Hideki Matsuyama carded a 5-under-par 67 to remain four strokes off the pace after the second round of the Fukushima Open on Friday.
The 23-year-old Matsuyama, making his season debut in Japan after coming off an 18th-place finish at the British Open earlier this week, carded 5 birdies in a bogey-free round to hole out at 7-under 137 in a tie for 23rd.
Defending champion Satoshi Kodaira shot a 66 and moved into a tie for the lead at 11 under alongside South Koreans S.K. Ho (67) and Song Young-han (65).
Komei Oda, last season's money rankings winner, was one shot back in a four-way tie for fourth with Akio Sadakata, South Korea's Kim Kyung-tae and Thailand's Prayad Marksaeng.
Joint overnight leader Kiyoshi Murota shared eighth place at 9 under.
Sixty-six players advanced to the weekend's rounds after making the cut at 4 under.
Sunday's winner will earn ¥10 million from the ¥50 million purse.
