New Zealand survived an almighty effort from Japan's Brave Blossoms to win 38-31 in Tokyo, scoring five tries to win their first match of the 2022
The first-half started in a scrappy fashion, with neither side able to keep possession for long, and the only points coming from the boot of Takuya Yamasawa following a penalty
However, the All Blacks did click into gear after 11 minutes, when Brodie Retallick dived in to score their first try.
The All Blacks raced into a 21-3 lead approaching half-time, after a sublime passage of play saw the ball kept alive four times before Braydon Ennor finished in the corner.
This was quickly followed up by a break-away score from hot-stepping Sevu Reece, and New Zealand appeared to be in control.
Yutaka Nagare collected Dylan Riley's offload moments later to scoot over the line, and that sent the sides into the break with the All Blacks holding a precarious 21-17 lead.
That's all from this game, as the end-of-year internationals get underway with a bang in Tokyo.