So there you have it. Hosts Japan are out, after a hugely spirited effort against the heavyweights of South Africa, who were just too good and too powerful in the second half in Tokyo.

Semi-finals-wise, England play New Zealand in Yokohama on Saturday, and Wales meet South Africa on Sunday at the same venue, to decide the finalists who will face off on Saturday, 2 November.

Thanks for reading, emailing and tweeting. See you next weekend for more minute-by-minute action from the Rugby World Cup. Bye for now.

Wales have some thinking to do ahead of next week’s semi-final. Facing scrum-half Faf de Klerk, playing behind a pack on that kind of form, is not going to be easy. But Wales’s all-action back row will no doubt seek to close de Klerk down more successfully than Japan did today.

According to the stats on the Rugby World Cup website, the territory for the whole match was an even 50-50 split. If you had only watched the second half, you would find that very hard to believe, but it shows how much defending that South Africa had to do in the first half. Japan played at their preferred tempo for a lot of that first period and it was thrilling to watch.

Michael Leitch: “Test match rugby is all about creating opportunities and taking your moments...Unfortunately South Africa kept us out. They played their “A Game” and played it very well, and I wish them the best of luck. I’m extremely proud of the team, of what Jamie’s done. Japan’s only going to get stronger.”

Hugs among the players. The first half was epic today, and the intensity from both teams was a joy to behold. But South Africa turned the screw second-half. There is no question that the better team won.

If you missed the news earlier, Michael Cheika has quit as Australia coach after their exit against England:

SA fly-half Handre Pollard speaks to Gabriel Clarke: “I think we stuck to it for 80 minutes. First half we kept them in the game, the yellow card just killed us, but we handled it quite well. We knew if we kept imposing ourselves physically on to them, the dam would break...We weren’t happy with what we did in the first half. There were great mauls from the forwards [second half]. It’s always tough playing the host nation, there is always a lot of emotion, and I think the boys handled that well.”

Boks coach Rassie Erasmus looks so chilled, he’s almost horizontal:

Japan skipper Leitch, also proud:

Japan coach Joseph: “At the end of the day, I am just so proud of my team.”

Fans swapping jerseys up in the stands:

On the pitch, Japan’s players bow to the crowd and captain Michael Leitch raises a fist to salute the support they’ve had during this tournament. It’s been a great ride for them - and for all of us who’ve been watching.

O’Driscoll speaks on ITV: “We will have a great semi-final on this side, with Wales v South Africa...I think the attacking rugby that England and New Zealand have been playing might put them in the driving seat...But the semi-finals are going to be titanic.”

O’Connell: “SA will be very happy with that second half. Absolutely zero rugby in their own half. They kick the ball, whether they have an overlap or not, and they don’t kick loosely...Just their collision-winning, and their physical nature, is very hard to live with for a team like Japan.”

SA captain Siya Kolisi: “Honestly, it was exactly what we expected. We knew what Michael Leitch and his boys were going to bring. They said they were coming for us and for our set-piece...But credit to my boys, we ground it out. Thanks to this amazing crowd, you should really be proud of your team. They play a style that’s fearless.”

A four-word email arrives from SA fan Diana Beamish:

“Wonderful news. We won.”

You can’t argue with that, you really can’t.

Mbulelo Hoyiya emails in:

“Hi Luke,

“I must confess I was worried before the match, with the way the media was praising Japanese. Well done South Africa.”

Well done indeed.

Here is the match report:

Japan coach Jamie Joseph is all smiles too, up in the stands. Absolutely no shame in how his team went out. Especially in the first half, his team were outstanding and posed South Africa some very, very tough questions with their off-loading game.

After the break, South Africa’s game plan was carried out with utter precision. For their rivals, it’s looking quite ominous, as they are very reminiscent of the team that won the World Cup in France in 2007. Especially with a scrum-half making things tick like that - for Fourie du Preez, see Faf de Klerk.

77 min: Both benches now emptied. Matsushima makes a little dart, again trying to run the ball out of the Japan 22. On the bench, the SA players are shaking hands and starting their celebrations. De Klerk, quite rightly, is Player of the Match. He made 36 passes and scored one try, and was right at the heart of everything the Boks did.

