Aichi-Nagoya, Japan: World No. 1 An Se Young delivered South Korea’s only victory, but host Japan recovered strongly to defeat the defending champions 3-1 in the women’s team semifinals of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
Japan won the final three matches of the tie to secure a place in the gold-medal showdown against China, setting up one of the biggest badminton contests of the Games.
An Se Young Beats Akane Yamaguchi in Three Games
South Korea took the opening point through An, who defeated Japanese star Akane Yamaguchi 21-9, 18-21, 21-11.
An dominated the first game before Yamaguchi changed the rhythm of the match and forced a decider. The Korean responded in the third, regaining control and pulling away to give her team a 1-0 lead.
- An Se Young (South Korea) beat Akane Yamaguchi (Japan) 21-9, 18-21, 21-11
Watch An Se Young vs Akane Yamaguchi Highlights
Fukushima-Matsumoto Level the Tie for Japan
Japan responded immediately in the first doubles match as Yuki Fukushima and Mayu Matsumoto defeated Baek Ha Na and Lee So Hee 21-15, 21-19.
The Japanese pair controlled much of the front court and maintained enough pressure in the second game to prevent the Koreans from forcing a decider.
- Yuki Fukushima/Mayu Matsumoto (Japan) beat Baek Ha Na/Lee So Hee (South Korea) 21-15, 21-19
Tomoka Miyazaki Puts Japan Ahead
Japan moved in front for the first time when Tomoka Miyazaki defeated Sim Yu Jin 21-15, 21-14 in the second singles match.
Miyazaki played with confidence and kept the pressure on throughout both games, giving Japan a 2-1 overall lead.
- Tomoka Miyazaki (Japan) beat Sim Yu Jin (South Korea) 21-15, 21-14
Iwanaga-Nakanishi Seal Japan’s Victory
Rin Iwanaga and Kie Nakanishi completed the comeback in the second doubles match against Jeong Na Eun and Kim Hye Jeong.
The opening game went deep into extra points before the Japanese pair edged it 22-20. They then carried that momentum into the second game and won 21-16 to secure Japan’s place in the final.
- Rin Iwanaga/Kie Nakanishi (Japan) beat Jeong Na Eun/Kim Hye Jeong (South Korea) 22-20, 21-16
Final score: Japan 3-1 South Korea.
Japan’s Depth Proves Decisive
An’s opening victory demonstrated why she remains the leading force in women’s singles, but a team competition demands strength across several positions.
Japan had that balance on the day. Fukushima-Matsumoto and Iwanaga-Nakanishi delivered both doubles points, while Miyazaki added the crucial second-singles victory.
Even Yamaguchi’s defeat did not derail the hosts, as Japan responded by winning the next three matches without dropping another point in the tie.
Korea Unable to Build on An Se Young’s Strong Start
South Korea entered the semifinal with a powerful opening option in An, but the remaining matches all went Japan’s way.
Baek-Lee were unable to convert their experience into a doubles victory, while Sim struggled to disrupt Miyazaki’s attacking rhythm. Jeong-Kim then came close in the opening game of the fourth match but could not finish the job.
That left An’s victory as Korea’s only point in the semifinal.
Japan to Face China for Women’s Team Gold
Japan will now meet China in the women’s team final.
China has progressed through its side of the draw without losing a tie, while Japan enters the final carrying momentum from a convincing victory over the defending champions.
The matchup will bring together China’s depth across singles and doubles against a Japanese team that has already shown it can recover quickly from losing the opening match.
Japan vs South Korea Semifinal Results
- An Se Young (South Korea) beat Akane Yamaguchi (Japan) 21-9, 18-21, 21-11
- Yuki Fukushima/Mayu Matsumoto (Japan) beat Baek Ha Na/Lee So Hee (South Korea) 21-15, 21-19
- Tomoka Miyazaki (Japan) beat Sim Yu Jin (South Korea) 21-15, 21-14
- Rin Iwanaga/Kie Nakanishi (Japan) beat Jeong Na Eun/Kim Hye Jeong (South Korea) 22-20, 21-16
For South Korea, An Se Young delivered exactly what was expected at first singles. Japan, however, proved stronger across the rest of the lineup and now moves on to challenge China for the 2026 Asian Games women’s team badminton gold medal.
