The top seeds took just 23 minutes to beat Canada’s Kevin Lee-Ty Alexander Lindeman 21-13, 21-15 at the Metropolitan Gymnasium in Tokyo today.

Sze-Fei-Nur Izzuddin, who are gunning for a second title this year after winning the Indian Open in January, will meet Japan’s Hiroki Midorikawa-Kyohei Yamashita in the next round.

The Japan Open is a World Tour Super 750 event offering a total of RM4 million in prize money.

Another Malaysian pair, 26th ranked Nur Azriyn Ayub-Tan Wee Kiong also moved into the second round after shocking world No 18 French brothers Christo Popov-Toma Junior Popov in a hard fought three-game encounter.

The Malaysians came from behind to win 13-21, 21-17, 21-19 in a match that lasted 58 minutes.

Nur Azriyn-Wee Kiong face another tough match in the second round however. They will take on former world champions Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen from Denmark.

Malaysia’s sole men’s singles representative, Leong Jun Hao, was knocked out in the first round by France’s Alex Lanier, who is ranked much higher.

Jun Hao lost in straight games of 21-12, 21-14 in a match lasting 40 minutes. This is his fifth opening round exit this year.

Similarly, women’s doubles pair Ong Xin Yee-Carmen Ting fell to Japanese pair Rin Iwanaga-Kie Nakanishi 21-17, 8-21, 8-21 in 40 minutes.