Fiji made a dramatic second-half comeback to defeat Japan in front of 3,000 supporters at Churchill Park in Lautoka to record their first win in this year's IRB Pacific Nations Cup.
Trailing 15-3 at half time to the visitors, Fiji scored three second-half tries and shut out their opponents to register a 30-15 victory.
The key man for Fiji was full back Taniela Rawaqa, who scored 12 second-half points, including a try after 51 minutes, to guide his team home.
Japan had assumed control in the first half, and were rewarded with tries for lock Luke Thompson and full back Goshi Tachikawa. Fly half Eiji Ando added a conversion and a penalty.
But Fiji's forwards prised the initiative from their Japanese counterparts in the
second half to create a platform that their backs exploited to the full.
The result gives Fiji an important psychological edge ahead of the two sides' Rugby World Cup 2007 encounter in Toulouse on 12 September.
Fiji play the Junior All Blacks next, at the National Stadium in Suva on 2 June. Japan face Tonga in Coffs Harbour, Australia on 9 June.
Fiji: 1 Graham Dewes, 2 Viliame Gadolo, 3 Tiko Matawalu, 4 Langi Peters, 5 Wame Lewaravu, 6 Alifereti Doviverata ( C ), 7 Netani Talei, 8 Tomasi Soqeta, 9 Seveci Taka, 10 Vitori Buatava, 11 Isoa Neivua, 12 Daniele Baleinadogo, 13 Vereniki Goneva, 14 Vesito Rauluni, 15 Taniela Rawaqa,
Replacements: 16 Sunia Koto, 17 Apisai Turukawa, 18 Akapusi Qera, 19 Ifereimi Rawaqa, 20 Jack Prasad, 21 Gabriele Lovobalavu, 22 Marika Vakacegu
Japan: 1 Tatsukichi Nishiura, 2 Yuji Matsubara, 3 Tomokazu Soma, 4 Hitoshi Ono, 5 Luke Thompson, 6 Hajime Kiso, 7 Takamichi Sasaki, 8 Takuro Miuchi ( C ), 9 Tomoki Yoshida, 10 Eiji Ando, 11 Christian Loamanu, 12 Bryce Robins, 13 Koiji Taira, 14 Kosuke Endo, 15 Goshi Tachikawa
Replacements: 16 Mitsugu Yamamoto, 17 Masahito Yamamoto, 18 Takanori Kumagae, 19 Yasunori Watanabe, 20 Yuki Yatomi, 21 Yuta Imamura, 22 Kousei Ono
Referee: Frederico Cuesta
Touch Judge 1: Brett Bowden
Touch Judge 2: Samuela Tuidraki
