Three times the Saudis took the lead, with Malek Maaz grabbing two, twice Japan equalized but a third leveler proved to be just out of their reach.
The result means that the final will be an all West Asian affair after Iraq defeated South Korea on penalties earlier in the evening.
Japan dominated the early exchanges and had the Saudis chasing blue shadows without troubling the goalkeeper too much. One of the few times the west Asians crossed the halfway line, Yasser Al-Qahtani saw his shot from outside the box deflected over the bar by Yuki Nakazawa with goalkeeper Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi stranded.
Al-Qahtani showed why he has been one of the tournament’s stars with the opening goal after 35 minutes. A free-kick was headed down in the area and ‘The Sniper’ reacted first to half-volley the ball into the net from near the penalty spot.
Just like their quarter-final fixture against Australia, Japan hit back immediately. A minute later Nakazawa headed home a Yasuhito Endo corner to level proceedings.
Two minutes after the restart, the Saudis were back in front. Ahmed Al Bahri crossed neatly from the right for the incoming Malek Maaz, one of the smallest players on the pitch, to head powerfully into the net.
Again, Japan hit back – this time from their other central defender Yuki Abe and this time the champions needed five minutes. An Endo corner was headed back into the danger zone by Shunsuke Nakamura and Abe showed fine technique to volley home from inside a crowded penalty area.
Three minutes later Saudi Arabia were back in front in style. Malek Maaz burst into the left side of the box, twisted past two defenders and blasted the ball home.
With nine minutes remaining, Japan were a whisker away from a third equalizer. Substitute Naotake Hanyu let fly from 30 yards but his strike cannoned off the crossbar and the Saudis were soon celebrating.
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