Japan's Inoue Kaori (1st, L) spikes the ball during the first round match between Japan and Brazil at the 2010 FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round women's volleyball tournament at the Beilun Sports and Art Center in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province, Aug. 25, 2010. Japan won 3-2. [Xinhua/Xu Yu]

Dark horse Japan stunned defending champions Brazil 3-2 (13-25, 25-23, 18-25, 25-22, 15-13) in the ninth FIVB World Grand Prix final round in Nigbo, China on Wednesday.

Brazil went into the match aggressively and jumped to an 8-3 lead. The defending World Grand Prix champions then pulled away to 16-8 before taking the set 25-13.

Japan raced to a shock 5-1 lead in the second set, forcing Brazil coach Jose Roberto Guimaraes to call for the first timeout. Despite several scintillating spikes from Brazil's Carvalho Jaqueline and Steinbrecher Marianne, Japan was able to hold a 16-13 lead.

When 21-16 down, Brazil fought hard to level at 23-23. The Japanese then held their nerves and a spike by Saori Kimura from the right, followed by a solo blocking effort by Yukiko Ebata, gave them the next two points to grab the second set.

The game then came into a see-saw affair as neither side was able to lead enough to establish a winning trend. Brazil took the third set at 25-18, but Japan soon came back to take the fourth set with 25-22.

The competition intensified in the decisive fifth set as both sides traded points until 13-13. Wing spikers Yukiko Ebata and Saori Kimura, who provided most of the ammunition in Japan's attack throughout the match, then capped their stellar show by each hitting a deadly cross-court spike to give the Japanese a hard-fought win.

Brazil will now look to recover against Poland as Japan aim to add to the shock win when they play China on Thursday.