Ice Hockey in Japan
Ice hockey in Japan is overseen by the Japan Ice Hockey Federation, which has been a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation since 1930. The men’s national team made its international debut that same year, while the women’s and junior teams followed in 1987 and 1982, respectively. This overview highlights the history of Japan’s men’s, women’s, and junior national teams.
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Men’s National Team
Women’s National Team
U20 National Team
Japan Links
Japan Men’s National Team — Key Facts
| Category | Detail |
| 🟩 Team | Men’s National Team |
| 🟦 IIHF Status | Full Member — January 26, 1930 |
| 🟧 First Official Game | January 24, 1930 — 12–2 loss vs. Czechoslovakia |
| 🟨 First Unofficial Game | March 24, 1935 — 17–0 loss vs. Battleford Millers |
| 🟩 Longest Official Winning Streak | 9 games — April 15, 2023 to February 10, 2024 |
| 🟩 Longest Unofficial Winning Streak | 5 games — January 22–30, 1969 |
| 🟦 Longest Official Unbeaten Streak | 14 games — January 29, 1982 to March 15, 1983 |
| 🟦 Longest Unofficial Unbeaten Streak | 8 games — January 26, 2005 to April 3, 2008 |
| 🟥 Longest Official Losing Streak | 12 games — April 16, 2016 to February 11, 2017 |
| 🟥 Longest Unofficial Losing Streak | 14 games — February 1982 to February 19, 1985 |
| 🟩 Biggest Official Win | 44–1 vs. Kuwait — January 30, 1999 |
| 🟩 Biggest Unofficial Win | 16–1 vs. Beijing/Harbin — 1957 |
| 🟥 Biggest Official Loss | 25–1 vs. Czechoslovakia — March 4, 1957 |
| 🟥 Biggest Unofficial Loss | 17–0 vs. Battleford Millers — March 24, 1935 |
| 🥇 Medal Record | |
| 🥇 Asian Winter Games/Asia Cup Gold | 1992, 1993, 2003, 2007 | | 🥈 Asian Winter Games/Asia Cup Silver | 1986, 1990, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2011, 2005 | | 🥉 Asian Winter Games/Asia Cup Bronze | 2017 | | 🥈 IIHF Asian Championship Silver | 2024 | | 🥉 IIHF Asian Championship Bronze | 2025 |
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History Table
Team Roster
| # | Pos | Name | Team |
| 29 | GK | Issa Otsuka | Nikkō Ice Bucks |
| 1 | GK | Yuta Narisawa | Red Eagles Hokkaido |
| 30 | GK | Kai Tomita | Yokohama Grits |
| 2 | D | Seiya Hayata | Nikkō Ice Bucks |
| 5 | D | Jiei Halliday | Red Eagles Hokkaido |
| 7 | D | Shunta Kamura | Red Eagles Hokkaido |
| 6 | D | Ray Murakami | Niagara University (USA) |
| 20 | D | Yusei Otsu | HL Anyang (KOR) |
| 23 | D | Taiki Takebe | Red Eagles Hokkaido |
| 4 | D | Koki Yoneyama | Tohoku Free Blades |
| 17 | FW | Chikara Hanzawa | HL Anyang (KOR) |
| 26 | FW | Yushiroh Hirano | Düsseldorfer EG (GER) |
| 15 | FW | Taiga Irikura | Red Eagles Hokkaido |
| 25 | FW | Sota Isogai | Red Eagles Hokkaido |
| 10 | FW | Jordan Keller | Kamloops Blazers (CAN) |
| 16 | FW | Tohi Kobayashi | Red Eagles Hokkaido |
| 13 | FW | Yuki Mura | Iowa Heartlanders (USA) |
| 22 | FW | Teruto Nakajima | Red Eagles Hokkaido |
| 14 | FW | Yuto Osawa | Yokohama Grits |
| 24 | FW | Yu Sato | Dynamo-Altay (RUS) |
| 18 | FW | Fuji Suzuki | North Iowa Bulls (USA) |
| 12 | FW | Madoka Suzuki | Nikkō Ice Bucks |
| 9 | FW | Kenta Takagi | Red Eagles Hokkaido |
Head Coach: Jarrod Skalde
Japan Women’s National Team — Key Facts
| Category | Detail |
| 🟩 Team | Women’s National Team |
| 🟦 IIHF Status | Full Member — January 26, 1930 |
| 🟧 Nickname | Smile Japan |
| 🟧 First Official Game | March 19, 1990 — 4–1 loss vs. Germany |
| 🟨 First Unofficial Game | April 21, 1987 — 5–2 win vs. Netherlands |
| 🟩 Longest Official Winning Streak | 26 games — August 14, 2016 to April 21, 2017 |
| 🟩 Longest Unofficial Winning Streak | 4 games — December 17, 2015 to March 24, 2016 |
| 🟦 Longest Official Unbeaten Streak | 26 games — August 14, 2016 to April 21, 2017 |
| 🟦 Longest Unofficial Unbeaten Streak | 4 games — December 17, 2015 to March 24, 2016 |
| 🟥 Longest Official Losing Streak | 15 games — March 19, 1990 to February 5, 1996 |
| 🟥 Longest Unofficial Losing Streak | 5 games — October 24–29, 2019 |
| 🟩 Biggest Official Win | 46–0 vs. Hong Kong — February 21, 2017 |
