At the 2024 Judo World Championships, held in Abu Dhabi from 19-24 May, Japan's mixed team won gold for the seventh consecutive time. The team included two individual world champions - Goki Tajima and Wakaba Tomita - who did not get a chance to compete due to the decisions of their coaches.

Japan first swept aside Germany (4-0) and then defeated Uzbekistan (4-1) in the semi-finals. 

The reigning Olympic champions and last year's World Championship runners-up, France, beat Italy 4-1 in their first match. They then beat Georgia 4-2 in the semi-final.

This was the sixth consecutive mixed team World Championship final between Japan and France. Japan went into a 3-0 lead with Kanta Nakano (men's +90 kg) defeating Matheo Mongo, Momo Tamaoki (women's -57 kg) beating Faiza Mokdar, and Ryuga Tanaka (men's -73 kg) victorious by ippon over Joan-Benjamin Gaba.

Margaux Pinot, who won the women's -70kg world title on Wednesday, put France on the board when Shiho Tanaka committed three shido penalties. But that only delayed the inevitable as Komei Kawabata (men's -90kg) settled the tie with a win over Axel Clerget.

The bronze medals went to Italy and Georgia. Italy defeated Uzbekistan 4-2 with Georgia beating Germany 4-1.

Now all eyes will be on Paris 2024. At Tokyo 2020, France defeated Japan in the first Olympic mixed team final. It is the only time the French judokas have beaten the Japanese, and they will be looking to repeat the feat on home soil.