Skills Competition runs from Friday, December 4 to Monday, December 7, 2026 (Reiwa 8). It is held at Aichi Sky Expo (Aichi International Exhibition Center) and other sites, 14 venues in all, with 991 competitors expected in 42 occupational categories
- The 46th National Abilympics (National Skills Competition for Persons with Disabilities) runs from Friday, December 4 to Sunday, December 6, 2026. It is held at Aichi Sky Expo, with 406 competitors in 25 events
- For the National Skills Competition, the venues will be opened to the general public free of charge during the competition period, and the event is scheduled to be streamed live on a dedicated website
- Both were announced by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare on Thursday, November 5, 2026
What to do in practice
- If your company recruits or trains skilled workers, check whether your trades are among the 42 occupational categories or 25 events, and use that when deciding whether to send employees to watch or to compete
- If the venue is far away, consider whether the live stream of the National Skills Competition can be used in your in-house training
On November 5 the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare announced two national contests of skill to be held in December. One is the National Skills Competition, from December 4 to 7 at Aichi Sky Expo and 13 other sites, 14 venues in all, with 991 competitors in 42 kinds of work. The other is the Abilympics, where people with disabilities compete, from December 4 to 6 at Aichi Sky Expo with 406 competitors in 25 events. For the National Skills Competition the venues are open free of charge, and a live stream on the internet is planned.
- 1. WhenThe National Skills Competition is December 4 to 7; the Abilympics is December 4 to 6
- 2. WhereMainly Aichi Sky Expo. The National Skills Competition uses other sites too, 14 in all
- 3. What to watch42 kinds of work at the National Skills Competition, and 25 events at the Abilympics
- 4. If you cannot goThe National Skills Competition is scheduled to be streamed live on a dedicated website
Points
- The National Skills Competition runs from December 4 to 7, with 991 competitors in 42 kinds of work
- The Abilympics runs from December 4 to 6, with 406 competitors in 25 events
- The National Skills Competition opens its venues free of charge, and a live stream on the internet is planned
What the words mean
- National Skills Competition
- A nationwide contest in which young people compete in skills used at work
- Abilympics
- A nationwide contest in which people with disabilities compete in skills used at work
- Occupational category
- A kind of work, such as electrical installation, cooking or machine assembly
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW): MHLW, The 64th National Skills Competition will be held from December 4 to 7
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW): MHLW, The 46th National Abilympics (National Skills Competition for Persons with Disabilities) will be held from December 4 to 6
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