Defending champions Thailand caused an upset in the semifinals of the Asian Women's Championship in Tianjin. The Thais defeated world No. 6 Japan with3:1 (25:21, 25:20, 20:25, 25:20)and qualified for the final, where, in addition to the continental title, they will also play for a direct quota for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
The result is surprising mainly due to the significant difference in the world rankings – Japan is No. 6, while Thailand is No. 17. However, the success can hardly be described as a sensation, as the Thais are the reigning Asian champions and entered the tournament in Tianjin as three-time continental champions.
Thailand – Japan 3:1 (25:21, 25:20, 20:25, 25:20)
Japan reached the semifinals after four consecutive 3:0 victories without losing a single set. The Japanese were dominant against Hong Kong, South Korea, and Vietnam in the group stage, and in the quarterfinals, they eliminated Chinese Taipei with a 3:0 (25:14, 25:21, 25:13) win.
However, Thailand broke the streak in the very first set. The defending champions played more consistently in crucial moments and took the first two sets with 25:21 and 25:20. Japan reacted in the third set and, after a 25:20 win, reduced their deficit, but Thailand regained the initiative in the fourth set and closed the match 3:1 with another 25:20.
Captain Mayu Ishikawa was the top scorer in the match with 23 points – 19 from attack, 3 from block, and 1 ace. Yukiko Wada added 15 points, while Haruyo Shimamura and Hinata Shigihara finished with 10 each.
For Thailand, Pimpichaya Kokram was the top scorer with 20 points – 19 from attack and 1 block. Sasipapron Janthawisut added 16 points, Thatdao Nuekjang – 14, and Chatchu-on Moksri – 10.
Statistics show an interesting picture. Japan had more attack points – 61:57, while Thailand led in blocks with 10:9. The Japanese also recorded the only two aces in the match – 2:0. The big difference came from errors – Thailand received 28 points from opponent errors, while Japan only gained 14 in this way. The total score was 95:86 for Thailand.
The numbers show that Japan was not decisively outplayed in the main game elements. However, Thailand made significantly fewer errors and took full advantage of the Japanese inaccuracies, which proved to be one of the key factors for the final result.
The defeat came at a serious cost for Japan in the world rankings as well. The Japanese lost 13.97 points, and their total dropped from 336.28 to 322.31 points.

China – Iran 3:0 (25:22, 25:12, 25:19)
In the other semifinal, host China defeated Iran 3:0 and continued without losing a set in the tournament. Iran put up the strongest resistance in the first set, which ended 25:22, after which the Chinese won the next two sets with 25:12 and 25:19. This was the second encounter between the two teams in Tianjin, as China also won their group stage match 3:0.
The 3:0 victory brought China only 1.44 points for the world ranking due to the large difference in the positions of the two teams. China now has 322.16 points and is only 0.15 points behind sixth-placed Japan, who remain at 322.31.

Thus, the final of the Asian Championship will pit Thailand against China. Both teams have already secured their participation in the 2027 World Championship, as the top three teams from the continental championship receive direct quotas. The winner of the final will also take the much bigger prize – the direct Asian quota for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
For Japan, the defeat by Thailand means that the team missed the opportunity to qualify directly for Los Angeles 2028 through the Asian Championship. However, the Japanese have one more important match in Tianjin – against Iran for third place. The winner will take the last of the three direct Asian quotas for the 2027 World Championship.
Even with a defeat in the bronze medal match, Japan will not automatically be out of the World Championship. In that case, the Japanese will not receive a quota from the Asian Championship and will have to rely on the remaining qualification mechanism for the tournament.
Thus, the final day in Tianjin offers two matches with different, but extremely serious stakes – Thailand vs. China for the Asian title and a direct Olympic quota, and Japan vs. Iran for the bronze and the last direct Asian quota for the 2027 World Championship.

photos: volleyballworld.com