TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Taiwan won a historic victory Sunday when Chen Chieh-hsien beat previously undefeated Japan with his glove and bat to win the Premier12 gold medal game 4-0.

With one on and one out in the ninth inning at Tokyo Dome, Japan's Ryoya Kurihara hit a bullet to first that was caught and turned into a game-ending double play as Taiwan's players mobbed the field in celebration.

With the game scoreless in the bottom of the fourth inning, Shota Morishita lined a pitch to the gap in left with one out and a runner on first, but Chen, the Taiwan center fielder, raced to make a run-saving catch, robbing Japan of an RBI double.

The visitors then took the lead against right-hander Shosei Togo when catcher Lin Chia-cheng homered to lead off the top of the fifth. That opened the floodgates, and after a one-out single and a walk, Chen drove a low well back into the dome's right-field stands.

After four scoreless innings from Lin Yu-min, Taiwan turned to former Orix Buffaloes and Seibu Lions right-hander Chang Yi, who worked three scoreless innings.

Chen Kuan-yu, who also played in Japan with the DeNA BayStars and Lotte Marines, pitched for one inning before Lin Kai-wei closed it out. Taiwan outhit Japan 11-4.

"Taiwan's pitchers were really good, and we found it so hard to get hits off them," Japan manager Hirokazu Ibata said. "Their offense was also strong. They are a magnificent team."

"I have to take complete responsibility for this result after the players did a tremendous job preparing after the long regular season."

The loss was the first for Japan's senior national team in a major international tournament since the 2019 Premier12.

Next up for Ibata and Japan is a two-game series against the Netherlands next March in Osaka.