Urawa Reds saw their lead at the top of the J-League cut to a single point after they were held to a thrilling 4-4 draw by FC Tokyo and Sagan Tosu secured a 3-1 win at relegation-threatened Omiya Ardija.
Three points separate the top four with the Reds leading on 41, Sagan Tosu on 40, and Kashima Antlers and Kawasaki Frontale a further point adrift.
The Reds took the lead in the sixth minute of Saturday's match through Tsukasa Umesaki but a brilliant spell for the hosts saw them race to a 3-1 lead by the 23rd minute through goals from Hideto Takahashi, Yoshinori Muto and Hiroki Kawano.
Shinzo Koroki scored from the spot to reduce the deficit before half-time and Tadaaki Hirakawa equalised for the visitors with around 30 minutes remaining.
Muto scored his second four minutes later to wrest the lead back for Tokyo but Reds substitute Tadanari Lee converted another penalty to restore parity with 10 minutes left.
Megumu Yoshida, who replaced Yoon Jung-hwan, enjoyed a nice league debut as Tosu coach when his team cruised to a win at Ardija with goals from Kim Min-woo, Kota Mizunuma and Kei Ikeda.
Akihiro Ienaga scored in first-half stoppage time for the hosts, who remained second from the bottom on 16 points after 21 matches.
Frontale, second before kick-off, had an opportunity to climb to the top of the table but went down 2-0 to Yokohama F. Marinos with goals coming from Rafinha, who converted an early penalty, and Shingo Hyodo.
The visitors played more than half of the match with 10 men after losing Kyohei Noborizato, who gave away the penalty through a handball, to a second yellow card before the interval.
"I probably shouldn't be saying this, but you really have to wonder if (Noborizato) deserved to be sent off for that," Frontale captain Kengo Nakamura was quoted as saying by Kyodo news agency.
"It seemed like the ref hadn't even remembered he had given him one earlier.
"When you concede that early and then lose a man, it becomes really difficult to get back in the game, especially in the summer in this kind of heat."
Kashima Antlers stayed in touch with the leaders and jumped ahead of Frontale on goal difference after a 3-1 victory at Shimizu S-Pulse, buoyed by a Mitsuo Ogasawara brace. (Writing by Sudipto Ganguly; Editing by John O'Brien)
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