The Japanese went in front through a slick move down the left that unlocked the DPR Korea defence.

Yoshino Nakashima slid her pass into the path of Unase, whose cutback found the arriving Yuzuho Shiokoshi and, while her shot was blocked, the rebound fell at the feet of Ueno, who hit a low first-time drive that found the bottom corner of the goal.

Within two minutes of the restart, however, DPR Korea were level.

A mistake inside the penalty area by Megu Hamada gifted possession to Jong Kum and her attempted cross from the by-line looped into the air and crossed the line with goalkeeper Shu Obha under pressure from Chae Un Yong.

DPR Korea took the lead with little over 20 minutes remaining, Han Jin Hong astutely laying the ball off to Jon Ryong Jong after a long punt forward and the midfielder’s strike from the edge of the area and there was little Obha could do as the shot found the top corner.

But the Japanese levelled with four minutes remaining through Nishino, whose first touch found space behind the DPR Korea defence and the substitute then strode forward to clip a decisive right-foot finish beyond Yu Son Gum.

Ohba was to make herself the hero when she dived to her left to keep out Jong Kum’s penalty and leave Shiokoshi to score the winning penalty.

Earlier in the day, Korea Republic had claimed the bronze medal when a close-range header from Noh Jin-young in the fourth minute earned her side a 1-0 win over China PR.