Ayaka Takahashi and Misaki Matsutomo on Saturday earned a berth in the Japan Open women's doubles final, while women's singles world champion Nozomi Okuhara withdrew with an injury.
The top-seeded duo edged compatriots Yuki Fukushima and Sayaka Hirota, seeded eighth, 21-11, 21-15 at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.
Fukushima and Hirota were put on the defensive in the 46-minute match, having little chance to display the aggressive style that took them to the finals of August's world championships, where they were runners-up.