Sampdoria's Juan Sebastian Veron won the ball close to the Japanese box and fed Ariel Ortega, whose through pass found Batistuta.

The Fiorentina striker took two steps and chipped the ball over advancing goalkeeper Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi into the net for his fifth World Cup goal. He scored four, including a hat-trick against Greece, in the 1994 finals in the United States.

The Argentines started slowly and cautiously with Japan doing more attacking in the opening quarter of an hour.

But after some neat build-up work, notably from Hidetoshi Nakata and Hiroshi Nanami, Japan did not show enough conviction to make the breakthrough although they created some good chances late in the game.

In the last 15 minutes of the first half, Argentina could have gone two goals up. Batistuta, whose international tally now stands at 44goals in 62 matches, rose high above Japan's diminutive defenders to hit the post with a header seven minutes before the interval from a cross from the left.

Winger Claudio Lopez dived to head the rebound only to see his close range effort saved by Kawaguchi.

Once the talented Argentine mid-field had settled, they had Japan's defence under pressure, Ortega darting through on the ground while Veron was close twice with shots from outside the box.

In the second half, Argentina, despite several chances, failed to make their superiority tell against the massed Japanese rearguard.

Kawaguchi saved Japan again 20 minutes from time when he turned a shot from Simeone wide after a Batistuta free kick.

Sweeper Roberto Sensini, Argentina's best player, had to come off 20 minutes from time after hurting his hand in an aerial challenge.