The reigning world champions, second to China at Beijing 2008 and at London 2012, scored a total of 274.094 points to finish ahead of Russia, who earned their first-ever Olympic silver medal in the event.

The Chinese were unable to make it three in a row, dethroned by their fierce rivals as they were forced to settle for the bronze medal.

The team of Kenzo Shirai, Ryohei Kato, Yusuke Tanaka, Koji Yamamuro and Uchimura, the six-time all-around world champion onsidered one of the sport's greatest-ever athletes, recorded the top scores on three of the six apparatus.

It saw Japan top the podium with a winning margin of over two-and-a-half points.

A dramatic, thrilling and nervy final went right down to the wire as Japan, the pre-event favourites, went head-to-head with Russia on the floor - the last apparatus for both teams.

Shirai showed why he is the current world champion in the discipline with a score of 16.133 points. 

Uchimura scored 15.600 points to leave Russia with an big task if they were to deny them the gold medal.

The Russians, whose participation in the gymnastics events at Rio 2016 was never in doubt due to the backing of the International Gymnastics Federation despite the doping cloud hanging over the country, fell short as Japan were confirmed as the Olympic champions for the first time since Athens 2004.

It was nevertheless a satisfying result for the Russian team of Ivan Stretovich, David Belyavskiy, Nikolai Kuksenkov, Denis Abliazin and Nikita Nagornyy.

The result handed them their seventh Olympic gold medal and reaffirmed their status as the sport's leading country.

China, whose team comprised Deng Shudi, Lin Chaopan, Zhang Chenglong, Liu Yang and You Hao, were not at their best but managed to improve as the competition went on.

They were in real danger of finishing outside of the top three at one stage before huge scores on the parallel bars catapulted them into medal contention.

You was first to go and his routine was awarded 16.166 points before Lin scored 15.900, both efforts proving pivotal to their third-place result.

The Chinese contingent ended the competition in front of Britain, who were also challenging for a medal before those hopes vanished when pommel horse specialist Louis Smith came off the apparatus.

"Winning gold at the Olympics is incredibly difficult, that is what I realised," Uchimura said.

"Given that it's the Olympics, I feel great satisfaction getting the gold medal."

The women's team event is due to come to the fore tomorrow, with 19-year-old sensation Simone Biles expected to lead the United States to yet another Olympic gold medal.