The 2026 Asian Team Championships (BATC) saw new champions emerge after the Japanese men's and South Korean women's badminton teams won their first titles at the Conson Gymnasium in Qingdao, China.
In the men's division, Japan secured the title after defeating host China 3-0 in the final match on Sunday.
This is Japan's first championship title since the event began in 2016.
Japan's winning point was contributed by men's singles player Koki Watanabe who defeated Zhu Xuan Chen with 22-24, 21-17, 21-18.
Watanabe played a composed game in the deciding set to ensure Japan secured victory without having to play a fourth or fifth set.
Japan took the lead through men's singles pair Yushi Tanaka who defeated Hu Zhe An 21-10, 21-18, then the men's doubles pair Kakeru Kumagai/Hiroki Nishi who defeated He Ji Ting/Ren Xiang Yu with 21-17, 14-21, 21-15.
Japan's success in winning the 2026 Asian Men's Team Championships underscores a shift in the competitive landscape of Asian badminton, after the previous five editions saw the title alternately held by Indonesia, Malaysia, and China.
