为了增加东亚地区各奥委会在体育上和文化上的交流，地区代表于1991年9月15日举行的东亚各国奥委会第一届理事会上首次提出举办东亚运动会的建议。
In order to promote exchanges in terms of sports and culture among the Olympic committees of the East Asian region, the regional representatives proposed the East Asian Games for the first time at the first council of the Olympic Committees of East Asian countries held on September 15, 1991.