2025-26 Japanese Women's Figure Skating

[RatedPG]

I still think if Rion medals at JNats, she’s going to the Olympics (unless there’s some crazy scenario where the other two medallists are also eligible and Kaori or Mone are off the podium) Japan nearly always sends their medallists, like in 2018 with Kaori over Wakaba despite Wakaba making GPF.

Do you know how hard it will be for Rion to make it to the podium?
She is my favourite, so I hope she accomplished this.
The one I think everyone should watch out for, is Saki Miyake. I just have weird feeling everything will align for Saki at Nationals.
What was interesting to me, is that Mone finally got the scores she deserved after Kaori’s poor skate in SP.
Nationals will be super interesting

 

[YuBluByMe]

The Current Olympic Selection Pool

A.

1. National champion will be selected.

• TBD

B.

1. Second and third at Nationals
2. Top two GPF competitors
3. Top three SB

• TBD
• Nakai, Sakamoto
• Sakamoto (227.18), Nakai (227.08), Chiba (217.23)

C.

1. Top three world standing
2. Top three season rankings
3. Top three highest average score in two competitions, including domestic competition

• Sakamoto (1), Chiba (2), Yoshida (11)
• Chiba (1), Nakai (3), Sakamoto (4)
• Sakamoto (225.71), Nakai (223.99), Chiba (217.23),

Selection Pool: Sakamoto, Nakai, Chiba, Yoshida

Anyone not in the selection pool will need to place within the top three at Nationals to be considered for the Olympic team.

 

[4Lo+3A+SEQ]

Do you know how hard it will be for Rion to make it to the podium?
She is my favourite, so I hope she accomplished this.
The one I think everyone should watch out for, is Saki Miyake. I just have weird feeling everything will align for Saki at Nationals.
What was interesting to me, is that Mone finally got the scores she deserved after Kaori’s poor skate in SP.
Nationals will be super interesting

i absolutely agree about Saki! I’m really rooting for her to shock everyone

 

[throw_triple_flip]

I will wait until the free skate is done but if Ami and Mone ends 1-2 they will have an huge advantage for the Olympic selection

I may be wrong but I think if anyone else wants a shot they will have to win nationals. It'll also be interesting to see who get a Worlds spot.

 

[throw_triple_flip]

i absolutely agree about Saki! I’m really rooting for her to shock everyone

I hope she can a get a Four Continents spot at least. Along with Rion Sumiyoshi.

 

[throw_triple_flip]

The Current Olympic Selection Pool

A.

1. National champion will be selected.

• TBD

B.

1. Second and third at Nationals
2. Top two GPF competitors
3. Top three SB

• TBD
• Nakai, Sakamoto
• Sakamoto (227.18), Nakai (227.08), Chiba (217.23)

C.

1. Top three world standing
2. Top three season rankings
3. Top three highest average score in two competitions, including domestic competition

• Sakamoto (1), Chiba (2), Yoshida (11)
• Chiba (1), Nakai (3), Sakamoto (4)
• Sakamoto (225.71), Nakai (223.99), Chiba (217.23),

Selection Pool: Sakamoto, Nakai, Chiba, Yoshida

Anyone not in the selection pool will need to place within the top three at Nationals to be considered for the Olympic team.

Interesting.. so Rinka Watanabe is definitely out of it at the moment?

An Ami Mone Kaori national podium would make it very straightforward for JSF.

 

[rabidline]

Interesting.. so Rinka Watanabe is definitely out of it at the moment?

Unless she win Nationals, yes.

 

[throw_triple_flip]

Unless she win Nationals, yes.

Who do you think is in the weaker position at the moment, between Kaori, Ami and Mone? My instinct would be Mone because even with errors the other two seem to have a higher ceiling in the free (less problems with rotations). If someone outside of those three wins Nationals it could make things interesting.

 

[Jeanie19]

Unless she win Nationals, yes.

What is the criteria for 4CC?

 

[rabidline]

Who do you think is in the weaker position at the moment, between Kaori, Ami and Mone? My instinct would be Mone because even with errors the other two seem to have a higher ceiling in the free (less problems with rotations). If someone outside of those three wins Nationals it could make things interesting.

Kaori will not be not on the Olympic team.

In the very unlikely event that an eligible senior (sorry Mao Shimada) other than the 3 wins Nationals, I think it comes down to Ami and Mone, and whoever finishes highest go to the Olympics.

And if neither has a meltdown, it will be Ami who goes, the rotation calls are less hard on her because of the 3A. But if it's Rinka Watanabe who wins Nationals, I can see Mone going.

If Mao Shimada wins Nationals, it's gonna be Kaori, Ami and Mone who go.

