It was the best and worst of times for the fourth edition of the Games, held in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia.

The Asian Games movement experienced severe strain when the Indonesian authorities refused the entries of delegations from Israel and Taiwan. Their decision was inappropriate for the ideology of the Games, which was peace and friendship.

However, the Games were a resounding success on the playing fields as 17 new records were set in athletics, swimming and others.

The athletics records that were set in the Games were not granted official status while the weightlifting events were cancelled following the International Weightlifting Federation's withdrawal of the permit to stage the event on account of the exclusion of Israel and Taiwan.