Maho Segawa got Japan off to the best of starts in the penultimate match of the day, opening the scoring after just five minutes.

Team-mate Kanon Mori doubled the lead in the 21st minute and although China pushed hard to get back into the match, Japan’s structure and attacking flair did not falter on their way to victory. 

"We stuck together and got through what was a hard match," Japan’s captain Yu Asai said.

"It makes it extra special to beat a team from Asia, but also because China are a very good team.

"So it’s good to play well, stick it out and win against some quality opposition."

Rounding out today’s proceedings was the 11th-place play-off between South Korea and hosts Chile, with the latter nation triumphing 3-1 in a shootout following a 2-2 draw.

Chile opened the scoring after only eight minutes through captain Denise Krimerman, but it was not long before South Korea drew level through a Soyun Moon penalty corner.

After the half-time break, South Korea looked the most likely to score and found the back of the net after five minutes as Seoyeong Kim got on the end of a long ball to put her team ahead.

With just under 10 minutes left to play, Chile’s Sofia Machado Paonessa sneaked the ball under South Korean goalkeeper Eunhee Lim to level the score once again.

The match went to a shootout after neither team managed to find a winner and it was there that Krimerman gave the home fans the fairytale ending by scoring the decisive goal.

Earlier in the day, New Zealand defeated South Africa 8-2 in the 13th-place play-off following France’s 3-1 victory over Zimbabwe in the battle to avoid finishing last.

Deanna Ritchie scored two for New Zealand from penalty corners, while Megan Hull, Tarryn Davey, Kayla Reed, Emily Wium, Alia Jaques and Catherine Tinning all got on the scoresheet.

African champions South Africa’s two goals game from Tarryn Glasby and Danielle Cairns.

"It was a great way to end the tournament - finish on a high," New Zealand’s captain Tessa Jopp said.  

"Everyone played a really good game, for both teams, so it was good to get the win.

"Today we gave the easy ball, flowed with our passes and created spaces which made passing a lot easier for ourselves."

In the other game, Victorine Vankemmel scored twice for France, either side of Zimbabwe’s Tyla Groenewald converting a scrappy penalty corner, and the win was sealed by Noa Roque through a 61st minute penalty corner.

Attention now turns to the final day of action tomorrow when holders The Netherlands go up against Argentina in the gold medal match.

Prior to the final, Spain will meet Australia in the bronze medal match.

That will be preceded by the fifth-place play-off between Germany and Belgium and the seventh-place play-off between England and the United States.