Experienced Japanese goalkeeper Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi was the hero for the defending champions, pulling off two stunning saves from Jordanian spot-kicks to put his team into a last four meeting with Bahrain on Tuesday.

The match had gone to penalties after an absorbing 120 minutes of football saw the two sides locked at 1-1, Japan striker Takayuki Suzuki's 14th-minute goal cancelling out Jordan's early headed opener by Mahmoud Shelbaieh.

Though regulation time saw plenty of goalmouth action, the drama of the shoot-out overshadowed what had gone before, with Jordan squandering three penalties that would have won them the match.

Japan had looked to be heading for a shock exit after playmaker Shunsuke Nakamura and Brazilian-born wingback Alex blazed their opening penalties over the bar either side of a successful conversion by Jordan skipper Abu Zema.

Both Japan's misses came after Nakamura and Alex appeared to lose their footing on the turf around the penalty spot -- prompting the match referee to switch ends for the remainder of the shoot-out.

Jordan's players and bench protested vigorously but to no avail. The controversial decision did not distract the underdogs from the Middle East however, who went 2-0 up when Rateb Al Awadat converted.

But with Jordan's football-fanatic monarch King Abdullah II watching from the stands at the Chongqing Olympic Stadium, disaster struck for the minnows.

Takashi Fukunishi and Hatem Aqel traded spot-kicks before Koji Nakata pulled Japan back to 3-2 but Jordan remained in control.

Needing only to convert one of their remaining two spot-kicks, Jordan's nerve failed them. Haitham Al Shboul saw his effort brilliantly saved by Kawaguchi tipping onto the bar, before Suzuki buried to level at 3-3.

It was left for Faisal Ibrahim to give Jordan a place in the last four but his effort was hammered wide to force sudden death, where the drama continued.

Amer Shafi saved Japan's sixth kick from Yuji Nakazawa, only to see Kawaguchi then deny Anas Al Zboun with another fine save to keep Japan's tournament alive.

Tsuneyasu Miyamoto then put Japan up 4-3 to pile on the pressure and Basheer Bani Yaseen found it too much to deal with -- driving his shot against the post to send Japan through.