For the first time in the event's history, two cities will co-host the Games as Indonesian capital Jakarta shares the responsibility with Palembang, with the nation's President Joko Widodo set to launch the countdown celebration.

Authorities in Indonesia have had only four years to prepare rather than the usual six after stepping in to fill the gap when Vietnam, whose city of Hanoi was originally chosen to host these Games by the Olympic Council of Asia, dropped out in 2014 citing concerns over costs.

On top of that, work in the two cities that will share the bulk of the 2018 Asian Games was delayed throughout 2015 because government funding was not immediately available.

Erick Thohir, the head of the Indonesian Asian Games Organising Committee, admitted he does have some concerns with a year to go, but believes these will be resolved by the time the event begins.

"I’m only human,” the businessman who is part-owner of Italian football club Inter Milan told the Indian Express.

“Of course there is some pressure, some nervousness, but we have to be confident because this is a big event for our country.”

Meanwhile Husain Al Musallam, the Director General of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), believes the Asian Games legacy can already be seen clearly in Jakarta.

“In 1962 you had the Asian Games – and the old airport that served those Games is now the site of the new Athletes’ Village for next year’s Asian Games,” he said at today’s 7th Coordination Committee meeting between the OCA Coordination Committee and the local organising committee, led by its chairman.

“This is a really good thing.

“Furthermore, the President of Indonesia in 1962 was Soekarno – and the new airport serving Jakarta and next year’s Asian Games is named after him.

“This is another good legacy and continues the story of the Asian Games.”

The agenda included the sports programme, venue construction, test events, anti-doping procedures, marketing, promotions and broadcasting.

Mr Al Musallam said the legacy of next year’s Asian Games could already be felt with a new airport terminal and highway, plus the expansion of the Jakarta Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and the Jakarta Light Rail Transit (LRT).

“The legacy of the Asian Games will not only leave sports facilities for the people and for international events but also an improved transportation system, and this is very positive for the city,” he added.

Mr Al Musallam told a media conference following the meeting that all contracts had been signed with IT, the scoring system and host broadcaster and stressed that all the details must now be implemented with one year to go.

The construction of the Athletes’ Village is almost finished and many major venues are more than 80 per cent complete, and projected to be completed by October.

But the velodrome and equestrian centre, which are being totally rebuilt, are not expected to be completed until May of next year, leaving only three months before the start of a Games that will run from August 18 to September 2.

Mr Al Musallam added that venue construction must be completed by April 2018 in order to give the organisers a full three months for fine-tuning.

The meeting heard that the recruitment of 13,000 volunteers – 11,000 for Jakarta and 2,000 for Palembang – would begin next month.

There will also be a series of test events in 10 sports next February.

The 18^th Asian Games are expected to involve more than 9,000 athletes from 45 nations as well as 8,000 media and officials.

The main stadium, used for the 1962 Asian Games, is in the busy heart of Jakarta, the Indonesian capital, while a new velodrome and equestrian centre are in the east of the city.

Palembang, on the island of Sumatra, which staged the 2011 South East Asian Games, is the other main sports venue.

Some sports, including football, will take place in West Java cities such as Bandung, Bekasi and Bogor.

The main stadium is being renovated so that it will be able to seat around 80,000 people.

The OCA Chairman, Tsunekazu Takeda, commented: “We are very satisfied that the government and organising committee are working very hard for the success of the Asian Games.”