The All Blacks were shaken by a superb 80-minute performance by Japan and had to find depths of character and resolve to beat the Brave Blossoms 38-31 in Tokyo on Saturday in the first match of their northern hemisphere tour.

With defense which was far more rigid than the score line suggests and which hurried the All Blacks and forced them into errors, Japan made a massive imprint on the match and undoubtedly was the better team.

Japan disrupted the All Blacks lineout and attacked with class and skill to suggest New Zealand was lucky to escape the fate of South Africa, Scotland and Ireland who recently have suffered defeat at the hands of the Japan team.

A try to flanker Kazuki Himeno two minutes from fulltime drew Japan within four points of New Zealand and the Brave Blossoms had the ball through the dying minutes of the match. But it was unable to score again and New Zealand sealed its win with a penalty to Richie Mo’unga after the fulltime siren.

The match was made thrilling throughout by the refusal of Japan ever to lie down to the three-time world champions.

“They are a very good team and were were coming off a long break and that made a game which was much tighter than we would have wanted it,” All Blacks coach Ian Foster. “It was a great performance by them, they pressured us and came back after that first quarter and showed a lot of spirit.”

New Zealand seemed to be heading to a comfortable win when it scored three tries to lead 21-3 with halftime approaching. But Japan constructed brilliant tries to flyhalf Takuya Yamasawa and scrumhalf Yutaka Nagare in the last minutes of the half to make the score 21-17 at the break.

The All Blacks needed a strong start to the second half and got it with a try to winger Caleb Clarke after two minutes.

Japan again rose to the occasion in only its fifth match against New Zealand and its first in four years, first holding the All Blacks scoreless for 14 minutes, then scoring a try through lock Warner Dearns to bring the margin back to four points.

Faced with the possibility of their first-ever loss to Japan which could follow historic losses to Ireland and Argentina already this season, the All Blacks were forced into a desperate response. First they flushed the bench, bringing in the veterans Aaron Smith, Codie Taylor, Ofa Tu’ungafasi and Anton Lienert-Brown to reinforce a makeshift starting lineup which was struggling to cope with Japan’s rigid defense and lineout superiority.

New Zealand also had to adjust its style. It went to a more forward-oriented and physical approach and from a series of one-off carries near the goalline by forwards, it created a try to No. 8 Hoskins Sotutu who spun through tackles to touch down.

That was a victory in itself for Japan who had given the All Blacks little space at any time and whose tackling was almost flawless for long periods.

New Zealand’s problems became even more severe when veteran lock Brodie Retallick was shown a red card for a dangerous clean-out in the 65th minute, leaving it with 14 players for the last 15 minutes.

Retallick plunged into a ruck and drove his shoulder into the head of Japan backrower Kazuki Himeno. The thoughtless act likely will rule Retallick out of the remainder of New Zealand’s tour: tests against Wales next weekend, Scotland on Nov. 12 and England on Nov. 19.

Retallick chose the worst-possible way to reflect the frustration of his teammates, and Japan’s stubborn refusal to yield, and the latent threat that existed throughout the match in the home team’s own well-tuned attack.

The opening minutes of the match set a tone. Japan was outstanding in defense, rushing up in a flat, unified line which cut down New Zealand’s passing options.

New Zealand needed 11 minutes to score its first try which went to Retallick who ran off a strong run and pass from hooker Samisoni Taukeiaho.

Center Braydon Ennor went under the posts in the 22nd minute but was held up by the courageous tackle of fullback Ryohei Yamanaka. Ennor made amends with a try in the 26th minute when the referee over-ruled the TMO’s call of a forward pass.

Sevu Reece broke away for a try in the 32nd minute and the All Blacks led by 18 points.

But Japan came roaring back with an outstanding length of the field try, finishing by Yamasaka. Then the young Australia-born center Dylan Riley, who was outstanding for Japan, made an outside break which created a try for Nagare.