In the world of table tennis, Tomokazu Harimoto is a name known in both China and Japan, carrying the label of a "naturalized player." Throughout his career, he has been accompanied by applause and doubts, as well as praise and mockery. Now, at a crossroads in his professional journey, Harimoto has once again caused a stir in public opinion. This time, it is due to his choice of mixed doubles partner and the subtle game of chess between him and the Japan Table Tennis Association (JTTA). Surprisingly, Harimoto openly stated that he only wants to play mixed doubles with his sister. With such an attitude, where does this leave his long-time partner, Mima Ito? Publicly Setting Conditions for the JTTA Harimoto is a top player in the Japanese table tennis scene, being the absolute mainstay of the men's singles team, with a world ranking that once reached as high as third, setting a new record for Japanese male table tennis. He has consecutively won the runner-up title in the men's singles event at the WTT Fukuoka Finals for three years. However, behind these dazzling achievements, Harimoto has experienced unknown hardships. On the road to Olympic gold, formidable obstacles stand before him: Ma Long, Wang Chuqin, Fan Zhendong, and the rising star Lin Shidong from the powerful Chinese team. These challenges have made Harimoto's path to winning the singles title particularly difficult, with repeated defeats forcing him to reassess his career plan and ultimately shift his focus to the mixed doubles category. Mixed doubles, a relatively young format in the sport…