Tokyo: Japan warmed up for two home rugby union Tests against 2023 World Cup hosts France with a 43-7 win over Uruguay on Saturday.
Japan, World Cup quarterfinalists on home soil in 2019, beat Uruguay 34-15 in Tokyo last week and they were again too strong for the South Americans in the southern city of Kitakyushu.
Captain Atsushi Sakate and Dylan Riley scored first-half tries for the home side before Sakate, Gerhard van der Heever and Yusuke Kajimura added more after the break.
Japan will step up their World Cup preparations when they take on Six Nations champions France in Toyota next Saturday before playing them again at Tokyo's Olympic stadium the following week.
Japan made a fast start against Uruguay, with Sakate scoring the first try in the fifth minute after a break-away at a line-out.
Fly-half Takuya Yamasawa kicked three penalties to put the home side in control with just over 20 minutes gone, only for Uruguay to stem the tide and pin Japan back for the rest of the first half.
A mistake just before the interval cost Los Teros, when a dropped pass sparked a race for the ball that ended with Riley touching down for another try.
Sakate added another try five minutes into the second half before South Africa-born winger Van der Heever, making his Japan debut at the age of 33, touched down in the corner five minutes later.
A penalty try increased Japan's lead and Kajimura got in on the act with his first try at international level.
Uruguay scored a consolation try six minutes from time through Manuel Ardao. -- AFP
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