Japan is the better and has been for years. Last years came third in the division I
Netherlands is going backwards, came fifth last three years. Now are missing their top scorers from those years without good replacements. Also, their MVP goalie has retired and has not played this season, just came out of retirement for this tourney. Netherlands played five exhibition matches before the WC and lost all five (twice to Div II Romania, twice to GB, once to France). They failed to score in three of those five games and scored four goals in the other two matches combined.