Reigning women's world champion Kaori Sakamoto was second in Friday's short program at the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating's NHK Trophy, where South Korea's Kim Ye-lim seized the early lead.
Sakamoto, the reigning NHK Trophy champion, struggled with a triple flip-triple toeloop combination at Makomanai Sekisuiheim Ice Arena to finish with 68.07 points. Kim, who was runner-up earlier this month at Grand Prix de France, scored 72.22 in a nearly flawless performance.
Japan's Rion Sumiyoshi was third with 68.01 points.
Compatriots Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara, the winners at Skate Canada, the Grand Prix circuit's second event this year, won the pairs short program with a score of 78.25, taking a sizeable lead over Emily Chan and Spencer Akira Howe of the United States, who were second with 64.62.
The NHK Trophy is the penultimate stop on the Grand Prix circuit, which wraps up next weekend in Finland before the six top singles and couples in each discipline will compete in the Final in Turin, Italy.