Yoshito Watabe was seventh on Friday, the first day of a World Cup Nordic Combined event in Sapporo.
The younger of two brothers competing on the World Cup circuit, Watabe was first after the ski jumping at Okurayama Ski Jump Stadium, but was unable to hold off his pursuers in the 10-km cross-country portion.
Taihei Kato was eighth, while Watabe's elder brother Akito finished 11th after a poor jump that left him 14th. The race was won by Germany's Eric Frenzel in a time of 27 minutes, 23.1 seconds. Norway's Jan Schmid was second and countryman Haavard Klemetsen third.