The Malaysian world No 4 pair went down tamely to the 29th ranked Kyuhei Yamashita-Hiroki Midorikawa 12-21, 17-21 in a match lasting 37 minutes at the Kumamoto Prefectural Gymnasium.

A win at the Kumamoto Masters and the Australia Open next week would have boosted their chance of qualifying for the lucrative, season-ending WTF, to be played in China next month.

In addition to pocketing US$6,650 (RM27,484) as semi-finalists in the Kumamoto Masters, they earned 6,420 points to bring their tally to 79,190 in the WTF qualifiers list.

However, even if they were to win the upcoming Super 500 Australia Open, which would earn them 9,200 points, their total would only add up to 88,390 points.

Their nearest rivals, compatriots Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun, currently have 86,570 points and can secure the second WTF final slot by just taking part in the Australia Open, which will earn them 2,200 points.

Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik have already booked their berth in the finals, where the top eight in each category qualify with a limit of two from a country.

Sze Fei-Izzuddin have entered only two finals this season. They won the India Open title but lost the Japan Open.