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The story
A 5ch thread lit up after Japan’s national table tennis team beat China to win gold. Posters lined up to praise the growth of players like Tomokazu Harimoto and Kira Matsushima, and after a direct win over world No. 1 Wang Chuqin, some declared, “They’ve finally broken through China’s fortress.” Others argued China’s players weren’t at full strength, or pointed out that the men’s roster depth seems to be thinning, leaving opinion split on whether this is a genuine generational shift or just a temporary slump for China. For the upcoming women’s match, many predicted a tough wall in world No. 1 Sun Yingsha.
What people said
The one with the butt-shaped thing (probably a hair bun)
That 'B-squad' is exactly what we couldn't beat for 60 years though
They're China's top 3 in the world rankings and you're calling that a B-squad? Are there guys even stronger who just don't play internationally?
Badminton too
China's weak AND not motivated. Next up, the women's match — Japan's gonna get wrecked in straight sets by big sis Sun Yingsha
This one's on Japan getting stronger. If Japan weren't in the picture, China basically never loses
Sun Yingsha alone is still on another level. No way she's getting beaten
Apparently it's been 60 years
Unlike the women's side, which is still overwhelmingly strong, the men's game in China is genuinely on its way out
tps://i.imgur.com/w5mryb4.jpeg
Guess it's not as dominant as people say. Did their generational handover just flop?
Wait, there's a Japanese player ranked above Harimoto?
Background and Points of Debate
Table tennis has long been a sport where China sits at the top of the world, and it’s historically been rare for Japan to beat them in international play. The “first time in 60 years” figure repeated throughout the thread comes from posters’ own recollections and isn’t clearly backed by official records, so it’s worth taking with a grain of salt. Opinion was split on whether Japan had genuinely closed the skill gap or whether China simply hadn’t fielded its strongest lineup, with both views appearing side by side in the thread. It’s also worth noting that some Japanese national team players have roots in China, but eligibility to represent a country is based on nationality — so questioning the win’s legitimacy based on a player’s background alone doesn’t reflect the actual rules. As for the upcoming women’s match, the general consensus was that it’s a tall order given the presence of top-ranked Sun Yingsha.
※This article was compiled and summarized from a 5ch (Nandemo Jikkyo G board) thread: “[Breaking] Japan’s Table Tennis Team Beats the Strongest-Ever China for Gold WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW“.
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