Team China encourage each other during the women's gold medal match of softball between China and Japan at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 in Anjo of Aichi Prefecture, Japan, Oct. 3, 2026. (Xinhua/Luo Yuan)
NAGOYA, Japan, Oct. 3 (Xinhua)-- Japan beat China 7-0 in the women's softball final at the 2026 Asian Games on Saturday, claiming a seventh consecutive Asiad title while China took silver.
Both teams had won their first six games in the eight-team round-robin preliminary stage before Japan edged China 7-6 in their final preliminary match.
In the final, Japan opened a 2-0 lead in the second inning, helped by a baserunning interference call and Ayane Nakagawa's sacrifice fly.
Risa Kawamura doubled to start the fourth before Kanna Kudo and Kyoko Ishikawa drove in three more runs to extend Japan's lead to 5-0.
China changed pitchers in the fifth, but Japan loaded the bases on a hit and two walks. With two outs, Rei Fujimoto drove in two runs to make it 7-0, ending the game under the tournament's run-ahead rule.
China's Xi Kailin said the team had improved in both offense and defense during the tournament but needed to acknowledge the remaining gap with Japan.
"Japan had a plan for every pitch," she said. "We need to improve how we deal with different defensive situations while maintaining our progress offensively."
China has brought in Japanese coaches Itsushi Fukuda and Eri Yamada as part of their preparations for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Fukuda said the silver medal met the team's minimum target, but added that China still lacked match experience, particularly in turning pre-match analysis into effective decisions during games.
Yamada said China had played well against Japan in the preliminary round, but the final showed there was still a gap between the sides.
"We expected Japan to use different locations and different types of pitches, but we were not able to respond well enough," she said, adding that China needed to improve its run-scoring ability.
China won the first three Asian Games women's softball titles in 1990, 1994 and 1998. Japan has won every edition since Busan 2002, with Saturday's victory extending their run to seven straight gold medal. ■
Sun Yue of China throws the ball during the women's gold medal match of softball between China and Japan at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 in Anjo of Aichi Prefecture, Japan, Oct. 3, 2026. (Xinhua/Luo Yuan)
Suto Shiho (front) of Japan celebrates winning the women's gold medal match of softball between China and Japan at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 in Anjo of Aichi Prefecture, Japan, Oct. 3, 2026. (Xinhua/Luo Yuan)
Fujimoto Urara of Japan hits the ball during the women's gold medal match of softball between China and Japan at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 in Anjo of Aichi Prefecture, Japan, Oct. 3, 2026. (Xinhua/Luo Yuan)
Team China (R) and team Japan line up before the women's gold medal match of softball between China and Japan at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 in Anjo of Aichi Prefecture, Japan, Oct. 3, 2026. (Xinhua/Luo Yuan)
Chai Yinan of China throws the ball during the women's gold medal match of softball between China and Japan at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 in Anjo of Aichi Prefecture, Japan, Oct. 3, 2026. (Xinhua/Luo Yuan)
Lu Ying of China celebrates during the women's gold medal match of softball between China and Japan at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 in Anjo of Aichi Prefecture, Japan, Oct. 3, 2026. (Xinhua/Luo Yuan)
Chai Yinan of China competes during the women's gold medal match of softball between China and Japan at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 in Anjo of Aichi Prefecture, Japan, Oct. 3, 2026. (Xinhua/Luo Yuan)
Chai Yinan (L) of China throws the ball during the women's gold medal match of softball between China and Japan at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 in Anjo of Aichi Prefecture, Japan, Oct. 3, 2026. (Xinhua/Luo Yuan)
Yan Siyu of China celebrates during the women's gold medal match of softball between China and Japan at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 in Anjo of Aichi Prefecture, Japan, Oct. 3, 2026. (Xinhua/Luo Yuan)
Suto Shiho of Japan celebrates winning the women's gold medal match of softball between China and Japan at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 in Anjo of Aichi Prefecture, Japan, Oct. 3, 2026. (Xinhua/Luo Yuan)
Team Japan celebrate winning the women's gold medal match of softball between China and Japan at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 in Anjo of Aichi Prefecture, Japan, Oct. 3, 2026. (Xinhua/Luo Yuan)
Chai Yinan of China throws the ball during the women's gold medal match of softball between China and Japan at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 in Anjo of Aichi Prefecture, Japan, Oct. 3, 2026. (Xinhua/Luo Yuan)
Team China discuss during the women's gold medal match of softball between China and Japan at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 in Anjo of Aichi Prefecture, Japan, Oct. 3, 2026. (Xinhua/Luo Yuan)
Ishikawa Kyoko (front) of Japan celebrates winning the women's gold medal match of softball between China and Japan at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 in Anjo of Aichi Prefecture, Japan, Oct. 3, 2026. (Xinhua/Luo Yuan)
Fukuda Itsushi (C), head coach of China instructs during the women's gold medal match of softball between China and Japan at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 in Anjo of Aichi Prefecture, Japan, Oct. 3, 2026. (Xinhua/Luo Yuan)
He Xiaoyan of China hits the ball during the women's gold medal match of softball between China and Japan at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 in Anjo of Aichi Prefecture, Japan, Oct. 3, 2026. (Xinhua/Luo Yuan)
