It has been 29 long years since a Japanese men’s team last beat China, a feat not seen since the 1997 Asian Team Cup. “Win it, so just wait.”

“Harimoto played with truly incredible concentration, and in a great match he passed the baton to Matsushima,” said Coach Kishikawa.

It was a wonderful moment that moved many people watching on TV and that table tennis fans had been eagerly waiting for. “Win it, so just wait” — this may become the buzzword of the year in Japanese table tennis.

Yesterday, in the men’s team event at the Asian Games, Japan defeated China and captured a brilliant title. In the mixed zone interview right after the match, Tomokazu. HARIMOTO, who took two points from China, expressed his joy, saying, “To go beyond China, to beat China. I’ve been waiting more than 10 years for this moment. I’m insanely happy.” Sora MATSUSHIMA, who clinched the title in the final match, also came out with reassuring words: “Before the fourth match, Harimoto told me, ‘Win it, so just wait,’ and I was ready to win.”

After the match, team leader Seiya Kishikawa reflected: “Tomokazu really played with tremendous concentration and, in a great match, handed it over to Sora. I had confidence that if it went all the way to the end, we could win — or rather, we all felt Japan had the edge. Sora must have been under a lot of physical strain too, but he showed amazing concentration and played an outstanding match.”

People, from ordinary folks to table tennis enthusiasts, are surely hearing words like, “I watched the Asian Games. Good job on Japan’s title,” everywhere.

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Japan’s men have now won at the Asian Games for the first time in 60 years.