The Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles became the first Japanese team to fail to reach the Asia Series final after losing to the Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions 4-1 on Tuesday.
The Japan Series champions, fielding a second-string team, had topped Pool B with two straight wins in the first round but were eliminated in the semifinals by the Pool A runners-up Lions, who will now face the Canberra Cavalry in Wednesday's final.
Rakuten rookie starter Sho Miyagawa had a rough start to the night, allowing three runs in the first inning to the home team and failing to make it out of the second.
The Eagles' lineup was kept quiet by Nelson Figueroa, who allowed just four hits over the distance. Rakuten could only score on Ryo Hijirisawa's sac fly in the second.