Japan’s figure skating team for the 2026 Milano–Cortina Winter Olympics has been officially announced following the conclusion of the 2025 All Japan Figure Skating Championships at Yoyogi National Stadium in Tokyo. A total of 12 skaters – three men and three women in singles, two pairs and one ice dance team – will take to the Olympic ice in February.
Japan’s figure skating team for Milano–Cortina 2026
The Japan Skating Federation announced the following skaters as members of the national team for figure skating at Milano–Cortina 2026.
Men’s singles (3 skaters)
- Yuma Kagiyama (Oriental Bio / Chukyo University) – Back-to-back All Japan champion and Beijing 2022 Olympic silver medallist. Selected for his second consecutive Olympics.
- Shun Sato (aim Services / Meiji University) – Earned his first Olympic berth by finishing 2nd at Nationals.
- Kao Miura (Oriental Bio / Meiji University) – Secured his long-awaited first Olympic appearance by placing 3rd at All Japan.
Women’s singles (3 skaters)
- Kaori Sakamoto (Sysmex) – Claimed her fifth straight All Japan title. Becomes the first Japanese woman ever to qualify for three consecutive Olympic Games.
- Mone Chiba (Kinoshita Group) – Finished 3rd at Nationals to book her first Olympic team spot.
- Ami Nakai (Kinoshita Academy) – Earned selection from 4th place at All Japan. Her Olympic debut comes in her very first senior season.
Pairs (2 teams)
- Riku Miura / Ryuichi Kihara (Kinoshita Group) – The “RikuRyu” pair. Despite withdrawing from competition this season, their outstanding international résumé earned them selection. Kihara becomes the first skater in Japanese figure skating history to compete at four consecutive Olympics.
- Yuna Nagaoka / Sumito Moriguchi (Kinoshita Academy) – All Japan champions. Ride their momentum into their first Olympic Games.
Ice dance (team event / 1 team)
- Una Yoshida / Masaya Morita (Kinoshita Academy) – Reigning All Japan champions. Having met the ISU minimum technical scores, they have been selected as ice dance members for the Olympic team event.
How the “chosen twelve” earned their spots at All Japan 2025
At All Japan 2025, which served as the final selection event, Yuma Kagiyama successfully defended his title in the men’s event under heavy pressure. Despite some mistakes in the free skate, he finished first overall and secured his second Olympic appearance by his own performance.
Shun Sato surged to 2nd place with a winning free skate, while Kao Miura held on to 3rd after attempting a four-quad layout. The three men who swept the podium were selected as the men’s Olympic team as-is.
In the women’s event, Kaori Sakamoto, who has announced that this will be her final season, delivered commanding performances to top both the short program and free skate. Her total score of 234.36 points secured a fifth consecutive national title and locked in one of the three women’s singles spots “beyond dispute.”
Seventeen-year-old Mao Shimada finished 2nd with spectacular technical content, but is ineligible for Milano–Cortina due to age restrictions and therefore could not be selected. The remaining two women’s spots went to Mone Chiba (3rd) and Ami Nakai (4th), based on their Nationals results and performances on the international circuit this season.
In pairs, the world-class duo Riku Miura / Ryuichi Kihara and the rising team Yuna Nagaoka / Sumito Moriguchi were both named to the Olympic roster. In ice dance, Una Yoshida / Masaya Morita, the only domestic team to meet the ISU technical minimums and All Japan champions, were selected to represent Japan in the team event.
Japan’s Olympic roster by discipline (custom summary table)
| Discipline | Skater(s) | Key achievements / notes |
|---|---|---|
| Men’s singles | Yuma Kagiyama | Back-to-back All Japan champion / Beijing 2022 Olympic silver medallist |
| Shun Sato | Runner-up at All Japan, earning first Olympic berth | |
| Kao Miura | 3rd at All Japan, heading to first Olympics | |
| Women’s singles | Kaori Sakamoto | Five-time consecutive All Japan champion / first Japanese woman to make three straight Olympics |
| Mone Chiba | 3rd at All Japan, first Olympic appearance | |
| Ami Nakai | 4th at All Japan, Olympic debut in first senior season | |
| Pairs | Riku Miura / Ryuichi Kihara | World champion–level ace pair / Kihara heading to his 4th straight Olympics |
| Yuna Nagaoka / Sumito Moriguchi | All Japan champions, first Olympic Games | |
| Ice dance (team event) | Una Yoshida / Masaya Morita | All Japan champions, selected as ice dance team for the Olympic team event |
Detailed scores and judging breakdowns can be found on the official websites of the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) and the Olympic Games results pages.
Kaori Sakamoto’s “last season” and the passing of the torch
From her historic bronze medal at Beijing 2022 – Japan’s first women’s Olympic podium in 34 years – to three world titles, Kaori Sakamoto has been the standard-bearer for Japanese women’s singles. Even while declaring this year her “last season,” she achieved the historic feat of five consecutive national titles and heads to her third Olympics aiming for a storybook finale.
At the same time, a new generation has emerged, led by Mone Chiba and Ami Nakai in their early twenties and teens. On the men’s side, Yuma Kagiyama anchors the team as its ace, with Shun Sato and Kao Miura – often dubbed the “Manji Boys” – taking on the world’s elite.
Together, the “team of twelve,” including the pairs and ice dance contingents, will seek to showcase the full strength of Japanese figure skating on the ice of Milano–Cortina. Multiple medal battles, including in the team event, are very much within reach.
Reliving the selection moments through official social media
Below are selected posts and videos from official accounts that capture the atmosphere around the Olympic team announcement.
1) Olympic official X (@gorin) – Sakamoto’s final Nationals and historic fifth straight title
2) Olympic official X (@gorin) – Men’s podium and Kagiyama’s victory
3) Sports Hochi figure skating desk – breaking news on team announcement
Related videos (official YouTube and sports media)
Pre- and post-event features and analysis videos are also a great way to learn more about the skaters heading to Milano.
- All Japan Figure – Olympic spots for Milano will be decided here!
In the coming weeks, updates on the team’s preparation and details of their short and free programs are expected to be shared across official channels. With Milano–Cortina fast approaching, fans will want to stay tuned to social media and streaming platforms to follow every step of Japan’s figure skating journey.
