Rosberg has opened up a 33-point lead over his Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton after the two-time defending champion could only manage third place at Suzuka.
Hamilton, still smarting from his engine blow out which cost him victory last weekend in Malaysia, made a terrible start as he looked to put pressure on polesitter Rosberg and had to battle hard to even make the podium.
Red Bull's Dutch teenager Max Verstappen took second place with another mature drive to belie his tender years, holding off Hamilton in a tense duel over the closing laps.
Hamilton made his attempted overtaking move on the chicane on lap 52 of 53, but Verstappen was alert and closed him off.
Mercedes later lodged an official appeal over the incident, but it was later withdrawn, apparently at the request of Hamilton, although the team later denied this.
"There is no protest from myself. Just heard the team had but I told them it is not what we do. We are champions, we move on. End of!" Hamilton tweeted.
