Japan, South Korea and Australia became the first teams to advance to the 2010 World Cup finals, leaving just one direct qualification place still up for grabs from Asia.
Japan beat Uzbekistan 1-0 in Group One and were the first team through for the second time in a row, having also set the pace for the 2006 finals in Germany.
South Korea, the 2002 World Cup semi-finalists, outclassed already-eliminated United Arab Emirates 2-0 in their Group Two affair and reached the tournament for the seventh successive time.
Australia advanced via the Asian route for the first time after ditching Oceania two years ago.
They were content to play out a goalless draw with Qatar in Doha to maintain their unbeaten run and share the lead with Japan on 14 points, trailed by Bahrain (7), Qatar (5) and Uzbekistan (4), still in with a chance of a play-off spot.
The top two in each of the two groups qualify directly for South Africa, with the two third-place teams meeting to decide who goes through to a play-off to take on Oceania champions New Zealand.
"They put us under pressure, we knew that, but we thought they could only do that for 20 minutes and they did it for almost 90," Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek said of their opponents.
"The World Cup is a great, great event and I'm already looking forward to going there."
Shinji Okazaki scored a crucial but clumsy early goal for Japan against Uzbekistan in Tashkent to guarantee the Blue Samurai a place in South Africa with two games to spare.
North Korea missed their chance of securing at least a play-off berth in Group Two when they were held to a goalless draw with Iran. The draw was a setback for Iran, whose chances of qualification now appear slim.
In Dubai, South Korea were ahead after only five minutes against UAE when Park Chu-young chested down a cross in a crowded area and coolly prodded home from six metres.
The visitors were always in command and were two up on 37 minutes after a comical goalkeeping blunder by Majed Nasser.
Nasser tried to keep the ball from going for a corner but only pushed the ball into the path of a surprised Ki Sung-yueng who slotted casually into an empty net.
South Korea lead the group with 14 points from six matches, followed by North Korea, who last reached the World Cup in 1966, on 11 points. Saudi Arabia are third on 10 points, with Iran fourth on seven.
In Tashkent, Okazaki shot tamely at the Uzbek keeper from close range nine minutes into the game but somehow managed to head the loose ball into the net as he fell to the floor.
Japan looked jittery as the match went into stoppage time and they almost threw away their chances of early qualification, with Islom Tuhtahujaev and Server Djeparov coming agonisingly close from long range.
The next matches across Asia take place on Wednesday, when Bahrain get a chance to cement a play-off place and Saudi Arabia push for an automatic Group Two berth.
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