Sept 5 (Reuters) - HookerMamoru ⁠Harada scored two tries as Japan warmed up ⁠for the start of the Pacific Nations Cup ‌next week with a comprehensive 57-12 victory over Canada in Niigata on Saturday.

Celebrating 100 years since the formation of the Japan ​Rugby Football Union in 1926, the ⁠home side scored nine ⁠tries in all as they dominated the forward battle and ⁠were ‌able to find space for their electric backs.

Props Takato Okabe and Takumi Inaba, flankers ⁠Ben Gunter andKanji Shimokawa, centre Yuya Hirose, lock ​Harry Hockingsand ‌back row Tiennan Costley also crossed for scores, ⁠with eight ​of their nine tries coming from forwards.

Canada, who will also take part in the Pacific Nations Cup, were outgunned ⁠up front, but managed tries through ​fullbackTakoda McMullin and centre Ben LeSage.

It was by no means perfect from Japan, who had numerous handling errors and ⁠were at times put under pressure in the scrum.

But when keeping it at close quarters among the forwards, they gained regular metres and were strong in ​defence to limit Canadian opportunities in ⁠their own 22.

Japan face the United States in their ​Pacific Nations Cup semi-final inHigashiosaka ‌next Saturday, while Canada meet Fiji ​at the same venue in their last four clash.

(Reporting by Nick SaidEditing by Tomasz Janowski)