| 🟩 Biggest Unofficial Win | 12–0 vs. China B — February 16, 2012 |
| 🟥 Biggest Official Loss | 18–0 vs. Canada — March 22, 1990 & April 5, 1996 |
| 🟥 Biggest Unofficial Loss | 16–0 vs. United States — April 24, 1987 |
| 🥇 Medal Record | |
| 🥇 Asian Winter Games/Asia Cup Gold | 2017, 2025 | | 🥈 Asian Winter Games/Asia Cup Silver | 1996, 1999, 2007, 2011 | | 🥉 Asian Winter Games/Asia Cup Bronze | 2003 | | 🥇 IIHF Asia Championship Gold | 2024, 2025 | | 🥇 Challenge Cup of Asia Gold | 2012 | | 🥈 Challenge Cup of Asia Silver | 2010 |
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History Table
Team Roster
| # | Pos | Name | Team |
| 30 | GK | Rei Halloran | Järnbrotts HK (SWE) |
| 31 | GK | Riko Kawaguchi | Daishin IHC |
| 20 | GK | Miyuu Masuhara | DK Peregrine |
| 9 | D | Nana Akimoto | DK Peregrine |
| 4 | D | Ayaka Hitosato | Linköping HC (SWE) |
| 8 | D | Akane Hosoyamada | DK Peregrine |
| 2 | D | Shiori Koike | DK Peregrine |
| 6 | D | Kohane Sato | Daishin IHC |
| 3 | D | Aoi Shiga | MoDo Hockey (SWE) |
| 5 | D | Shiori Yamashita | Seibu Princess Rabbits |
| 19 | FW | Makoto Ito | Toyota Cygnus |
| 27 | FW | Remi Koyama | Seibu Princess Rabbits |
| 18 | FW | Suzuka Maeda | DK Peregrine |
| 24 | FW | Mei Miura | Toyota Cygnus |
| 40 | FW | Rio Noro | Daishin IHC |
| 41 | FW | Riri Noro | Daishin IHC |
| 91 | FW | Umeka Odaira | Daishin IHC |
| 11 | FW | Akane Shiga | Lulea HF (SWE) |
| 17 | FW | Ai Tada | Daishin IHC |
| 14 | FW | Haruka Toko | Linköping HC (SWE) |
| 15 | FW | Rui Ukita | Daishin IHC |
| 13 | FW | Yumeka Wajima | DK Peregrine |
Head Coach: Tomohito Okubo
Japan U20 National Team — Key Facts
| Category | Detail |
| 🟩 Team | U20 National Team |
| 🟦 IIHF Status | Full Member — January 26, 1930 |
| 🟧 First Official Game | March 16, 1982 — 4–2 loss vs. Norway |
| 🟨 First Unofficial Game | August 3, 1993 — 6–3 loss vs. Russia U18 |
| 🟩 Longest Official Winning Streak | 7 games — December 4–16, 2017 |
| 🟩 Longest Unofficial Winning Streak | 2 games — August 9–10, 2019 |
| 🟦 Longest Official Unbeaten Streak | 7 games — December 4–16, 2017 |
| 🟦 Longest Unofficial Unbeaten Streak | 2 games — August 9–10, 2019 |
| 🟥 Longest Official Losing Streak | 8 games — December 26, 1992 to December 27, 1993 |
| 🟥 Longest Unofficial Losing Streak | 6 games — August 3, 1993 to August 2, 1995 |
| 🟩 Biggest Official Win | 26–0 vs. Chinese Taipei — May 28, 2012 |
| 🟩 Biggest Unofficial Win | 15–0 vs. SK Viru Sputnik — December 9, 2021 |
| 🟥 Biggest Official Loss | 20–1 vs. Sweden — December 30, 1992 |
| 🟥 Biggest Unofficial Loss | 11–0 vs. Canada U18 — August 6, 1995 |
| 🥇 Medal Record | |
| 🥇 University/Challenge Cup of Asia Gold | 2010, 2011, 2013 | | 🥉 University/Challenge Cup of Asia Bronze | 2014 |
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History Table
Team Roster
| # | Pos | Name | Team |
| 1 | GK | Sazuku Kudo | Meiji University |
| 25 | GK | Yuichiro Takase | Meiji University |
| 20 | GK | Jei Yamabayashi | Keio Senior High School |
| 8 | D | Reo Daikuhara | Meiji University |
| 4 | D | Daigo Hotta | El Paso Rhinos (USA) |
| 3 | D | Konosuke Ito | Hokkaido Shimizu
High School |
| 5 | D | Motomi Ito | Meiji University |
| 17 | D | Shuki Kudoh | Meiji University |
| 6 | D | Akira Suzuki | Toyo University |
| 2 | D | Akira Watanabe | Düsseldorfer EG U20 (GER) |
| 7 | D | Zen Yoshida | Komazawa University
Tomakomai High School |
| 19 | FW | Sota Hifumi | Toyo University |
| 23 | FW | Rion Hiyamizu | Keio Senior High School |
| 21 | FW | Taisei Ibe | Hokkaido Shimizu
High School |
| 14 | FW | Seishin Ihashi | Atlantic Coast Academy
18U AAA (USA) |
| 12 | FW | Aoto Ishii | Bushukan High School |
| 18 | FW | Hyuga Miura | Toyo University |
| 9 | FW | Shunta Nakamura | Komazawa University
Tomakomai High School |
| 13 | FW | Saishiro Nakaya | National Central University |
| 11 | FW | Darius Odermatt | Calgary Edge School
U18 Prep (CAN) |
| 15 | FW | Ryota Seki | National Central University |
| 10 | FW | Kotaro Yamaguchi | Komazawa University
Tomakomai High School |
Head Coach: Jarrod Skalde
Japan Links
