Japan Announces 2026 Women’s Olympics Roster

The 2026 Winter Olympics are set to begin in Milan, Italy, in just under a month. Ahead of this exciting event, the countries that will be participating have announced their rosters. Japan’s roster has been announced, and it is full of players who, of course, play in Japan, but also play internationally. Japan’s roster is as follows:

Forwards

• Rui Ukita (Daishin IHC, JAP)
• Suzuka Maeda (DK Peregrine, JAP)
• Haruka Toko (Linköping HC, SWE)
• Mei Miura (Toyota Cygnus, JAP)
• Remi Koyama (Seibu Princess Rabbits, JAP)
• Akane Shiga (Luleå HF, SWE)
• Yumeka Wajima (DK Peregrine, JAP)
• Makoto Ito (Toyota Cygnus, JAP)
• Rio Noro (Daishin IHC, JAP)
• Riri Noro (Daishin IHC, JAP)
• Ai Tada (Daishin IHC, JAP)
• Umeka Odaira (Daishin IHC, JAP)

Defenders

• Akane Hosoyamada (DK Peregrine, JAP)
• Shiori Koike (DK Peregrine, JAP)
• Ayaka Hitosato (Linköping HC, SWE)
• Aoi Shiga (MoDo Hockey, SWE)
• Kanami Seki (Seibu Princess Rabbits, JAP)
• Shiori Yamashita (Seibu Princess Rabbits, JAP)
• Kohane Sato (Daishin IHC, JAP)
• Nana Akimoto (DK Peregrine, JAP)

Goaltenders

• Rei Halloran (Järnbrotts HK, SWE)
• Miyuu Masuhara (DK Peregrine, JAP)
• Riko Kawaguchi (Daishin IHC, JAP)

Of the 23 players on Japan’s roster, five of them play in Europe, and all of them play in Sweden. All of these players share a home nation of Japan, though, which is what brings them all together for this national team.

The women’s Olympic tournament is set to begin on Feb. 5, but Japan will not play their first game until Feb. 6, when they face off against Team France.