The J. League title race going down to the wire is nothing new, but this year's championship is shaping up to be the tightest yet.
Only three points separate the top six teams with three games left to go, and, to borrow a phrase from Alex Ferguson, it's squeaky-bum time in Japan.
The season has taken so many twists and turns that predictions at this stage are futile, but here's a rough guide to what might, and might not, happen.