Hockey: India beat Japan in Kakamigahara as recent rivalry stays one-sided

India defeated Japan in a Pool A match at the Asian Games in Kakamigahara on Saturday.

India and Japan have met 98 times in men’s hockey, with India winning 87 of those encounters. Their largest margin of victory came at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics when India defeated Japan 11-1, with Major Dhyanchand scoring four goals. Over the last five meetings between the sides, India has won each match.

In the Kakamigahara Pool A fixture, India won 2-0 with Abhishek breaking the deadlock in the 15th minute and captain Harmanpreet Singh doubling the lead with a fierce low flick from a penalty corner in the 40th. Japan had a goal ruled out after umpires determined the ball had touched an Indian player’s foot first. The result in Kakamigahara followed India’s earlier wins in the same tournament against Indonesia (13-1), Sri Lanka (16-1) and South Korea (8-2).

At the Asia Cup 2025 in Rajgir, Bihar, India opened the scoring when Amit Rohidas found Abhishek for a goal in the fourth minute, and Harmanpreet Singh converted a penalty corner in the following minute. Japan pulled one back through Kosei Kawabe in the 38th minute, and eight minutes later Harmanpreet converted another penalty corner to put India 3-1 up. Kawabe scored again in the 59th minute, but India held on; that victory sent India into the Super 4 stage and India went on to win the tournament.

India met Japan in the group stage of the Asian Champions Trophy 2024 in Hulunbuir, China, where Sukhjeet Singh scored in the second minute and Abhishek followed in the third. Sanjay Rana added a third in the 17th minute before Kazumasa Matsumoto pulled one back for Japan in the 41st minute. India added another goal in the 54th minute to seal a 5-1 victory.

The two sides contested the Asian Games 2023 gold medal match in Hangzhou, where Manpreet Singh opened the scoring in the 25th minute. Harmanpreet Singh converted a penalty corner in the 32nd minute and Amit Rohidas scored in the 36th as India moved 3-0 ahead. Abhishek scored in the 48th minute, Seren Tanaka replied for Japan in the 51st, and Harmanpreet scored again in the 59th to complete a 5-1 win; that victory also helped India secure a berth at the Paris Olympics.

Earlier in the Asian Games group stage, India and Japan met in the sides’ third pool fixture. Abhishek opened the scoring in the 13th minute, Mandeep added a goal in the 24th and Amit Rohidas scored in the 34th to make it 3-0. Abhishek scored again in the 48th, and Japan responded with goals from Genki Mitani (57') and Ryosei Kato (60') as the match finished 4-2 in India’s favour.

The Pool A win at Kakamigahara advanced India to the Asian Games men’s hockey semi-finals.