Japan defeated defending champions and tournament hosts China 90-81 in the semifinals of the FIBA Women's Asia Cup in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, on Saturday, advancing to the title game against Australia.

The Japanese side, who made 16 three-pointers in the game, were led by 19-year-old Kokoro Tanaka after she scored a game-high 27 points on 10-of-16 shooting from the field. Veteran Yuki Miyazawa added 18 points, while Norika Konno contributed 14.

Yang Shuyu paced China with 19 points, while Han Xu tallied 18, and Zhang Ziyu chipped in with 17.

China got off to a slow start, committing five turnovers in the first quarter, including four in the opening three minutes. Japan capitalized behind Tanaka's fast-paced offense, as she scored the team's first eight points and racked up 21 in the opening period.

The home side recovered in the second quarter, limiting Tanaka's impact. Zhang began asserting herself in the paint, scoring eight straight points late in the quarter to help China take a 51-49 lead into halftime.

China's offense then stalled while Japan surged in front after the break, building a nine-point lead. Coach Gong Luming rotated frequently between Han and Zhang in search of a spark, but the team struggled to find a rhythm. Yang's left-handed layup provided a brief lift, but Japan responded with five three-pointers in the third quarter, reclaiming an eight-point cushion going into the final 10 minutes.

In the fourth quarter, China closed the gap to three at 73-70, following Yang's fastbreak layup off a Japanese turnover. But Tanaka struck again with two transition layups that pushed Japan's lead back into double digits at 88-78. Although Han hit a crucial three-pointer and China forced a turnover on the baseline, a missed post-up effort by Zhang Ru ended their hopes of a comeback.

Japan held firm to seal the 90-81 win, ending China's title defense and advancing to Sunday's final.

At the post-game press conference, Japan coach Corey Gaines praised his team's execution and emphasized the importance of pre-tournament warmups, particularly in developing young players like Tanaka.

"We'll learn from this loss," said Gong. "But our preparation for the 2028 Olympics won't change because of one game. This team currently comprises a mix of veterans, mid-career players and young players, and it is expected to evolve in the coming years. Not many of today's players are guaranteed to be impact contributors in 2028, so I hope to see more talented Chinese players emerge."

When asked whether she plans to compete overseas again on the club level, Han, a former New York Liberty player, said she stayed in China to prepare for last year's Paris Summer Olympics, in order to build better chemistry with her teammates.

"Even though we lost tonight, this team has great potential for the future. And if I have the opportunity, I still hope to play in overseas leagues," Han said.

The championship game and third-place contest will both take place on Sunday. Japan will face Australia for the title, while China meet South Korea in the consolation clash.