Olympic silver medallist Rustam ORUJOV (AZE) went four from four to sail into the semi-finals where he inevitably will be pitted against teammate Hidayat HEYDAROV (AZE) who claimed pool B with the same record of 4:0.
In pool C Olympic champion ONO Shohei (JPN) breezed into the last four with an effortless display as he won all four of his bouts by ippon.
Ashi-waza ace Denis IARTCEV (RUS) was on form in pool D as he used all of his fear factor to win his four outings and book a meeting with ONO for a place in the final.
Olympic champion from the weight below, Fabio BASILE (ITA), failed in his quest to become the first Italian man to win a world judo title as he fell in round four at the hands of Tohar BUTBUL (ISR).
Semi-Finals
HEYDAROV, Hidayat (AZE) V ORUJOV, Rustam (AZE) ONO, Shohei (JPN) v IARTCEV, Denis (RUS)
-57kg
World champion YOSHIDA Tsukasa (JPN) won all three of her contests in pool A to seal a semi-final berth. YOSHIDA was tested by Julia KOWALCZYK (POL) who picked up a waza-ari score before the home favourite registered her second and match-winning score.
Olympic champion Rafaela SILVA (BRA) ruled Pool B to book a semi-final clash with the world champion.
Montreal Grand Prix winner DEGUCHI Christa (CAN) rushed through the preliminary rounds to set up a semi-final duel against surprise package Ivelina ILIEVA (BUL) who shocked Nora GJAKOVA (KOS) in the quarter-finals.
Semi-Finals
SILVA, Rafaela (BRA) v YOSHIDA, Tsukasa (JPN) ILIEVA, Ivelina (BUL) v DEGUCHI, Christa (CAN)
Watch the final block here on the IJF website from 7pm Japan time.