Yabusele, who plays his domestic basketball with Real Madrid in Spain, top scored with 17 points to lead the hosts, who were silver medallists in Tokyo three years ago, to another final.
Isaia Cordinier added 16 points to France's total, while San Antonio Spurs star and NBA Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama had 11 points and seven rebounds.
Dennis Schroder led for Germany with 18 points, with Fritz Wagner the only other player to reach double figures against the Olympic hosts.
Germany's loss brought an end to their incredible recent run stretching back to last year's World Cup, having won 12 consecutive games in major international competitions.
France will now face either the United States or Serbia in Saturday's final, with LeBron James and company hoping to win Team USA's 17th gold in men's basketball.
Japan looked set to cause an unlikely upset against the hosts, but Matthew Strazel's four-point play with 10 seconds of the fourth quarter remaining spared their blushes.
"The shot of his life," Wembanyama said on Strazel's shot that sent the game into overtime at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Lille.
Wembanyama then took centre stage, scoring the first eight points of overtime to give France a 92-84 cushion.
Japan would battle back and got to within two points of their opponents, but the home team were able to close out the contest at the free throw line.
Wembanyama also finished with 11 rebounds and six assists, and recalled the moment when the encounter changed in overtime.
"The realisation, the dynamic of the game," Wembanyama said.
"They were playing like underdogs and we were waiting for them to punch a little bit too much. I wanted to make a point and punch first in overtime. And it worked."
France remained in second place in Group B behind fellow unbeaten nation Germany, with the pair squaring off this Friday to see who will finish on top.
Dennis Schroder starred for Germany in the final game on Tuesday, as the Brooklyn Nets point guard notched 20 points and six assists in their 86-73 win over Brazil.
