The former champions made their first attempt in the third minute when Japan captain Ryota Tsuboya battled Lebanon's Mohammad Al Saleh to win the ball and delivered a short pass to Takaaki Oba, whose right-footed lob was denied by the crossbar. 

Oba then made a second attempt a minute later but this time, Lebanon keeper Mohamed Choker blocked his effort.

The West Asians survived another scare when Takuya Akaguma found a well-placed Kosuke Matsuda, but his right-footed shot struck the right side of the Lebanon net.

It wasn’t long before Teruki Tabata’s side opened the scoring, as Akaguma’s header found the back of the net from Oba’s corner kick in the 11th minute, with the number seven making it with the final kick of the first period.

Both teams returned from the break with an attacking mindset, with Oba securing his second goal of the evening in the second minute with a bicycle kick from close range.

Moments later, Lebanon's Mohamad Merhi found the net with a precise volley off Ahmad Khatib’s free-kick.

However, Japan quickly restored their advantage, as Masato Ota nodded the ball past Choker from Takumi Uesato’s free-kick.

As the second period neared its end, Japan goalkeeper Yusuke Kawai added his name to the scoresheet with a powerful shot from across the pitch that sailed past Choker, which was followed by Oba completing his hat-trick just as the clock sounded for the end of the period.

The third period began with Mohammad Al Saleh reducing the deficit by executing an acrobatic shot from the centre of the pitch that soared past Kawai into the Japan net.

In a frantic end, Uesato was on target for Japan with Saleh pulling one back but the East Asian side had the final say with Tsuboya ensuring they marched on in style.