Chinese and Japanese players in action during their match at 2025 IIHF Ice Hockey Women's Asia Championship in Beijing, China, November 3, 2024. /Xinhua
The IIHF Ice Hockey Women's Asia Championship concluded as Japan claimed the title after beating China 5-0 on Sunday at Beijing's Shougang Ice Hockey Arena.
Japan took control from the outset, launching 23 shots in the first period and securing an early lead with a goal. China tightened its defense in the second period, limiting Japan's scoring chances but unable to cover the gap. In the final period, as China pushed hard to equalize, errors began to mount for the home side, allowing Japan to score four more times and claim the championship with a 5-0 victory.
Earlier on Sunday, Kazakhstan edged out South Korea 5-4 in a penalty shootout to take third place. The tournament, which included China, Japan, South Korea and Kazakhstan, took place in a round-robin format over three days. The next edition will be hosted by Kazakhstan in 2025.