Japan had to settle for third place in the four-nation East Asian Football Championship after a frantic, incident-packed 3-1 defeat to South Korea on Sunday.
Japan went into the match at National Stadium needing to beat the Koreans by at least two goals to pip China for the title, and took the lead in the 23rd minute when Yasuhito Endo converted a penalty awarded after Marcus Tulio Tanaka had been dragged down in the box.
But the visitors hit back with a penalty of their own through Lee Dong Gook 10 minutes later, before Lee Seung Yeoul's long-range strike deflected off Yuji Nakazawa — winning his 100th cap — to put South Korea in front.