Japan will play the two-time defending Rugby World Cup champions All Blacks in a November test match next year, the two unions announced jointly on Wednesday.

The announcement was made with New Zealand Prime Minister Bill English ahead of a meeting with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe.

The game, the sixth time the nations will have met, will be held Nov. 3 at a venue to be named after the fixtures for the 2019 Rugby World Cup are released in September. New Zealand CEO Steve Tew said the test will be held at one of Japan's 12 World Cup venues.

The trip to Japan will be world No. 1 New Zealand's first since 2013, when the visitors won 54-6 -- the closest the matchup has ever been in the five times the two teams have met.

"I'm pleased to announce today that the All Blacks will come to Japan for a match against Japan on Nov. 3, 2018," English said. "This will be a fantastic opportunity for promotion of the World Cup here in Japan, and a great curtain-raiser for the World Cup contest itself."

"When you hear the comments from the Japan Rugby Football Union, they want to reach the level of the All Blacks and wouldn't it be great if they can do that? It would be great to have a hard game -- and win."

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen had said at last week's World Cup draw in Kyoto that a match against Japan "wouldn't be a bad idea."

Japan boss Jamie Joseph said a game against New Zealand is ideal as he whips the Brave Blossoms into shape in the crucial buildup to the Sept. 20-Nov. 2 World Cup.

Japan are in Pool A with Ireland, Scotland, a third European team and the winners of a qualifying playoff.

"I think it's exactly the type of match we need in preparing for the World Cup," Joseph said. "We know from the draw last week the certainty of who we're going to play, and this is the type of match we need going forward."

Joseph said in the past, Japan always harbored a complex against the All Blacks, but made it clear things will be different with his side.

At the 1995 World Cup, Japan suffered a record 145-17 defeat at the hands of New Zealand.

"I just think it's the ultimate challenge for a rugby coach and if you're a player, you get to play the All Blacks and that's another ultimate challenge," Joseph said.

"I think the biggest challenge our players may have had in the past is actually believing that they can play against a team like the All Blacks."

"I have no doubt in my mind that by the time it gets to November, we'll be in the right shape of my mind to challenge these guys."

Tew said New Zealand will use the match as a dry run for the World Cup, the first to be held outside a Tier 1 environment.

"The timing from an All Blacks point of view is perfect because it gives us an opportunity to test ourselves against Japan, who are a new side coming up into the Tier 1 world, but probably more importantly from our point of view, to come to Japan and just test our systems, get our people familiar with the venues and the culture."

"With the draw having been completed and with the allocation of a pool that Japan has a chance of getting out of and being in the quarterfinals, obviously it has heightened the excitement."

"We will use this game next year as an opportunity to further deepen the support that the All Blacks enjoy here in Japan, and we would very much like to be the second favorite team of the Japanese fans in 2019."