YOKOHAMA -- Bayern Munich midfielder Michael Ballack gave the 61,805 fans who braved the cold at Yokohama International Stadium on Thursday, something to remember as Germany beat Japan 3-0 in the home team's last game of a busy 2004.

News photoJapan's Junichi Inamoto vies for the ball with Germany's Lukas Podolski during first-half action in Thursday's friendly at nternational Stadium Yokohama. Germany won 3-0

One superb goal and a couple of blistering free-kicks -- one of which resulted in the first of Miroslav Klose's two goals and the other which forced a good save by Seigo Narazaki -- proved to be the difference as Germany started its three-game Asian tour on a winning note.