Japan's women's volleyball team defeated South Korea 3-0 in the semifinals of the 2026 Asian Games, according to Yahoo!ニュース, advancing to the gold medal match and moving within one victory of the country's first women's volleyball title at the Games in 48 years.
The final is set for September 22 against China, the defending champion. Yahoo!ニュース describes the matchup as a long-standing rivalry, noting that Japan suffered a heavy loss to China at the previous meeting between the two sides. Japan's result in the semifinal also guarantees the team at least a silver medal, a finish reported by 産経ニュース.
Player Wada, quoted in the Yahoo!ニュース report, said she expects the final to be a demanding contest.
The gold medal match offers Japan a chance to end a drought that stretches back nearly five decades at the Asian Games. China enters as the reigning champion and will defend that title.
What to watch next: whether Japan can overcome China in the September 22 final and secure its first Asian Games women's volleyball gold since 1978.