Japan 1 Slovakia 0

Japan defeated Slovakia 1-0 in Tokyo as the Kirin Cup got underway.

The World Cup co-hosts scored a 38th minute winner when a skidding cross from former Bolton striker Akinori Nishizawa was not cleared properly allowing Hiroaki Morishima to clip the ball in with the decisive touch amid confusion on the Slovakian goal line.

Hidetoshi Nakata and Shinji Ono were both rested from the game allowing play maker Shunsuke Nakamura to play himself into World Cup contention with an assured display.

Out-of-favour Arsenal midfielder Junichi Inamoto came close with a rising shot in the 28th minute and Tatsuhiko Kubo hit a shot against the bar with sixteen minutes to go.