TAIPEI (AFP) - Japan beat South Korea 4-3 Sunday in a qualifying game for the 2008 Beijing Olympics in central Taiwan.

With the win, Japan now lead the four-team group with two wins against no losses.

South Korea and Taiwan are in joint second with one win and one loss while the Philippines trail with two losses.

Japanese batters drilled out 10 hits off six South Korean hurlers while their four pitchers gave up only six hits in the game lasting for more than four hours.

South Korea's second baseman, Ko Young-Min, scored the first run for his team after he shot a solo homer in the first inning, but the lead did not last long.

Japan's Saburo Omura drove in an RBI single in the second, scoring Takahiro Arai, who made it to base on a double. Masahiko Morino added another RBI single in the inning.

Japan widened the lead in the third, scoring the third run on Munenori Kawasaki's single and an RBI single by catcher Shinnosuke Abe.

South Korea narrowed the deficit in the fourth on Lee Taek-Keun's RBI double, scoring Ko Young-Min, who made it to base on a single.

After three scoreless innings, Japan scored their fourth run in the eighth on Abe's double and an RBI single by Atsunori Inaba. South Korea fought back with two singles and a walk, narrowing the deficit to just one run.

Japan's closer Koji Uehara, of Yomiuri Giants, pitched his power against three Korean hitters in the last inning with a strikeout and no-hit.

Japan will face Taiwan while South Korea play the Philippines Monday.

Only one winner will be awarded a berth at the 2008 Olympics while the second and third-placed teams will have to compete in March with six other teams from outside Asia for the final three berths.

In addition to the host China, who automatically qualify, the United States, Cuba and The Netherlands have already qualified for the Games.