South Africa will meet Wales next Sunday for a place in the final. England v New Zealand will take place on Saturday.

75 min: Anyway, Japan have made history by becoming the first Asian quarter-finalists at a Rugby World Cup. They have been outclassed and overpowered in the second half today but what memories they’ve given us at this tournament. South Africa rumble through a few more phases around the Japan 22, there is a cross-kick by Pollard, but then a knock-on.

74 min: Another penalty for South Africa. The sting has long since gone out of this match. It’s a bit surprising, given that sensational first half, that Japan were unable to mount anything similar in the second period. But it’s a mark of how well South Africa have played, too. They were a bit loose before the break.

73 min: De Klerk, the scrum-half, goes off. He has bossed this game. Herschel Jantjies comes on in his place.

71 min: A huge tackle from Moore on Pollard, the SA fly-half. The TMO is having a look, but there is no problem there. It’s academic now. But it would be nice to see Japan fashion another score to sign off from this tournament.

68 min: Pieter-Steph du Toit steals the line-out. A nation sighs.

67 min: It really has been a game of two halves, hasn’t it? Japan have simply not been in this match after the break. As soon as I type that, Leitch makes a burst down the left, and Japan win a kickable penalty. Kick for the corner, or kick for goal? Corner ...

64 min: From the restart, South Africa win a penalty for a head-grab on Kolbe. It looked like Kolbe was lucky not to be penalised himself for tipping a Japanese tackler on to the floor. Pollard hammers a kick into touch for halfway and SA will have a line-out.

59 min: Yamanaka off for Japan now, Lemeki on. Again, Japan try to run the ball from their own 22. Fukuoka catches a looping pass and is smashed by le Roux. Japan kick it back, de Klerk makes a sniping run in the midfield, and a high tackle from James Moore in a central position brings another penalty and SA can go for goal again. On TV there is a shot of some dancing SA fans up in the stands, who (quite understandably) are feeling very confident right now.

58 min: Pollard puts up a towering kick deep into Japanese territory. Matsushima manages to claim it, but again, SA swarm all over their opponents and refuse to give them an inch in which to mount an attack. They are shutting this game down very effectively right now. As a neutral you have to hope Japan can find a way to break out of this wrestling hold.

57 min: Pollard pulls a very kickable penalty to the left. There is hope for Japan ... but they need to get busy.

55 min: Thompson and Himeno off for Japan, Van Der Walt and Matsuda on. Plus, the entire SA front row has been switched now, Kitshoff and Koch are on. The contrast to the first half is like night and day. Japan have had nothing so far, and now SA have another kickable penalty.

54 min: SA steal Japanese ball, and kick it back. Japan try to get some momentum going with their passing, from their own half, which was working so well before the interval. But SA have them by the throat at the moment and there doesn’t seem to be any space now.

52 min: More phases for South Africa. De Klerk is orchestrating all of this very well for them. He puts a box kick up, and Matsushima is taken out in the air by Mapimpi. It’s just a penalty for Japan, but they have a chance to relieve a bit of pressure. They kick for territory and will have a line-out in a good position.

51 min: Lukhanyo Am puts a kick down the left and there is a superb kick-chase from the Boks, exerting plenty of pressure on the Japanese defence again. Worrying times for Japanese fans now. Erasmus planned a power game and in the first 10 minutes of the second half, it has worked a treat.

47 min: Fly-half Tamura is off for Japan, the tournament’s leading point-scorer, and Matsuda comes on. Inagaki also goes off, replaced by Nakajima in the front row. Then South Africa win a scrum penalty and Mtawarira roars with delight. South Africa have had a stranglehold on this second half, so far, and Japan haven’t had a sniff.

46 min: More good possession for South Africa after Japan cough the ball up in their own half. But again, the Boks make a mess of an overlap, a pass from le Roux to Pieter-Steph du Toit adjudged forward by Wayne Barnes. He carries over the try line but it won’t count.

