Money leader Ryo Ishikawa gained ground Friday, firing his second straight 69 to move one shot behind a group of five sharing the lead after the second round of the Canon Open.
Ryuichi Oda matched the day's low in a round of 66 and was tied atop the leaderboard with South Korean Hur In Hoi (66), Kiyoshi Murota (67), Han Lee (68) and Shinichi Yokota (68) at 7-under 137.
Teeing off two strokes back, Ishikawa made five birdies against two bogeys, placing him in a tie for sixth with Yoshikazu Haku and Hirohito Koizumi at Totsuka Country Club.
"The leaders are going lower but I was able to keep pace with them," said Ishikawa, who is seeking his third win on the tour this year. "I think I can be in contention for the title."