Japan punched their ticket to the semifinals of the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship in Thailand after edging the Netherlands 3-2 in a nail-biting quarterfinal clash in Bangkok.
The Dutch side twice held the lead, including a 5-2 advantage in the deciding tie-break, but Japan’s resilience proved too much. Captain Mayu Ishikawa sealed the comeback with a powerful strike, securing a historic victory for her team — their first semifinal appearance since 2010.
Yukiko Wada was unstoppable with 27 points, while Ishikawa added 25, including seven in the tie-breaker. For the Netherlands, Elles Dambrink (19 points) and Eline Timmerman (18, with six blocks) fought hard but fell just short.
Japan outshone their rivals in attack, scoring 75 points to the Dutch 61, while the Europeans dominated the net with 11 blocks to three.
With this win, Japan become the first semifinalists of the tournament and will now face the winner of the USA vs. Turkiye showdown on Saturday.
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