FUKUOKA, Japan - Yu Darvish struck out eight in four innings and Norichika Aoki drove in three runs Friday as Japan defeated Australia 5-1 in a tuneup game for the Asian baseball qualifying tournament for the Beijing Olympic Games.

Darvish gave up a run in the first inning but held Australia scoreless over the rest of his outing.

Aoki hit a game-tying sacrifice fly in a three-run third and drove in two more runs in the fourth with a double off the right-field wall.

Under former Hanshin Tigers manager Senichi Hoshino, Japan is expected to contend for the gold medal in Beijing.

One team will qualify for the Olympics in the December 1-3 qualifiers to be held in China's Taiwan Province. Two more teams will advance from Asia in a tournament to be held in March 2008, also in Taiwan.