Goals to Riko Ueki and Jun Endo mean only Spain - who defeated the Asian champions in group stage play on August 9 - stand between Japan and a first ever world championship at U-20 level.

Speaking after the semi-final in Vannes, Ikeda praised his players' mentality.

A faultless first half performance laid the foundation for the win, as Riko Ueki and Jun Endo continued their excellent form with a goal each inside the opening half hour.

Japan will now face Spain, who beat France 1-0 in the other semi-final, in Friday's final, giving Futoshi Ikeda's side the opportunity to add the title of world champions to the AFC U-19 Women's Championship they won in China last October.

In their third FIFA U-20 semi-final in six years, Japan produced a first half performance of such quality that it arguably surpassed even their sparkling display against Germany three days earlier.

A tense opening period gave little indication of what was to follow after the interval, as Jun Endo, Riko Ueki and Saori Takarada continued their superb form to provide the goals, before Germany's Janina Minge scored late on.

The result sets up a mouth-watering semi-final against England on Monday, after the Group B winners beat the Netherlands 2-1.

The Germans came into the match as the only team in the competition to have won all three group matches, and after a tight and tense opening, the first inkling of Japan's eventual control came late in the first half.

ENGLAND v JAPAN

Stade de la Rabine, Vannes

Monday, 16:30 (local time)