Wales have finally won a match and interim coach Matt Sherratt insisted it was because they were braver than the Brave Blossoms of Japan.
After 21 months, or 645 days, Wales finally ended their 18-match losing streak with a 31-22 victory in Kobe to share the Test series, 1-1.
It was 92 weeks and 1 day of waiting: 15,480 hours; 928,800 minutes; 55,728,000 seconds.
But now it’s over - even though the many deep problems in Welsh rugby are not.
It was a deserved success - secured by four tries to three - against a Japanese team that again came from a long way behind but lacked the conviction and composure that marked their comeback win a week ago.
“"We were braver than last week,” said Sherratt.
“Last week we got in front and we probably tried to hold on to a lead.
"When you have not won a game for a period of time, you start to get edgy, so the messaging this week was to be braver.
"I think the last try showed that - we have thrown to the back of a line-out and Taine Plumtree has done a reverse pass.
"All credit to the players and the staff."
Sherratt also had a message to long-suffering Wales fans, who had not seen their team win since October 7, 2023.
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"Thanks so much for your support. Even during the Six Nations, I know it's been a hard time to support Wales.
"I hope you can enjoy tonight because we are certainly going to enjoy the next 24 hours. Thank you so much to all the Japanese fans as well."
It looked as though Wales might not snap their near two-years of international frustration when Japan surged back from 21-3 down to close to within two points at 22-24 with 20 minutes still to go.
But unlike a week before, when Wales wilted in the heat and humidity, this time they knuckled down and scored the decisive try through Dan Edwards.
The Ospreys fly-half ended with 16 points in an impressively mature display at outside-half.
Wales captain Dewi Lake admitted: "We were probably at a similar point at half-time to last week, but we managed to come out and be a bit more accurate in the last 20 to get us over the line.
"There's never pressure to pull this jersey on. It's always a privilege.
"We are just thankful to the people who have stuck with us, friends and family in the crowd and back home, for supporting us through what's been a tough 18 months.
"It wasn't pretty but it's an important landmark for us today, to get that first win back on the board."
Under the closed roof of the humid Noevir Stadium, Sherratt signed off with a long-awaited success.
Wales had raced into a commanding 21-3 lead, with scrum-half Kieran Hardy crossing twice and wing Josh Adams adding a third try.
But the Brave Blossoms responded with the same energy that saw them win in Kitakyushu last week, as Shuhei Takeuchi, Warner Deans, and Dylan Riley all crossed to cut the deficit to just two points.
However, a composed finish from Edwards — on his first start — settled the contest late on.
His try - after a courageous behind-his-back flip pass from Taine Plumtree - secured Wales’ first win since beating Georgia at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in Nantes.
Wales seized the lead - but not control - with a sharply worked try by Josh Adams after 10 minutes.
Ben Thomas broke off turnover ball, before Blair Murray injected the pace into the counter-attack and found Adams in support.
The Cardiff wing raced to the line for his 23rd international try.
Wales were unable to make the most of their next opportunity and were then indebted to Scarlets flanker Josh Macleod for a try-saving tackle on Japan full-back Ichigo Nakakusu.
A precise kick ahead for Aaron Wainwright appeared to have sat up perfectly for the onrushing Adams, but somehow the wing dropped the ball after initially gathering and the chance was lost.
Japan fly-half Seungsin Lee punished Wales for a defensive error by landing a penalty but Wales had started to exert some pressure through an effective line-out drive and it brought them a second try.
Skipper Lake went close, before scrum-half Kieran Hardy was able to support and burrow his way over.
Japan were making countless handling errors which hampered their efforts to get back into the contest, whilst Wales looked alert on the counter even though their own periods of pressure were not sustained.
But the quality of Admas was apparent and it was his inside burst that carved open the Japanese defence for Hardy to dive over for his second score.
Dan Edwards converted to give Wales a very handy 21-3 lead - a useful insurance for later in the game when the heat and humidity was likely to take its toll.
But the match swung back into the balance in the minutes before the half-time break after Japan coach Eddie Jones made a brave and effective call.
The former England chief changed his entire front row and the switch brought instant reward.
Replacement prop Shuhei Takeuchi helped earn his side a penalty and with wind in their sails Japan mounted a series of drives from which Takeuchi picked up and powered over.
It meant a 21-10 lead for Wales and a daunting second half to follow in the stifling conditions.
But despite Japan getting within touching distance with a quarter of the match remaining, this time Wales held firm.
