Coach Paul Gaudoin was missing from the team list as Katrina Powell took over the helm while Edwina Bone wore the captain's armband.
However, goalkeeper Ashlee Wells, who, in an incensed mood and outburst, declined to comment to Hawke's Bay Today on Thursday night in the 1-1 draw against the Vantage Black Sticks, started the game and alternated with newbie Jocelyn Bartram each quarter.
But today belonged to the humble but steely Japanese outfit who lost in the final last year to New Zealand but the hosts, playing next, needed to beat Team USA to shunt the Aussies out of the final.
"They all worked for the team even though the final touch was mine," said Nagai somewhat self-effacingly after the final hooter through interpreter Satomi Yamaguchi, of Napier.
The 24-year-old from Gifu (hailed as the cradle of hockey civilisation in Japan) lauded outstanding goalkeeper Megumi Kageyama who kept up the constant chatter in organising the defence.
"Kage is a very hard worker and she makes me work even harder," said Nagai who mapped her career with Kageyama fro the time they were high school pupils.
She hoped all the Japan fans watching the game via livestream enjoyed their brand of the game.
"Be patient, defend everything and when the chance opens you attack in the hope of scoring," Nagai said when asked what brand it was.
The signs were ominous early when Japan cut open the Aussie defence too easily in the fourth minute. Sweeper Yu Asai threaded the ball almost the entire length of the turf to find striker Motomi Kawamura but umpire Aleesha Unka pinged her for a foul in the D.
But the Hockeyroos failed to take advantage of the respite as a defender coughed up the ball again the very next minute for Nagai to celebrate a 1-0 lead from a field goal. Kawamura flicked it to Mami Ichitani who prodded it to Nagai - in line with the left upright - for a don't-argue finish.
With three minutes to go in the quarter, Australia had their best chance when centre forward Madeleine Ratcliffe gave Mariah Williams a golden opportunity to equalise but she duffed her shot at goal as the ball hit the surface and bounced outside the left upright to the relief of keeper Kageyama.
In the second spell, the Aussies upped the tempo to yield a penalty in the 26th minute but Kaitlin Nobbs fumbled Kirstin Dwyer's pin-point delivery despite Ratcliffe eventually thudding the ball into the backboard from inside the D only for umpire Mary Driscoll (USA) to rule it a no goal.
If there is a criticism of Japan, it was their frustrating habit of retreating in basketball fashion to let Australia orchestrate waves of attack as well as paint their way into corners to protect the ball when they could have easily slipped it out of harm's way.
On the flip side, the bunker mentality Japan are renowned for returned today with a vengeance to suggest coaches have been playing cat-and-mouse games to keep each other guessing.
Japan again took control early in the third quarter but the Hockeyroos, slowly but surely, wormed their way into ascendancy.
In the 37th minute, Jordyn Holzberger averted disaster in running the ball over her own goal line as Japan mounted pressure.
Two minutes later, Sakai Hayato showed some silky skills to put Mami Karino into space but the striker lost her footing.
Not surprisingly coach Hasebe substituted her with Miki Kozuka.
Australia counterattacked to earn a penalty corner in the 40th minute. Gabi Nance did her trick, Emily Smith trapped and Stephanie Kershaw pulled the trigger but keeper Megumi was equal to the occasion.
Japan sounded the death knell for the Ockers in the 42nd minute with what is best described as a brilliant passage of play.
Midfielder Yui Nishinaga relayed a clever overhead pass which Nagai deftly did justice to, bringing it down to heel to outwit mid-week Aussie captain Jane-Anne Claxton to slam it into the net past goalkeeper Ashlee Wells for a 2-nil lead.
The Hockeyroos were reduced to playing catch-up hockey in the final spell but, as crazy as it sounds, for once the stubborn defence simply looked sublime.
