Japan settled for the silver medal at the world team table tennis championships Saturday after coming agonizingly close to upsetting China in the women's final.
World No. 1 Sun Yingsha won both of her matches to help China prevail 3-2 and extend its world team title streak to six.
Hina Hayata and Miu Hirano picked up wins to give Japan a 2-1 lead, creating the opportunity for a shock result at the Busan Exhibition and Convention Center in South Korea.
Sun, however, trounced Hayata 11-2, 11-7, 11-6 in the fourth match before world No. 3 Chen Meng wrapped up China's 23rd overall title by defeating 15-year-old prodigy Miwa Harimoto 4-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-7.
"This is really a confidence boost," Hirano said of her win over world No. 2 Wang Yidi. "I used to feel losing to China was unavoidable, but I've never been disappointed like this. We'll work hard to avenge this loss at the Olympics."
Japan was looking for its first world team title in 53 years but ended up taking silver for the fifth time in a row.
"I was able to clear one wall in the final," Hayata said, referring to her win over Chen in the second match. "Our tough battle against China is expected to continue. I'll try to go over another wall."