Japan: Japan's national handball team secured a narrow 30-29 victory over Iraq on Sunday in a Group A match of the main round of the 22nd Asian Handball Championship, currently being held in Kuwait. According to Kuwait News Agency, the tournament also serves as a qualifier for the 2027 IHF World Men's Handball Championship, to be hosted by Germany, and runs until January 29. Japan ended the first half ahead 19-16 in a closely contested match that saw both teams exchange attacks throughout. The competitive balance continued into the second half, with Japan ultimately clinching the win by a single-goal margin. Main round matches continue later on Sunday, with the United Arab Emirates facing Qatar and Saudi Arabia taking on Bahrain in Group B encounters, while Kuwait will meet South Korea in another Group B fixture.
