Jacob Fearnley and Billy Harris both lost their singles matches on Saturday as Japan earned a 3-2 Davis Cup win over Great Britain in Miki, Japan to send Leon Smith's team to a relegation playoff.
Fearnley had won his first singles contest on Friday ahead of Neal Skupski and Joe Salisbury's doubles triumph, meaning just one of Harris or Fearnley needed a win on the second day of the match to preserve the team's status in the top world group of men's tennis' premier team competition.
However, Fearnley was downed 6-3, 7-6 by world No. 67 Yoshihito Nishioka before Harris was outmatched by Kei Nishikori in straight sets (6-2, 6-3).
The relegation playoff will take place in September. Smith will hope Grand Slam semifinalists Jack Draper and Cameron Norrie can return to the team for that clash.