Yuki Muto scored on his debut but holder Japan was sentenced to a shock 2-1 defeat to North Korea in its opening match at the East Asian Cup on Sunday night.
Muto struck early in the first half but North Korea piled on the pressure after the break and Ri Hyok Chol equalized before Pak Hyon Il added the second with two minutes left to complete a rousing comeback.
"We were not prepared physically but we had chances and could not take them," said Japan coach Vahid Halilhodzic, whose team was held to an embarrassing 0-0 draw at home to lowly Singapore in June in its opening World Cup qualifier for the 2018 finals in Russia.