The Reds took a 31st-minute lead when forward Yuichiro Nagai outjumped his marker to head home Ponte's long ball for his second goal in as many games.

Washington, last year's league top scorer, doubled the lead five minutes after the hour mark as the Brazilian striker skilfully dribbled past a Niigata defender before slotting home.

Substitute Kazuhisa Kawahara, who had only been on the pitch for a minute, looked to have handed the home side a consolation a minute from time as he headed home Kisho Yano's cross.

Midfielder Atomu Tanaka, also a second-half substitute, then latched on to a lobbed ball from Brazilian midfielder Marcio Richards to slot home the equaliser to the delight of the home support.

"We were playing with our pace and making good chances. No one must have thought we would fail to collect three points here," said Urawa manager Holger Osieck, who's side are sixth in the table after two games, two points adrift of early pacesetters Nagoya Grampus, Shimizu S Pulse and Gamba Osaka.

Kawasaki Frontale held on to rescue a 1-1 draw against Vissel Kobe despite having Japan Under-22 midfielder Hiroyuki Taniguchi sent-off.

Midfielder Kazuhiro Murakami had put Frontale ahead in the 48th minute, but Taniguchi picked up a second yellow card and Brazilian forward Leandro struck the equaliser after 62 minutes as Vissel capitalised on the numerical advantage.

Frontale manager Takashi Seikizuka said: "Our players have done well collecting one point in our second away game (following the AFC Champions League). They kept their concentration right to the end."

Brazilian forward Magno Alves, who shared the league's top scorer prize with Reds' Washington last year, scored the only goal of the game as Gamba Osaka beat Kashima Antlers 1-0 in a bad tempered affair as both side's had a man sent off.