Omiya Ardija maintained their five-point gap at the top of the J.League with a 3-0 victory at Ventforet Kofu on Saturday.
Milivoje Novakovic put the away side ahead as early as the fourth minute, before Kosuke Kikuchi doubled the lead.
Novakovic wrapped up the game and the three points in the 43rd minute with his second of the game and the leaders comfortably saw out the second half to move on to 32 points after 13 games.
Yokohama F.Marinos maintained the pressure at the top of the table with a 1-0 win away to relegation-threatened Sagan Tosu.
The game appeared to be heading for a 0-0 draw, before defender Seitaro Tomisawa’s timely intervention in the 77th minute.
Kashima Antlers defeated Tokyo 3-2 in an entertaining fixture at the Kashima Soccer Stadium to maintain their own hopes of challenging for the title.
Tadanari Lee and Kazuma Watanabe fired the away side into a 2-0 half-time lead.
But the Antlers rallied after the break, with Yuya Osako scoring either side of an own goal to complete their second-half comeback.
Shonan Bellmare failed to alleviate their relegation fears with a 2-0 loss at home to Sanfrecce Hiroshima.
Goals from Yojiro Takahagi and Mihael Mikic in the first half were enough to secure victory for Hiroshima.
At the Oita Bank Dome, the bottom two sides Oita Trinita and Jubilo Iwata played out a 1-1 draw to leave both sides firmly embroiled in a relegation battle.
Daiki Takamatsu put Trinita into a first-half lead, but a goal from Hiroki Yamada ten minutes from time levelled the match.
Elsewhere, Shimizu S-Pulse defeated Vegalta Sendai 2-0 at the Outsourcing Stadium Nihondaira, while Kawasaki Frontale beat Albirex Niigata 2-1 at the Kawasaki Todoroki Stadium.
There was also a victory for Cerezo Osaka, who were victorious 2-1 against Nagoya Grampus at the Kincho Stadium.
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