Pakistan, Sept. 11 -- The Asian Games began in Japan on Thursday with Qatar beating Iran in men's basketball, the first action in the continental multi-sport showpiece that has more participants than the Olympics.

Over 17,000 athletes and officials are expected to take part in 43 sports at the Nagoya-Aichi Games - which do not officially start until the opening ceremony on September 19 and will run until October 4.

Several events such as basketball, football, cricket, hockey and modern pentathlon will get under way before the opening ceremony. Qatar held off a comeback from Iran to win their Group B encounter 59-35 at the Aichi International Arena in Nagoya in the first match of a men's basketball competition that will hold medal finals...