Josh Adams scored twice as Wales edged a spirited Japan 28-21 for a four-try bonus-point win in the Nations Championship at the Principality Stadium.
Wales were far from convincing, and Steve Tandy’s side had to hold on after Japan hit back late.
Griffin opens his Wales account
Wales started brighter. Louis Rees-Zammit made a searing break from his own 22 to win a penalty, and Scarlets fly-half Sam Costelow kicked to the corner.
The maul did the hard work from the lineout, and Bath tighthead Archie Griffin went over for his first try for his country.
Gunter levels for Japan
Japan were level by the tenth minute. Tomos Williams was caught out at a ruck, and flanker Ben Gunter ran in down the right with Adams badly outnumbered.
Adams and Dearns trade tries
Wales went back in front on the half-hour. Jac Morgan broke from a ruck on the left and passed inside to Rees-Zammit, who was stopped short, but Adams was on hand to pick up the scraps.
Japan hit back straight away. After a kick to the corner, lock Warner Dearns powered over from close range, going through Dewi Lake and Nicky Smith on the way.
Rees-Zammit scores on the stroke of half-time
Rees-Zammit then scored his first try in eight games since his return to rugby union. Scarlets centre Eddie James made a huge carry down the blindside, and fed full-back Blair Murray, who sent the Bristol wing in.
Costelow kicks away a second-half chance
Wales had an early chance to stretch their lead after the break, but Costelow inexplicably kicked possession away with Murray and Rees-Zammit outside him.
Another attacking lineout went begging in the Japan 22, and Wales kept giving away lazy penalties.
A turnover penalty from Lake eased the pressure. It was the captain’s final contribution before the front row was replaced.
Aaron Wainwright and Morgan powered through the Japan defence again, but the move ended with another speculative cross-kick from Costelow that Rees-Zammit could not gather.
Adams seals it, but Japan go down fighting
The home fans could breathe again 10 minutes from time. Murray’s counter-attack down the left found holes in a tiring Japan defence, and Tomos Williams fed Adams for his second try and the bonus point.
Ospreys fly-half Dan Edwards came on for Costelow and kicked the conversion.
Japan kept going and scored a third try with five minutes left. Scrum-half Kenta Fukuda finished neatly after an offload from prop Opeti Helu, earning a losing bonus point.
Adams then calmed the nerves with a turnover penalty, and Wales held on.
Lineout and discipline worries for Tandy
Rees-Zammit was named player of the match. Murray, James, Morgan and Wainwright all carried strongly too.
But Tandy has plenty to fix before New Zealand. Wales lost six lineouts, gave away needless penalties and wasted attacking chances with handling errors, and they let Japan stay in the game throughout.
New Zealand next, then Australia
It is Tandy’s fourth win in 13 Tests, and another narrow victory over Eddie Jones’ Japan, after the same fixture 12 months ago. The crowd of 52,425 was around 9,000 down on that match.
Wales stay fifth in the northern hemisphere table. They host New Zealand next Saturday afternoon and Australia the week after, while Japan face England and Scotland.
The finals weekend is at the Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, at the end of November. If the table stays as it is, Wales will meet Japan again there in the play-off for fifth place.
Wales: Blair Murray; Louis Rees-Zammit, Eddie James, Max Llewellyn, Josh Adams; Sam Costelow, Tomos Williams; Nicky Smith, Dewi Lake (captain), Archie Griffin, Dafydd Jenkins, Ben Carter, Alex Mann, Jac Morgan, Aaron Wainwright.
Replacements: Ryan Elias, Rhys Carré, Tomas Francis, Teddy Williams, James Botham, Reuben Morgan-Williams, Dan Edwards, Louie Hennessey.
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