Japanese figure skating 2025-26 season news & updates

[YukiNieve]

2025-26 強化選手 (Skaters selected for strengthening training)
https://www.skatingjapan.or.jp/figure/player/ (there are photos)

Special
Men: Yuma Kagiyama, Rio Nakata, Tatsuya Tsuboi, Shun Sato
Women: Kaori Skamoto, Mao Shimada, Wakaba Higuchi, Mone Chiba
Pair: Riku Miura & Ryuichi Kihara

Level A
Men: Kazuki Tomono, Sena Miyake, Kao Miura, Sena Takahashi, Taiga Nishino, Sota Yamamoto
Women: Rino Matsuike, Mako Yamashita, Rinka Watanabe, Rion Sumiyoshi, Kaoruko Wada, Hana Yoshida, Ikura Kushida, Yuna Aoki, Ami Nakai
Synchronized Team: Jingu Ice Messengers

Level B
Men: Shunsuke Nakamura, Shun Uemura, Shuntaro Asaga, Haru Kakiuchi, Ryoto Mori, Daiya Ebihara
Women: Saki Miyake, Rena Uezono, Haruna Murakami, Mayuko Oka, Mei Okada, Yo Takagi, Sumika Kanazawa
Pair: Yuna Nagaoka & Sumitada Moriguchi
Ice Dance：Utana Yoshida ＆Masaya Morita (they still list Azusa Tanaka & Shingo Nishiyama)

--
Summer Competitions

Prince Ice Cup 2025 (7/18-7/21) Yokohama

|Japan Skating Federation Official Results & Data Site|

www.jsfresults.com

Skating order: https://www.jsfresults.com/local/2025-2026/fs/14/802/attach/14_802_8_20250718131117.pdf
Notable entries:
Sr Men: Kao Miura (ETA Withdrew on 7/18)
Jr Men: Taiga Nishino

15th Nagoya City Skating Competitions - Minato Aquls Cup (7/19-7/22) Nagoya

|Japan Skating Federation Official Results & Data Site|

www.jsfresults.com

Notable entries:
Sr Men: Yuma Kagiyama, Sota Yamamoto
Sr Women: Mako Yamashita, Rino Matsuike, Mana Kawabe, Rinka Watanabe
Jr Men: Sena Takahashi
Jr Women: Mei Okada, Kaoruko Wada, Sumika Kanazawa, Ikura Kushida

ETA: fixed the first link.

 

[On My Own]

Yo

Always one of the best names ever.

 

[japanice]

Junior Seigo Tauchi has moved to Toronto and is now being coached by Brian Orser.

 

[zigzig]

Their teams are such a treasure trove for skating fans - what an embarrassment of riches. SO ANNOYED that Mao has to skate junior again this year - what a stupid rule.

 

[On My Own]

Junior Seigo Tauchi has moved to Toronto and is now being coached by Brian Orser.

Well that'll be fun! Thank god there are therapists out here now, in case I ever log back into men's skating.

I thought Machiavelli/Orser was going to retire after Milan though.

 

[Wyliefan]

Chisato Uramatsu and Atsuhiko Tamura are a new Japanese dance team, training in Montreal.

chisato uramatsu on Instagram: "ご報告です🙇 この度、田村篤彦さんとアイスダンスのカップルを結成することになりました。 今後はカナダのモントリオールを練習拠点とし、2人で頑張っていきます。🇨🇦✊🏻 シングルを引退して間もないですが、また別の形で試合に復帰できること、とても楽しみです！ 初試合は西日本選手権の予選会です！ よろしくお願いいたしますm(_ _)m"

piita___chii on July 19, 2025: "ご報告です🙇 この度、田村篤彦さんとアイスダンスのカップルを結成することになりました。 今後はカナダのモントリオールを練習拠点とし、2人で頑張っていきます。🇨🇦✊🏻 シングルを引退して間もないですが、また別の形で試合に復帰できること、とても楽しみです！ 初試合は西日本選手権の予選会です！ よろしくお願いいたしますm(_ _)m".

www.instagram.com

 

[YukiNieve]

Prince Ice Cup 2025 (7/18-7/21) Yokohama
Jr Men: Taiga Nishino scored 76.71 for SP, 142.00 for FS.

PRINCE ICE CUP 2025

15th Nagoya City Skating Competitions - Minato Aquls Cup (7/19-7/22) Nagoya
Sr Men: 1st Yuma Kagiyama, 2nd Sota Yamamoto, 3rd Yota Mihara

第15回名古屋市スケート競技会　みなとアクルス杯

Sr Women: 1st Rino Matsuike, 2nd Mana Kawabe, 3rd Mako Yamashita

第15回名古屋市スケート競技会　みなとアクルス杯

Photos: https://mainichi.jp/graphs/20250721/mpj/00m/050/229000f/20250721mpj00m050211000p
(Yuma's expressions! He debuted FS "Nessun Dorma" here).

 

[YukiNieve]

This is sweet

Kao Miura, who has been struggling with injuries and has withdrawn from the recent competitions, posted a message on his IG:

"I’m able to do a more fulfilling training for the new season now!
I look forward to showing you my new programs soon!"

One of the first persons who left a comment was Ilia Malinin, in Japanese:

"Hang in there, Kao. (You are) the best"

kao miura 三浦佳生 on Instagram: "皆様お久しぶりです！ シーズンインしましたが自分だけまるで幽霊かのように何も情報が無かったと思うので少し日常報告です、笑 今練習も積めてきてシーズンに向けて充実した練習が出来てます！ 早く新しいプログラムを皆様にお見せできることを楽しみにしています！ @newerajapan #ニューエラ #NewEraJapan"

2,570 likes, 38 comments - kao.miura on July 20, 2025: "皆様お久しぶりです！ シーズンインしましたが自分だけまるで幽霊かのように何も情報が無かったと思うので少し日常報告です、笑 今練習も積めてきてシーズンに向けて充実した練習が出来てます！ 早く新しいプログラムを皆様にお見せできることを楽しみにしています！ @newerajapan #ニューエラ #NewEraJapan".

www.instagram.com

 

[japanice]

Hard to believe that Kao Miura did not receive “Special” designation from the Japan Skating Federation for the upcoming season. He is clearly Japan’s second-best male skater. Seems very strange for one of the favorites to make the Olympic team.

 

[maureenfarone]

Has Mai Mihara retired? I've really enjoyed her skating and admire her so much for competing with her medical condition.

 

[Wyliefan]

Has Mai Mihara retired? I've really enjoyed her skating and admire her so much for competing with her medical condition.

No, she's competing this season.

 

[ostile17]

Hard to believe that Kao Miura did not receive “Special” designation from the Japan Skating Federation for the upcoming season. He is clearly Japan’s second-best male skater. Seems very strange for one of the favorites to make the Olympic team.

JSF usual stupidity

 

[On My Own]

Sato's clearly Japan's second best male skater.

Not to take away from the oddness of the assignment.

 

[Karen-W]

Cross-posting -

Whoa! Nagaoka/Moriguchi have switched from Team Marcotte to Team Savin!

https://twitter.com/x/status/1950962438129476003

I guess there's hope they'll learn how to do a proper triple twist after all. Maybe not in time for the OQE in September, though, lol.