SA fan Sam Kantorowich reacts to that first half:

“Can Japan keep the pace up? They tired against the Scots in the 2nd half. SA need to stay calm and not panic, they blew at least 2 try scoring chances first-half.”

42 min: SA have early field position after a fine kick by de Klerk. Then, it looks like Matsushima is lucky to get away with a dangerous high tackle near his own try line, on Mapimpi. Strong start to the half by the Boks and they have a penalty.

41 min: Japanese MBM! Read it here, if you can:

Habana on that call on de Allende: “For me, it’s a try.”

Jonathan Dando emails in:

“This is rugby eye candy... maybe time to include Japan in The Rugby Championship... just an awesome game.. Japan just a joy to watch.. finesse, speed on and off the ball and disciplined team work.... if its close to the same with 20 minutes to go, then gotta back Japan.”

South Africa fans - how are you feeling?

Paul O’Connell is right behind ref Wayne Barnes for the way he dealt with the tackle by Mtawarira: “We thought it was a good decision, a great decision. He didn’t go to the TMO and spend half an hour on it. He saw that he didn’t land on his head, and it’s a yellow card. It gave Japan a bit of breathing space and got them back into the game.”

“I’m a bit out of breath,” says Habana on ITV. “We knew if they [Japan] keep the ball in hand they would test us. Accuracy and execution has let South African down at key times.”

Did you see Wales v France? Wales won by a point. It was nervy and amazing. Read the report!

40 min: The gong for half-time goes but South Africa now have a penalty, and they kick for the corner. A try here would be a hammer blow for Japan, but not a knock-out ... SA maul it around the 22 and Japan are pushed back. De Klerk then finds de Allende and he’s over the try line - but he’s pinged four a double movement and it’s no try! Wow!

37 min: Bongi Mbonambi hobbles off injured, Malcolm Marx comes on for SA. Now the Boks try to drive a maul up the right wing, then put it through the hands to the left. But le Roux spills a pass from Kolbe, and Japan will have a scrum on the stroke of half-time, near halfway.

36 min: A Japanese Garryowen (no, really) goes up and Kolbe claims it, classily, near halfway. Kolbe is yet to enjoy ball in hand with a bit of space, though. It is surely only a matter of time?

35 min: South Africa have a great attacking position but they concede a sloppy penalty for obstruction. Yet again Japan are a touch fortunate ... but perhaps they are making their luck. Less than five minutes to go in a quite frankly mind-boggling first half.

33 min: SA turn over Japanese ball and spin it very quickly left. Lukhanyo Am off-loads to Mapimpi, after the ball came from de Allende, with the try line beckoning but the earlier try-scorer can’t gather a poor pass. “It was a three on one!” says Alan Quinlan on commentary. Massive let-off for Japan after Leitch, uncharacteristically, was turned over.

32 min: Cross-kicks are a big part of Japan’s plan tonight. They are clearly determined to stretch the SA defence at every opportunity. It’s yet to be converted into too many points.

30 min: There’s a break in play and the TV director focuses on the Japan fans up in the stands. What an amazing atmosphere it looks. A beautiful occasion no matter the result. Two points in it on the scoreboard with more than 30 minutes gone. Just a try and a penalty scored so far, but I don’t think anyone is complaining about the entertainment levels.

29 min: Scrum for SA inside their own half. They pass it left and it’s with Mapimpi again. It’s some welcome possession for the Springboks after a long spell of attacking by the hosts. After an early defensive howler by Tamura, though, Japan are keeping their shape.

Christian Cummins, via Twitter, you are spot on:

As a non-regular-rugby-watching friend asked me the other day, after seeing Japan: “Why don’t more teams play like that?”

27 min: More phases in attack for Japan, more possession, and more tackles to make for South Africa. Japan are playing at their preferred tempo right now. There is one particularly brutal - and entirely legal - tackle made on Himeno but Japan keep recycling it well.

25 min: A training ground move off the line-out by Japan is well-worked until Lukhanyo Am nearly intercepts cleanly near his own posts. Japan attacking scrum, just outside the 22, after a knock-on. This is breathless stuff. Matsushima finds space down the right and sprints into the 22 but now a knock-on advantage for South Africa.

