Substitute forward Atomu Tanaka struck the winner in the 84th minute as Cerezo Osaka beat the Urawa Reds 2-1 on Friday.
Picking up where they left off before the international break, Cerezo registered a fourth straight league win to move up into fifth place.
For the Reds, meanwhile, the loss at Saitama Stadium continued a woeful run that has seen them without a win since July 20.