Ayano Nagai scored two tries for Japan in their 72-0 thrashing of Kazakhstan in the Asia Rugby Women's Championship ©Getty Images

Japan have regained the Asia Rugby Women's Championship by thrashing host nation Kazakhstan in the final in Almaty.

Hong Kong were the only other team who competed in the tournament at the Almaty Sports Training Complex, after China withdrew.

Japan were handed a bye through to the final, while Kazakhstan beat the defending champions Hong Kong 27-23 in the semi-final.

Winger Amina Tulegenova and prop Yelena Yurova both scored two tries for Kazakhstan, winger Veronika Stepanyuga notching the other.

A converted try by Natasha Olson-Thorne had Hong Kong to within four points of their opponents with 20 minutes remaining, but they were unable to add to their tally.

However, Kazakhstan proved no match for Japan, ranked 11th in the world, in the final.

Japan's 72-0 thrashing of their opponents eight places below them in the world rankings was their biggest test win for more than nine years.

Ayano Nagai and Kotono Yasuo scored two tries for Japan, and there were also five-point hauls from Komachi Imakugi, Wako Kitano, Sora Nishimura, Yuki Paraki, Otoka Yoshimura, Masami Kawamura and Ayumu Kokaji.

Japan's victory qualified them for the second tier of World Rugby's inaugural WXV competition in South Africa in October of this year, while Kazakhstan are set to participate in WXV3.