Agnes Ngetich, the 10 km world record holder, set a new course record in the women's race, finishing in 1:04:23. She led from the start and maintained a strong pace throughout the race. Tabitha Njeri Kamau finished second, and Kazuna Kanetomo secured third place.

In the men's race, Alexander Mutiso broke the course record with a time of 59:51. He led from the start and managed to maintain his lead until the finish. Kiprono Sitonik finished second, and James Mutuku came in third. Read more racing coverage.

Several runners achieved personal bests, including Itta Tameike, who finished fifth with a time of 1:00:13, and Akira Aizawa, who finished sixth with a time of 1:00:26. The race is expected to grow in prestige with future changes to the New Year's Ekiden. Related: Akasaki Sets New PB in Chicago Marathon, Takeuchi Finishes Second in Perth.

This original Runner World brief is based on reporting from Japan Running News. Visit the source for its complete reporting, context and any later corrections.