Japan settled for silver with a 3-0 loss to China in the women's final of the World Team Table Tennis Championships on Saturday.
In the men's semifinals, Japan also lost to China, but forced the table tennis superpower to a full five matches in the Chinese city of Chengdu.
Without a match to decide third place, the Japanese men were left with bronze.
In the women's final, Chen Meng eased past Miyu Kihara 3-0 and Wang Manyu defeated Japan ace Mima Ito 3-1, before Sun Yingsha wrapped up China's fifth straight world title with a 3-0 win over Miyu Nagasaki.
"It was my best match of the tournament," Ito said of her match against the world No. 3 Wang. "It's disappointing that we lost, but I enjoyed my matches."
It was Japan's fourth consecutive women's silver medal in the event.
Tomokazu Harimoto won both of his matches in the men's semifinal, but Fan Zhendong, Ma Long and Wang Chuqin each picked up a win for the host country.
The biennial team championships were held for the first time in four years after the 2020 meet was canceled amid the coronavirus pandemic.