Goals from Gakuto Notsuda and substitute Takeshi Kanamori gave Japan a boost toward next year's Under-23 Asian Championship as Makoto Teguramori's side defeated Costa Rica 2-0 in a friendly on Wednesday.

Notsuda broke the deadlock late in the first half for the under-22 national side before Kanamori scored on the other side of halftime to seal victory for Japan, which likely played its last home game before the U-23 Championship in January in Qatar.

The tournament doubles as qualifying for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics. The top three teams qualify for the Summer Games in Brazil.

"I thought we showed heart tonight," said Teguramori, the former Vegalta Sendai coach who was well-received in his homecoming on this evening. "We only had two goals, but they were both very good goals so I'm happy about that.

"We've matured as a team but I still see room for improvement on this team."

Notsuda scored in the 36th minute with an acrobatic volley from a leftwing cross by Masashi Kamekawa, redirecting the ball into the net as the Sanfrecce Hiroshima man scored while airborne.

The hosts continued to assert themselves in the second half, when Kanamori, who replaced Notsuda in the 70th minute, intercepted Costa Rica six minutes later and took off for the other end.

As he approached the edge of the box, Kanamori fired away, hitting the back of the net off the palm of Costa Rica keeper Darryl Parker to all but end the game.

In Qatar, Japan will be trying to qualify for its sixth consecutive Olympics.

"I managed to get a decent touch on it and I'm glad it went in," Notsuda said, looking back on his goal. "We don't have a whole lot of time until the final qualifiers so we need to start getting ready."