Asian Table Tennis Championships: Japan women stun China 3-2 in Tashkent as China men win fourth in a row
Honoka Hashimoto won two singles as Japan came from 2-1 down to beat China for the women's team title. China's men swept South Korea 3-0.
Japan's women beat China in Tashkent on Thursday. They came from 2-1 down to win the women's team final 3-2 at the 2026 Asian Table Tennis Championships, and Honoka Hashimoto won both of Japan's opening and closing singles. In the men's final China were in control throughout, beating South Korea 3-0 for a fourth consecutive Asian team title.
How Japan turned the women's final
Hashimoto beat Chen Yi in straight games in the first match. China then won the next two. Wang Yidi beat Miwa Harimoto in five games, and Kuai Man beat Hina Hayata 3-0, which left China one match from the title.
Japan won the last two matches. Harimoto beat Chen Yi in straight games to level at 2-2. In the deciding fifth match, Hashimoto beat Wang Yidi 3-1, according to Xinhua.
Both finalists won their semi-finals without losing a match. China beat South Korea 3-0 and Japan beat Chinese Taipei 3-0.
China's men keep their grip
In the men's final, Zhou Qihao beat Kang Dong-soo 3-1, Lin Shidong beat Park Gyu-hyeon 3-0 and Xiang Peng beat Park Gang-hyeon 3-1. It was China's fourth men's team title in a row, after wins in 2023, 2024 and 2025.
Neither semi-final was a sweep. China beat Chinese Taipei 3-1, and South Korea knocked out Japan 3-1.
Individual events and Malaysian interest
The championships in the Uzbek capital run from 19 to 25 October, and the individual events are now under way. The mixed doubles champions are due to be crowned on Friday. Xinhua reported that all six Chinese doubles pairs went through to the next stage, including Huang Youzheng and Chen Yi, and Yuan Licen and Wang Yidi, in the mixed doubles quarter-finals.
Malaysian fans will be following the men's doubles. At the 2024 edition in Astana, Javen Choong and Wong Qi Shen beat China's top pair, Lin Shidong and Lin Gaoyuan, and went on to win bronze. Both players are entered in Tashkent this week. Tashkent is three hours behind Malaysia, so afternoon sessions there are evening viewing in Malaysia.
Next on the calendar
After the continental championships, the next big event is WTT Champions Montpellier from 27 October to 1 November. The Youth Olympic Games in Dakar follow from 31 October.
Key takeaways
- Japan beat China 3-2 in the women's team final after trailing 2-1.
- Honoka Hashimoto won two singles, including the decider against Wang Yidi.
- China's men beat South Korea 3-0 for their fourth straight Asian team title.
- The individual events run until 25 October, starting with the mixed doubles final on Friday.
- Malaysia's Javen Choong and Wong Qi Shen, bronze medallists in 2024, are in the doubles draw.
FAQ
Who won the women's team title at the 2026 Asian Table Tennis Championships? Japan. They beat China 3-2 in the final in Tashkent, with Honoka Hashimoto winning the first and fifth matches and Miwa Harimoto winning the fourth.
Who won the men's team title? China beat South Korea 3-0, with wins for Zhou Qihao, Lin Shidong and Xiang Peng. It was China's fourth men's team title in a row.
When do the Asian Table Tennis Championships end? The event runs from 19 to 25 October 2026 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The singles and doubles finals take place over the final days.
Sources: Xinhua, IANS, ITTF, Yahoo News Malaysia, tabletennis.media