Ireland recovered from an early 15-point deficit to score nine tries and defeat Japan 57-22 in the first of two Tests between the sides in Shizuoka.

Neve Jones grabbed three tries, with Aoife Doyle, Aoife Dalton, Meabh Deely, Chloe Pearse, Molly Scuffil-McCabe and Emma Hooban all crossing for Ireland.

Fly-half Dannah O'Brien marked her debut by kicking six conversions.

The Ireland senior women's side are taking part in their first ever summer tour, with the second meeting between the sides taking place in Chichibunomiya next Saturday.

Greg McWilliams' squad embarked on the tour after a difficult Women's Six Nations campaign, which saw them win two of their five matches.

The Irish panel have since participated in summer camps ahead of their encounters with the Japanese, who had been in good form, winning four of their last five matches as they prepared for the World Cup in October.

Deprived of several players because of injuries and the upcoming Sevens World Cup, Ireland fielded an experimental line-up for the opener in the Ecopa Stadium, including four uncapped players in the starting XV - O'Brien, Dalton, Natasja Behan and Deely.

Japan barged over under the posts in the third minute for a converted try and two minutes later wing Komachi Imakugi completed a flowing move to score their second.

Ayasa Otsuka extended the lead with a penalty, before Ireland came to life, hooker Jones touching down in the 15th minute after her side won a lineout and executed a rolling maul.

Wing Doyle dived over in the corner after good work from Enya Breen and Deely sent her racing clear, then in added time at the end of the first half centre Dalton darted over the line to touch down on her debut.

That gave Ireland a four-point lead - 19-15 - at the interval, and they only had two minutes to wait for their next try, Jones lunging over after Japan were again unable to cope with their opponents' rolling maul.

A similar scenario led to Ireland's fifth try and Jones' third, with O'Brien's third successful conversion extending her side's advantage to 16 points.

Full-back Deely then showed a great turn of pace to power through the home side's defence and run in another score as Japan were completely over-run.

Makoto Lavemai forced her way over for a try after a quick-tap penalty to reduce the deficit but then replacement Pearse reacted quickest to latch onto the loose ball and score after Sam Monaghan had blocked down a clearing kick.

Replacement scrum-half Scuffil-McCabe found a gap at the side of a ruck and sprinted through for Ireland's eighth try and Hooban completed the rout when she rumbled over from close range.

Japan: Ria Anoku; Riho Kurogi, Rinka Matsuda, Shione Nakayama, Komachi Imakugi; Ayasa Otsuka, Moe Tsukui; Saki Minami (capt), Nijiho Nagata, Yuka Sadaka; Kie Tamai, Maki Takano; Misaki Suzuki, Kyoko Hosokawa, Ayano Nagai

Replacements: Hinata Komaki, Kotomi Taniguchi, Makoto Lavemai, Masami Kawamura, Seina Saito, Megumi Abe, Minori Yamamoto, Sakurako Korai

Ireland: Méabh Deely; Natasja Behan, Aoife Dalton, Enya Breen, Aoife Doyle; Dannah O'Brien, Ailsa Hughes; Linda Djougang, Neve Jones, Katie O'Dwyer; Nichola Fryday (capt0, Sam Monaghan; Dorothy Wall, Edel McMahon, Hannah O'Connor.

Replacements: Emma Hooban, Chloe Pearse, Christy Haney, Taryn Schultzer, Grace Moore, Nicole Cronin, Leah Tarpey, Molly Scuffil-McCabe