The Japanese pair were forced to come from a game down to win an 18-21, 21-9, 21-19 thriller.

The top-ranked Japanese duo were forced to earn every single point against the stubborn Denmark duo of Pedersen and Rytter Juhl, with neither side able to take full control.

With the final looking to have gone for Japan after they were trailing 19-16 in the final game, Matsutomo and Takahashi won five successive points to crush Denmark's hopes of a first badminton title in 20 years when Poul-Erik Høyer Larsen, current President of the Badminton World Federation, won the men's singles title. 

Matsutomo and Takahashi went one better than compatriots Mizuki Fujii and Reika Kakiiwa, silver medallists in this event at London 2012.

"Of course we are so happy to win the gold medal but more than that we could put our best effort. It was the best thing we could do," saud Matsutomo 

"Winning the gold medal was definitely the goal but more than that we fought until the very last moment with our best. 

"That was the greatest thing."

Pedersen and Rytter Juhl's silver gives Denmark its second Olympic medal ever in women’s badminton after Camilla Martin also claimed silver in the singles tournament at Sydney 2000. 

"Of course we are really, really proud that we have won this Olympic medal," said Pedersen. 

"But after a match like this and to be so close in the third and deciding set, you have to be disappointed.

"We are really proud to have been in an Olympic final and won a silver medal for us, for our coaches, for Denmark."

Earlier in the day, South Korea's Jung Kyung-eun Shin Seung-chan beat China's Tang Yuanting and Yu Yang 21-8, 21-17 to claim the bronze medal.

"For us in this particular Olympics it is important of course to win a medal but the most important thing is to give hard work and to pay off the cheers of the crowd," said Jung.

"It is not really important whether it is gold, silver or bronze."