CHANGCHUN, Northeast China, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Japan edged out DPR Korea 3-2 in the opener of the women's ice hockey tournament at the sixth Asian Winter Olympic here on Sunday.

    "This is our first match, and it is a good start," said Kohichi Satoh, head coach of the Japanese team, which ranked 10th in the world, eight positions higher than DPR Korea. "There is not so large gap between the Asian teams, so the score is not surprising."

    DPR Korea took an early lead on 2:56 while the Japanese scored twice in five minutes in the later half of the first period to go ahead.

    However, Japan failed to enlarge the score out of six shots on goal in the second period, all of which were saved by DPR Korean goalkeeper Hong Kum Sil.

    Wada Etsuko shot in the third goal for Japan just at the half of the last period before O Chol Ok scored six minutes later by the advantage of a two-minute penalty on a Japanese player.

    "We didn't play our best today," said Ri Won Son, head coach of the DPR Korean team. "But I am confident that we can do better in the following games."

    The gold medal of the women's ice hockey tournament, featuring five teams, will be decided on February 3 after a round robin.

    The sixth Asian Winter Games officially opens later on Sunday.