Midfielder Kengo Nakamura scored a goal and set up another Sunday as Japan coasted to a 4-0 win over an under-strength Belgium team to win the Kirin Cup, AP reported.
Defender Yuto Nagatomo opened the scoring for Japan in the 21st minute when he took a pass from Nakamura and beat Belgian goalkeeper Stijn Stijnen.
Nakamura doubled the lead three minutes later when he got around a Belgium defender and fired a low, right-footed shot past Stijnen.
Shinji Okazaki, who scored twice in the 4-0 win over Chile in the opening game, widened the lead to 3-0 with a header off a Yoshito Okubo cross on the hour mark. Kisho Yano completed the scoring in the 77th minute.
Belgium was without its players from Anderlecht and Standard Liege.
Standard beat Anderlecht in a playoff game for the league title on Sunday and refused to release its players for the invitational tournament. Anderlecht let its players decide whether to play in Japan, but all five picked for the squad declined the invitation.
Japan used the tournament as a tune-up for the World Cup qualifier in Uzbekistan on June 6. A win in that match could secure a fourth consecutive World Cup berth.
Celtic midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura, who missed the Chile game because of a groin injury, played the first half but was replaced after the break. Nakamura said he will be ready for the Uzbekistan match.
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