Japan crushed South Korea 21-0 while North Korea failed to get its campaign off to a winning start Thursday as the women's ice hockey tournament began two days before the official opening of the Winter Asian Games.

Captain Yuki Togawa scored four times and Hanae Kubo followed with three goals as Japan showered 103 shots on the opposing goal in an ill-tempered game that temporarily halted play at Misawa Ice Arena.

Thirteen different Japanese players got on the scoresheet as the host limited the South Koreans to just one shot to make a perfect start to its bid for a first gold medal in women's ice hockey after finishing second in the previous two games.

During the game, South Korean head coach Sheen Seung Han withdrew all players from the ice in an apparent protest over a series of allegedly unfair rulings in favor of Japan.