Pool E: Germany – Japan
Head-to-head
• The last World Championship match between Germany and Japan ended 3-1 in 2002.
• Japan have won five of the last six main tournament matches against Germany, including the last, at Münster in the 2013 World Grand Prix (3-2).
• These teams meet each other for the first time in a main tournament in 2014. In the past five years, they always met at least once. Japan win five, Germany two in this span.
Germany
• Germany have lost three straight World Championship matches for the first time since 2006. They have never lost more than three in a row as a reunified nation (since 1994).
• Germany lost against China on Wednesday. This was their first defeat against an Asian side since a 3-0 Chinese Taipei victory against West Germany in 1990.
• Germany have won their last seven World Championship matches against Asian sides. They never gave up more than one set and the last three ended in straight set victories.
• Germany can win their 75th match at World Championships (GER, FRG, GDR combined). They will be the fifth nation to reach this mark.
Japan
• Japan have lost their last three matches in the tournament. They have not lost three in a row since 1998-2002, when they had a four-match losing streak.
• Japan have lost three matches at the 2014 World Championship. In 2010, they lost three in the whole tournament.
• Japan have won at least one set in every match in 2010 and in every match in 2014 thus far (17 straight matches). This is their longest streak since winning at least one set in their first 45 matches at World Championships (1960-78).