KUALA LUMPUR: A roaring start by Olympic bronze medallists Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik was not enough to fire up Malaysia as they fell to a 4-1 defeat to Japan in the Sudirman Cup.
It was a telling defeat as Japan would eventually finish as Group C leaders although Malaysia also qualified for the quarter-finals as runners-up.
World No 8 Aaron-Wooi Yik had lived up to expectations when they held up a feisty challenge by world No 16 Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi for a 22-20-, 14-21, 21-16 win at the Energia Areena in Vantaa, Finland on Thursday.
But Japan quickly levelled terms when women's singles world No 4 Akane Yamaguchi proved too strong for S. Kisona in a 21-14, 21-14 win.
Hopes were then on All England winner Lee Zii Jia to rise to the challenge once again against world No 1 Kento Momota in the men's singles.
But the world No 8 faded off after a bright start as Momota clinched a convincing 21-18, 21-10 win in 47 minutes.
It is Momota's best performance in months, and it was also sweet revenge for the Japanese ace, who was beaten by Zii Jia in the quarter-finals of the All England.
And it proved to be the tonic for Japan as women's doubles world No 10 Nami Matsuyama-Chiharu Shida clinched the tie by beating Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah 2-16, 21-17.
In the dead rubber, world No 27 Hoo Pang Ron-Cheah Yee See were just no match for world No 5 Yuta Watanabe-Arisa Higashino in the mixed doubles as they lost 21-16, 21-9 in 35 minutes.
With Japan finishing as group winners, they will face Taiwan in the quarter-finals later on Friday.
Malaysia, on the other hand, will take on former champions Indonesia.
It will certainly be a tall order as the Indonesians boast reigning Olympic women's doubles gold medallist Greysia Polii-Apriyani Rahayu and men's singles bronze medallist Anthony Ginting in their squad.
The other quarter-final matches will see defending champions China take on Denmark while South Korea are up against Thailand.