Japan
In the news at WTT Contender Istanbul 2026, WTT Champions Frankfurt 2026, Asian Championships 2026
14 stories
- International
Anna Hursey to meet top seed Hashimoto at WTT Contender Istanbul as Yokotani questions fault calls
The Welsh 12th seed reached the women's last 16, while the Japanese qualifier lost to China's 19-year-old defender after two service faults at 9-9.
- Analysis
Boosting: how table tennis's open secret outlived the speed glue ban
Players have complained for more than a decade that rivals treat their rubbers with banned oils. The story runs from a Japanese sponge bat in 1952 to officials taking rackets apart after matches.
- International
Tomokazu Harimoto climbs to world No 2 behind Sora Matsushima as Satsuki Odo breaks into the women's top 10
The first ranking after WTT Champions Frankfurt puts two Japanese men at the top, lifts Lin Yun-Ju back to fifth and Patrick Franziska to 11th, and leaves Wang Manyu's lead among the women untouched.
- International
Japan take half of the 2026 WTT Champions singles titles as China's men end the series without one
Miwa Harimoto beat a Chinese player in all three of her finals, and no Chinese man has reached a semi-final since Wen Ruibo's run in Chongqing in March.
- Day 6 review
WTT Champions Frankfurt finals: Hina Hayata retains her title as Tomokazu Harimoto beats Franziska
Japan won both singles titles on the final day as Hayata beat Odo 4-2 and Harimoto ended the home hopes of Franziska with three straight games.
- Day 6 preview
WTT Champions Frankfurt finals day preview: Hayata meets Miwa Harimoto as Franziska chases a German first
Japan have five of the eight semi-finalists, while Patrick Franziska and Sabine Winter carry German hopes into the last day.
- Day 5 review
WTT Champions Frankfurt day five review: Franziska knocks out Matsushima as Winter beats Chen Yi
Two Germans are in the semi-finals after Franziska beat the world No 1 12-10 in the sixth game, while Japan have five of the last eight and China none.
- Update
Youth Olympic Games: Ryusei Kawakami and Chen Min-hsin win the singles titles in Dakar
Japan's Ryusei Kawakami beat Colombia's Emanuel Otálvaro and Taiwan's Chen Min-hsin beat Singapore's Loy Ming Ying, both 4-2, in the Youth Olympic singles finals.
- Update
Honoka Hashimoto signs sponsorship deal with Jujutsu Kaisen animation studio MAPPA
Japan's world No 14 Honoka Hashimoto has signed a sponsorship contract with MAPPA, the Tokyo studio behind Jujutsu Kaisen and Chainsaw Man, from November.
- International
Youth Olympic Games: Ryusei Kawakami and Miku Matsushima win mixed doubles gold for Japan
The Japanese pair, who knocked out China in the quarter-finals, beat Hong Kong in the Dakar final, while Taiwan came from behind against Thailand to take bronze.
- Equipment
World No 1 Wang Manyu signs advisory contract with Butterfly
The 2021 world champion, who plays with a Fan Zhendong ALC blade and Dignics 09C, joins the Japanese brand during a fortnight in which she lost early in Montpellier and withdrew from Frankfurt.
- Analysis
Japan's choppers keep an old art alive as defence disappears from the men's game
Honoka Hashimoto won both her matches against China in this month's Asian team final by chopping. The style once produced world champions, and it has all but gone from the men's ranking.
- International
Japan's top players may miss the All Japan Championships after clash with WTT Champions event
The Japan Table Tennis Association says players entered for a WTT Champions event in Asia next January may be unable to play their national championships, after a request to move it was not taken up.
- International
Asian Championships 2026: Harimoto and Chen Yi win singles titles as China and Japan share the honours
Harimoto came from two games down to beat Li Tianyang, Chen Yi swept Miwa Harimoto, and Japan's women came from 2-1 down to beat China in the team final.