23 min: Free-kick to Japan from the scrum. Japan choose to run it right, then left, and there is a wonderful one-handed off-load by Leitch to Himeno near halfway. The pressure brings a penalty for offside for Japan - I think de Klerk was the culprit. The way they are passing the ball is wonderful. The pressure of the occasion does not appear to be affecting them. They have an attacking line-out.

22 min: South Africa shove a maul a few yards near halfway, then de Klerk finds Damian de Allende who batters down the No 12 channel ... but then a brilliant tackle by Matsushima sees the ball spilt in contact. South Africa have position, but now Japan have the put-in at a defensive scrum. Who will get the shove on here?

20 min: Japan claim the restart and move through a couple of phases in their own half. Lukhanyo Am rushes out of the line and pulls off a superb tackle, driving Japan back. But the ball is cleared and now Labuschagne is back from that HIA. South Africa are feeling a bit of heat here, make no mistake about that.

18 min: Now South Africa have another scrum. It is fair to say that Japan are not having the best of it at scrum time. South African power at the first scrum of the match created the first try. But ... this one brings a penalty for Japan! Forget I spoke! The players celebrate like they’ve won the match. Prop Koo Ji-won punches the air. The crowd roar. Huge moment. They will kick for goal.

17 min: James in Amsterdam emails:

“Inexplicable that Barnes refused to go through the TMO process on that tip tackle.

It certainly looked as though the Japanese player was lifted beyond horizontal and then landed on his head.

Warburton received a red card in a World Cup knockout game for a far less obvious dangerous tackle.”

16 min. The Brave Blossoms are starting to, er, blossom. They have enjoyed some good possession in the past couple of minutes and are starting to punch holes in the SA defence. The off-loads are accurate and the home crowd, as previously mentioned, are really warming up with their team on the front foot. Only five points in it. The Boks still down to 14.

13 min: Now the home crowd are on their feet. Fukuoka storms into space down the left wing after a lovely pass by Lafaele. Kolbe, of all people, looks a bit slow to react. Japan spin it right and Leitch makes a burst to near the try line. Then it’s with Tamura and they are nearly under the posts ... Japan go through several phases, but then concede a penalty for offside. The noise in the stadium is astonishing.

12 min: Now Leitch and South African full-back Le Roux challenge for a high ball in the Boks’ half. They both have their eyes on the ball. Barnes is happy with the challenge, although it looked like Leitch took him out in the air at first glance. It’s the right call ... I think. No further action.

11 min: Brilliant steal by de Klerk after that Japan scrum. They kick into Japan territory, and Matsushima takes a fine, confident catch.

10 min: Labuschagne is off for an HIA. Amanaki Lelei Mafi is on. SA captain Kolisi is also off, for the moment, I am not entirely sure why.

8 min: The Boks roar down the left wing with more space for Mapimpi and Japan are stretched again early on. But then it’s ripped out of South African hands by Labuschagne in his own 22 and Jamie Joseph’s team stream down the same side of the field, on their right wing, thanks to a nice kick by Lafaele. It’s a knock-on, though, and it will be a South African scrum inside their own half. The Boks enjoyed that first scrum which led to their first try ...

6 min: It was a terrible start for the hosts with South African set-piece power already making a difference - as we expected it would. But Japan have possession now, and Tamura tries another cute cross-kick near halfway, this time looking for Leitch out on the right wing. But it runs out of play.

2 min: A massive tackle by Bongi Mbonambi, the Springbok hooker, out on the wing. Japan have a bit of possession, but cough it up and now the South Africans have the first scrum put-in. It’s a high-tempo start.

Jeff Sachs on email:

“South Africa don’t give presents twice....but this is the most exciting fixture so far.”

Too right Jeff.

1 min: Cheslin Kolbe chases the kick-off superbly and makes a nuisance of himself. Japan keep possession, and Tamura tries a cross-kick to Matsushima, but it’s spilled in contact. South Africa line-out.

