Tomomi Tanaka held off Philes Ongori of Kenya in a last-ditch sprint before the finish line to win the Yokohama International Women's Marathon on Sunday.
The 26-year-old Tanaka, appearing in her second full marathon after running as a pacemaker in last year's event, ran in a heated battle with Ongori late in the race and crossed the tape in 2 hours, 26 minutes, 57 seconds at Yamashita Park.
Ongori finished two seconds back in second while Reia Iwade, 19, took third in 2:27:21 in her marathon debut. Azusa Nojiri placed fifth followed by London Olympic champion Tiki Gelana of Ethiopia in sixth.
"My time wasn't very good," said Tanaka of the race, which doubled as a qualifier for next year's world championships in Beijing. "I can't compete against the best in the world with a time like this, so this is something I need to work on. I will make efforts in training to improve."
She added: "I was very calm while I ran. I didn't have much left at the end but my breathing was fine. I wanted to win the last race in Yokohama."
The Yokohama race, a continuation of the former Tokyo International Women's Marathon that began in 1979, was the first women-only marathon to be officially certified by the International Association of Athletics Federations. The marathon has been staged in Yokohama every year since 2009.
The sixth edition of the marathon, jointly organized in Yokohama since 2009 by the Japan Association of Athletics Federations and the Asahi Newspaper group, will be discontinued next year due to ongoing financial difficulties with the race.