Tour veteran Kaori Higo birdied three of the last four holes en route to a course-record 7-under-par 65 on Saturday to storm to the top of the leaderboard after the second round of the NEC Karuizawa 72 golf tournament.
Taiwanese tour rookie Lu Hsiao-chuan kept herself in contention after going round in 69 to sit one shot off the lead at 137.
Mineko Nasu carded her second straight 69 and lies a further stroke off the pace at 6-under 138.