Mike Havenaar headed a second-half winner as Japan tuned up for next week's World Cup qualifier against Iraq with a 1-0 win over the United Arab Emirates on Thursday.
On a night when Euro stars Keisuke Honda and Shinji Kagawa lacked their usual spark, Dutch-based target man Havenaar marked his first appearance for the Blue Samurai since February with the clincher, heading home on 69 minutes at a sold-out Niigata Big Swan.
Japan takes on their former coach Zico and the Iraqis in Saitama on Tuesday.