They lost just one of their nine games in the 12-team tournament - a 3-2 setback to Panama in the super round - and outscored their opponents 75-17.

Victory follows Japan’s triumph at the WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup in September.

Trailing 3-0 in the fourth inning, Japan capitalised on two errors from world number 13-ranked Australia to move into a 4-3 lead at the Estadio de Béisbol Monterrey.

Yusuke Masago, the Under-23 World Cup’s Most Valuable Player, hit his tournament leading fourth home run.

Taishi Hirooka added a three-run shot as Japan reeled off five runs in the sixth inning to extend their advantage to six. 

Kyosuke Ono pitched two scoreless innings in relief to get the win after Japan starter Taiga Kashahara was touched up for three runs, including a solo home run from Zachary Shepherd as Australia built an early 3-0 lead.

Keisuke Honda took over for Kashahara to start the sixth and threw two perfect innings with five strikeouts.

Australia starter Nicholas Veale kept Japan off the scoreboard through three innings, but took the loss after allowing six runs, four earned, over 5.2 innings of work.

In the bronze medal match, Jung Sung Gon pitched a complete game and struck out four batters to lead world number three-ranked South Korea to a 5-3 win over Panama.

Jung held Panama to three runs on four hits and two walks, while his offence managed five runs on six hits to come away with the win.

Third place equals South Korea’s result from the Under-21 Baseball World Cup in 2014 and ensures their first medal at a WBSC World Championship-level event this year.

South Korea won the international baseball flagship event Premier12, launched in 2015, and finished third at last year’s Under-18 Baseball World Cup.

Chinese Taipei ensured their place at the top of the consolation round standings after overcoming Czech Republic 10-0.

They finished seventh overall with Venezuela, 15-3 winners against Austria, coming eighth.

Argentina, 15-7 victors at the expense of South Africa, ended up ninth.