Japan was crowned Under-19 Asian champion for the first time on Sunday, beating Saudi Arabia 5-3 on penalties after 120 minutes failed to separate the sides in a 0-0 draw in the final at the Bahrain National Stadium.

Koki Ogawa was Japan's hero, scoring the decisive penalty after Abdullah Magrshi missed, to finally secure Japan the trophy on its seventh appearance in the final.

"It was a tough game but we had a little bit of luck in the shootout," said Japan coach Atsushi Uchiyama, whose team went through the entire competition without conceding a goal.

"This (winning the final) is not the kind of result that comes overnight. It comes from the continued nurturing of players.

"This shows once again the importance of consistent cultivation."

Japan midfielder Ritsu Doan was named as the tournament's Most Valuable Player.

"I was surprised when my name was called for the MVP award because I didn't think I had performed that well throughout the tournament," the 18-year-old told the-afc.com.

"I think I won this award not just by myself but as a result of the work done by the rest of the team, and I appreciate my teammates. It means a lot to win this tournament and the award."

Japan secured a place at the Under-20 World Cup in South Korea next year by reaching the semifinals of this tournament.

Players from this generation of young Samurai Blue will form the Japan team for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.