A women's softball tournament that began so promisingly for host Chinese Taipei at the World Games ended in a wrenching 4-2 defeat to arch-rival Japan Monday when its defense imploded. Chinese Taipei coasted through the tournament's preliminary round undefeated, including a 6-0 whitewashing of Japan, but when the games began to matter, Japan was simply the better team. The hosts took a 1-0 lead in the first inning of the final on a RBI single to right by Chiang Hui-chuan, but quickly relinquished it in the third behind some costly defensive mistakes. Japan tied the game on a routine bases-empty bunt by Nana Tanabe toward the left side of the infield. Third basemen Lee Chiu-ching fielded it cleanly but her throw hit Tanabe in the helmet as she ran toward first and ricocheted down the right field line. Tanabe headed to third and then sped home on an errant relay throw back to the infield. Later in the same inning with a runner on first, Lee misplayed a ground ball by Sayaka Mori that left Japan with two baserunners, and Kaoru Oyanagi made Chinese Taipei pay with an RBI single to right. The hosts tied the game in the fourth inning, but Japan responded in the top of the seventh with the game winners. Morita doubled and Mori singled her home for the go-ahead run, and then, after another error by the third baseman Lee, Megumi Inoue drove home an insurance on a line drive base hit to center-field. Chinese Taipei threatened in the bottom of the seventh, loaded the bases with two outs, but Chiang grounded into a force out at second to end the game. The Taiwanese team had lost to Japan 2-1 a day earlier on a wild pitch in extra innings in each team's opening medal round game, sending Japan directly to the gold medal final. Earlier Monday, it whitewashed South Korea 7-0 to earn a chance at revenge, but in the end had to settle for silver. South Korea won the bronze. 