 

[YuBluByMe]

Who do you think is in the weaker position at the moment, between Kaori, Ami and Mone? My instinct would be Mone because even with errors the other two seem to have a higher ceiling in the free (less problems with rotations). If someone outside of those three wins Nationals it could make things interesting.

On paper, Chiba is in the weakest position. But in the unlikely event that a senior eligible skater other than those three wins Nationals, I believe that Nakai would need to make the podium while Chiba is off in order for JFed to choose Nakai over Chiba.

 

[YuBluByMe]

What is the criteria for 4CC?

Eh, if it’s the same as last year, then it’s something like Top 10 at Nationals, Top 6 everything else. If I recall correctly. The net widens quite a bit and Japan is not going to send their Olympic Team to 4CC. I think Japan may keep it simple and just select the top 3 eligible skaters at Nationals that aren’t going to the Olympics.

 

[rabidline]

Eh, if it’s the same as last year, then it’s something like Top 10 at Nationals, Top 6 everything else. If I recall correctly. The net widens quite a bit and Japan is not going to send their Olympic Team to 4CC. I think Japan may keep it simple and just select the top 3 eligible skaters at Nationals that aren’t going to the Olympics.

I'm not so sure that the Olympic Team this season will not be sent to 4CC. Last time was a special case because of COVID. National Champions can request to be left out of 4CC selection though, Kaori did it a few times and I can see her doing it again.

4CC is useful for confidence boost after a shaky Nationals and getting some WS points. Obviously that doesn't matter for Kaori, but I can see Ami getting assigned to both to get her to as later group as possible for the SP (and get that 3A out as often as possible). And Mone, if the shaky performance from GPF continued to Nationals.

 

[throw_triple_flip]

If Mao Shimada wins Nationals, it's gonna be Kaori, Ami and Mone who go.

I know it's terribly unlikely, but imagine a podium made up entirely of juniors..

 

[rabidline]

I know it's terribly unlikely, but imagine a podium made up entirely of juniors..

We live in a world where 7 quads were landed in a FS program. Nothing is impossible.

 

[RafaelAstro]

It's very sad for me when my favorite skaters and programs would not be in contention (Hana Yoshida, Rion Sumiyoshi, Rino Matsuike) I hope they can at least sent to 4cc, I'm not a fan of Kaori, Mone and Ami programs...

 

[RatedPG]

It's very sad for me when my favorite skaters and programs would not be in contention (Hana Yoshida, Rion Sumiyoshi, Rino Matsuike) I hope they can at least sent to 4cc, I'm not a fan of Kaori, Mone and Ami programs...

The 4CC battle is what intrigues me the most actually.

I’m going for Rion, Rino and Saki

 

[lileychristie]

Before GPF Mone looked like a lock for the Olympic team, but now I'm not so sure.... She's still in the pool, sure, but if this shaky performance continues to Nationals and she's off the podium, I wonder if JSF will lose confidence in her. BUT since her coach has a lot of influence with JSF, she'll probably still go anyway.

If Mone does go to the Olympics, I really really hope she can get some help from a sports psychologist. She looked absolutely terrified both in her GPF SP and FS - while she survived the SP somehow, it proved too much for the free

Earlier I was more worried with Ami's mental state if she makes it to Olympics - I don't want a repeat of what happened to Mana Kawabe. But watching Ami at GPF gave me some reassurance, and there shouldn't be any hate messages for her this time around.

 

[readernick]

I slightly disagree with some of the posts here. Yes, Kaori, Mone, and Ami are the leading candidates right now and Kaori will be chosen barring injury. But, Japan values Nationals more than other federations and has sent skaters who didn't make the GPF over skaters who did in the past. I think any Senior who gets on the podium at Nationals has a good chance of being sent. OTOH, if Ami goes to Nationals and has a performance like she did at Skate Canada or if Mone falls twice or three times in her programs, I wouldn't say their places are secured. So, if Rion, Rino, or Saki get 2nd or 3rd at Nationals don't count them out imho. This isn't a situation like the US women . Barring injury that team will be Amber, Alysa, and Isabeau because the US selection team heavily relies on body of work criteria. Japan is moving more towards body of work but I think only Kaori is completely secure.

 

[rabidline]

But, Japan values Nationals more than other federations and has sent skaters who didn't make the GPF over skaters who did in the past.

It's not just about making the GPF, it's about placing high at the GPF. And with 2/3 of the GPF podium being won by Ami and Kaori, that solidifies the names circulated in the criteria as listed above by @YuBluByMe

I do think it's not over until it's over at Nationals, but the doors are closed for the GPF placement, world standing and season's best scores selection criteria. And basically the names that kept showing up are Kaori, Ami and Mone. So I won't be surprised if it will take a National title from any senior not named Kaori, Ami and Mone to be named into the Olympic team. Just the podium won't be enough IMO.