KUMAMOTO, Japan — Shinji Okazaki and Tatsuya Tanaka scored a goal each Tuesday to lead Japan over Yemen 2-1 in qualifying for the 2011 Asian Cup.

Okazaki gave Japan the lead in the seventh minute when he took a pass from Tanaka and beat the Yemen goalkeeper from close range.

Zaher Farid Al-Fadhli equalized in the 47th, rising up to head in off a free kick, but Tanaka put the hosts ahead for good in the 65th with a header from a deflected corner by Kengo Nakamura.

Japan, which has three points in Group A, won the Asian Cup in 1992, 2000 and '04. The top two teams from each of the five groups will qualify for the 16-team Asian Cup in Qatar in 2011.

Japan next hosts Bahrain on Jan. 28, while Yemen hosts Hong Kong on the same day.