Chris Francis emails:

“Hi Luke,

“I’ve got a heart-over-head bet on Japan to win. Can they do it? If so, how?

“Sitting in a pub full of South Africans, which would make it doubly enjoyable...”

My tactical brain tells me that scoring more points than South Africa will do the trick, Chris. Sorry, I’m too hyped up for intelligent analysis right now.

I haven’t been this excited about a rugby match since yesterday. Japan’s players belt out their anthem. There are some tears. They look quite up for it, they really do.

The taiko drummers strike up, the teams are out on the pitch at Tokyo Stadium. Nearly time for the anthems - after a moment of silence to pay respects to the victims of typhoon Hagibis.

The teams are in the tunnel. Japan captain Leitch looks as focused as a hitman with a bag of cement and a map to the river.

(Copyright Sid Waddell.)

So, the pre-match tactical analysis can be summed up thus: Japan will want to speed the game up, move the ball quickly and employ the pace of Matsushima and Fukuoka, among others. While South Africa will want to slow the game down and try to win it with set-piece power. Will it be that simple? I doubt it. Springbok wing Cheslin Kolbe will only need an inch to take a mile, for one thing ...

Rassie Erasmus speaks to ITV’s Gabriel Clarke: “They are tough to stop...They would have made a few plans. It’s a massive tactical battle for them to try and unlock our defence, and for us to stop their attack. It’s going to be a beautiful game to watch.”

“Well done,” Gabriel tells Erasmus as they finish the pitch side interview.

In a couple of hours we will know the full semi-final line-up.

England play New Zealand next Saturday, while Wales will face one of these two teams on Sunday.

“Michael Leitch is beyond talismanic,” says O’Driscoll of Japan’s captain, meanwhile.

“There’s something a bit different about this guy,” adds O’Connell. “He plays a bit like Kieran Read.”

ITV are running a feature on the Miracle of Brighton, amongst other things. We’ve got a little over 20 minutes until kick off now. Here are the YouTube highlights of that staggering 2015 win:

Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus, as usual, has the air of someone meeting a few mates to watch the match over a beer, rather than someone plotting Japan’s exit from this tournament:

Rugby World Cup’s reporter asks Japan coach Jamie Joseph: “Did you change anything up in terms of game plan this week?”

“You’ll have to wait, mate ... we’ve got a few tricks up our sleeve.”

Paul O’Connell chimes in on the Brave Blossoms: “They’ve made the World Cup, they’ve earned the right to be here ... they’ve won over the neutrals. They play an incredible brand of rugby.”

Brian O’Driscoll has his say: “If the All Blacks were playing this brand of rugby, we’d be tipping our caps to them ... these are players at the top of their ability and they are phenomenally well-drilled.”

Bryan Habana speaking on ITV: “It feels like South Africa against the world. Everybody wants this Japanese story to continue. Do I think South Africa will deliver? Yes. Am I nervous? Yes, a little bit.”

“We know what’s coming at us.”

“We’ll probably have a quiet night tonight,” says Wales coach Warren Gatland after his team edged into a Rugby World Cup semi-final:

Who will Wales face in that semi-final? We are about to find out.

We also have a minute-by-minute in Japanese for today’s match - read it here!

Speaking a couple of days ago, Japan coach Jamie Joseph set his stall out for today in no uncertain terms:

‘Four years ago, Japan had not won a World Cup game for 24 years,’ Joseph said. ‘Now we have a different mentality. Now we go into Test matches believing we can win if we do our jobs properly. Our first goal was to get out of our pool, but now we’ve achieved that goal we’ve got to shift the goalposts and try to win this quarter-final. The country is behind us and really excited. Every game for us now is a final. Every game we have to treat as our last.

‘But we’re not satisfied with what we’ve got so far. We are going to come out against South Africa and we are going for a win.’

Is anyone else excited? My word, I am excited. Please send me your thoughts on email or Twitter.

Wales have just sealed a place in next weekend’s semi-finals in astonishing fashion by beating France 20-19. Read Robert Kitson’s report right here:

Warren Gatland’s men will face the winner of Japan v South Africa.