KADOMA, Osaka (Kyodo) -- Reigning world figure skating champion Kaori Sakamoto clinched her fourth consecutive and fifth national title overall Sunday, holding off a challenge from 16-year-old Mao Shimada with a near-perfect free skate.

The 24-year-old Sakamoto scored 149.76 points in the free program to win with a total of 228.68, qualifying for the world championships in March in Boston, where she will try to win for the fourth straight year.

Sakamoto topped the field in both the short and free programs at Towa Pharmaceutical RACTAB Dome in Kadoma, Osaka Prefecture.

"I'm relieved, but I still have work to do," Sakamoto said. "I don't have a sense of achievement like last year. I got defensive a little bit. I'll try to be aggressive at the world championships."

Shimada came in a career-high second with 219.00. The world junior champion fell on a quad toeloop and under-rotated a triple axel in an otherwise solid performance.

"I wanted to land the quad toeloop," Shimada said. "I definitely grew mentally. I hope to win next year."

Wakaba Higuchi moved up one spot after Friday's short program to finish third with 206.40.

Mone Chiba, who was runner-up to Amber Glenn of the United States at the Grand Prix Final in early December, settled for fourth with 205.69. Sakamoto took bronze at the Final.

Sakamoto became the ninth woman to win four or more straight national titles and first since Satoko Miyahara from 2014 to 2017. Midori Ito and Emi Watanabe share the record of winning eight straight championships.

Earlier Sunday, Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara won their second pairs title, while Utana Yoshida and Masaya Morita picked up their first ice dance crown.

After the national championships, the Japan Skating Federation said Sakamoto, Chiba and Higuchi as well as Yuma Kagiyama, Shun Sato and Tatsuya Tsuboi will represent the country in the women's and men's competitions, respectively, at the world championships.

Kagiyama won his first national title Saturday.