Kashima Antlers will have the chance to defend their Asian Champions League title after qualifying for the continental club tournament with a 4-1 demolition of Australian side Newcastle Jets on Tuesday.

Sanfrecce Hiroshima also reached the ACL main draw, beating Thai club Chiangrai United 4-3 in a penalty shootout following a scoreless playoff at Edion Stadium.

Antlers' Brazilian forward Serginho scored a second-half brace in the playoff at Kashima Stadium after the J-League side took a 2-1 lead into the break.

Forward Sho Ito put Antlers ahead in the 18th minute, but Venezuelan striker Ronny Vargas struck back for the visitors just five minutes later.

Defender Shuto Yamamoto put the hosts back in front when he headed home a cross from Koki Anzai near the edge of the six-yard box.

Serginho, who was instrumental in Antlers claiming their first ACL title last November, stretched the score to 3-1 when he converted a penalty kick in the 67th minute.

He netted again in the second minute of time added, beating Newcastle keeper Glen Moss from close range with an assist from Kazuma Yamaguchi.

Antlers manager Go Oiwa said the mantle of defending champions meant little to his team, who were not guaranteed a return trip to the main draw of the ACL after finishing third in the last J-League season.

"We may be the defending champions, but we're only thinking about this year's tournament," Oiwa said.

On a cold and wet evening in Hiroshima, Sanfrecce dominated possession but struggled to find a finishing touch against Thai FA Cup champions Chiangrai.

Substitute forward Patric appeared to clinch victory in the second half of extra-time when he scrambled in a shot from directly in front.

But the Brazilian was judged to have been offside before a shot from midfielder Kosei Shibasaki ricocheted into his path off the boot of a defender.

The hosts missed a golden opportunity to take an early lead when striker Yusuke Minagawa was unable to beat Chiangrai keeper Saranon Anuin from the penalty spot 10 minutes into the contest.

Saranon, a Thailand squad member at the recent Asian Cup, kept the scores level by guessing correctly and diving to his right after captain Tanasak Srisai conceded the penalty with a handball.

Newly signed Swede Emil Salomonsson had a chance to put Sanfrecce ahead from a corner kick in the 27th minute but missed the mark with a diving header.

Brazilian forward Bill struck first for the visitors in the penalty shootout, but consecutive misses from Tanasak and midfielder Phitiwat Sukjitthammakul allowed Sanfrecce to clinch the shootout on their fifth shot from Taishi Matsumoto.

With both J-League clubs winning their playoffs, a full complement of four Japanese sides will contest this year's ACL.

Kawasaki Frontale and Urawa Reds secured automatic qualification for the main draw as J-League champions and Emperor's Cup winners, respectively.