Captain Tatsuya Uchida headed Japan into a second minute lead with his third goal of the tournament, but after Kim Dong-jin pulled Korea level two minutes later, Lee struck midway through the first half to secure the 2002 champions a place in Saturday’s showpiece at Pakhtakor Stadium.

Both sides had impressed in their opening games in Uzbekistan with fast, direct attacking football and under the lights at MHSK Stadium they did not disappoint.

Japan opened the scoring with just over a minute played as Uchida rose above a static Korea defence to head home Yuki Horigome’s corner on the six-yard line.

Korea responded two minutes later as Lee Jong-ho’s low cross behind the Japanese defence was rifled back across the face of goal first-time by Kim Dong-jin for his third goal of the tournament.

Lee Jong-ho narrowly headed over before Koki Matsuzawa had to react quickly to race of his line to save at the feet of the lively Lee Jong-ho, while at the other end Korea goalkeeper Kwon Tae-ahn palmed away Takumi Miyayoshi’s drilled effort.

Korea completed the recovery after 26 minutes as a well-worked training ground free-kick routine allowed Joo Ik-seong to beat the Japan offside trap with the defence expecting a deep cross to the back post.

Matsuzawa saved Joo’s low strike but Lee Dong-nyck swept home from close range.

Kwon almost handed Japan an equaliser on the half hour mark as he dropped a seemingly regulation cross at the feet of Takashi Usami, but the lead remained intact as Lee cleared off the line.

Matsuzawa kept his side in sight in first-half stoppage time as he produced a reaction save to deny Lee Chang following Lee Jong-ho’s clever flick to play in his strike partner.

Following the explosive start to the contest, the second half was a much tighter affair with Korea cautious in attack while Japan failed to break down the well-marshalled Korean backline.

Japan came close to an equaliser with 20 minutes remaining as Gaku Shibasaki hooked a volley the wrong side of the upright before Usami and substitute Yuki Kobayashi both tried their luck from distance with both efforts failing to trouble Kwon.