States » NorthPosted at: Sep 24 2026 5:25PM


Punjab CM Mann awaits Centre's nod for Japan visit to watch Asian Games hockey

Neeraj Bali
Chandigarh, Sep 24 (UNI) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is awaiting the Centre's political clearance to travel to Japan for the Asian Games hockey knockouts, weeks before his state hosts a major continental hockey tournament, officials said on Thursday.
The Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) has invited Mann and a Punjab government delegation to attend the concluding stages of the men's and women's hockey competitions at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
The invitation, issued by AHF President Fumio Ogura, covers the semi-finals on September 30 and October 1 and the finals on October 2 and 3.
“The CM has applied for the Japan tour. However, it remains to be seen whether we get it or not,” an official familiar with the matter said. “We are waiting. If he wants to watch the match, then he will have to be there on October 1.”
India's men's team is competing in Pool A and is due to play its final pool match against Bangladesh on September 28. The men's semi-finals are scheduled for October 1 and the medal matches for October 3.
The proposed visit also has an organisational component, with Punjab preparing to host the Men's Asian Champions Trophy from October 27 to November 5 in Jalandhar and Mohali.
The AHF said the Japan visit would give the Punjab delegation first-hand experience of organising a major international sporting event that could be used when the state hosts the Asian Champions Trophy. Punjab will host the tournament for the first time.
The clearance request comes against the backdrop of Mann's previous foreign travel proposals. In August 2024, the Centre did not grant him political clearance to travel to Paris to watch India's men's hockey team at the Olympics. A proposed investment-related visit to the United Kingdom and Israel in January 2026 was also called off after political clearance was not granted.
Mann, however, led an official Punjab delegation to Japan in December 2025 and later travelled to South Korea for investment-related engagements.
The Chief Minister has separately sought political clearance for a proposed visit to France and Italy in October, where Punjab plans to showcase agricultural and food products of MARKFED and Punjab Agro at exhibitions beginning October 21.
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Neeraj Bali
Chandigarh, Sep 24 (UNI) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is awaiting the Centre's political clearance to travel to Japan for the Asian Games hockey knockouts, weeks before his state hosts a major continental hockey tournament, officials said on Thursday.

see more..