2023-24 Japanese Men's Figure Skating

[figureskatingandrainbows]

National Team
As of JSF Strengthening Athletes page updated in July
Special
Shoma Uno (ISU, JSF, GS thread, seeded)
Yuma Kagiyama (ISU, JSF, GS thread)
Kazuki Tomono (ISU, JSF, GS thread, seeded)
Kao Miura (ISU, JSF, GS thread)
Shun Sato (ISU, JSF, GS thread)
Sota Yamamoto (ISU, JSF, GS thread)
Nozomu Yoshioka (ISU, JSF)
Koshiro Shimada (ISU, JSF, GS thread, seeded)
A
Sumitada Moriguchi (ISU, JSF, GS thread, competing pairs with Yuna Nagaoka, he is unsure if he will compete singles as well)
Takeru Amine Kataise (ISU, JSF, GS thread)
Haruya Sasaki (ISU, JSF, GS thread)
Tatsuya Tsuboi (ISU, JSF, GS thread)
B
Shunsuke Nakamura* (ISU, JSF, GS thread)
Rio Nakata* (ISU, JSF)
Tsudoi Suto* (ISU, JSF)
Haru Kakiuchi* (ISU, JSF)
Sena Miyake (ISU, JSF, GS thread)
Seigo Tauchi* (ISU, JSF)
Taiga Nishino* ISU, JSF)
Daiya Ebihara* (ISU, JSF)

*denotes likely junior
--Seeded skaters are the top 3 finishers at Nationals. They automatically qualify for the next years' Nationals. Non-seeded skaters must compete at Regional and Sectional Championships in order to qualify, but may be exempted if an international competition overlaps with

 

[figureskatingandrainbows]

GP Assignments

Skate America (October 20-22, Allen, TX, USA)
Shun Sato
Tatsuya Tsuboi
Nozomu Yoshioka*
Skate Canada International (October 27-29, Vancouver, BC, CAN)
Kao Miura
Kazuki Tomono
Sota Yamamoto
Grand Prix de France (November 3-5, Angers, FRA)
Yuma Kagiyama
Takeru Amine Kataise*
Koshiro Shimada
Cup of China (November 10-12, Chongqing, CHN)
Kazuki Tomono
Shoma Uno
Sota Yamamoto
Grand Prix Espoo (November 17-19, Espoo, FIN)
Kao Miura
Shun Sato
Koshiro Shimada
NHK Trophy (November 24-26, Sapporo, JPN)
Yuma Kagiyama
Shoma Uno
Tatsuya Tsuboi

*denotes only one spot

 

[yesterday]

Happy and a bit surprised to see two spots from the start, not as alternate, for Koshiro.
Who would be left eligible for the TBD at NHK? They will have do a skate off at a domestic competition, right?

Sota and Kazuki sharing both GPs is a very wonderful coincidence (?)

 

[rabidline]

Happy and a bit surprised to see two spots from the start, not as alternate, for Koshiro.
Who would be left eligible for the TBD at NHK? They will have do a skate off at a domestic competition, right?

Sota and Kazuki sharing both GPs is a very wonderful coincidence (?)

Kazuki and Sota are already questioning it on Twitter I'm questioning it as well since them getting assigned together conveniently leaves the younger skaters alone in the other GPs (except Kao and Yuma).

Tatsuya, Nozomu and Takeru should be eligible for the NHK selection event to try getting a second GP spot. From the ones that have yet to be invited, Sena Miyake is also eligible.

 

[KiraraChin]

Kazuki and Sota are already questioning it on Twitter I'm questioning it as well since them getting assigned together conveniently leaves the younger skaters alone in the other GPs (except Kao and Yuma).

That's a really good point that I hadn't thought about. JSF often go on about the need for a 'next generation' so it wouldn't surprise me if that was their purpose.

I also found weird that both Shoma and Yuma are doing NHK. While the NHK field tends to be stacked, it's unusual to have their two top men in the same GP

 

[rabidline]

I also found weird that both Shoma and Yuma are doing NHK. While the NHK field tends to be stacked, it's unusual to have their two top men in the same GP

I'm not surprised. Rumor is NHK Trophy wanted Yuma from last season but can't invite him since Shoma's pick as World Champion is of higher priority over Yuma's pick as World silver and they can't meet in the same GP. So now that Yuma is unseeded, NHK is free to invite him even if Shoma is also there. It's a good call I think, since they don't have Kanadai this year to bring in their fans, an early match between Shoma and Yuma can be a good story (and having them both for pre-competition press would be nice too).

 

[KiraraChin]

I'm not surprised. Rumor is NHK Trophy wanted Yuma from last season but can't invite him since Shoma's pick as World Champion is of higher priority over Yuma's pick as World silver and they can't meet in the same GP. So now that Yuma is unseeded, NHK is free to invite him even if Shoma is also there. It's a good call I think, since they don't have Kanadai this year to bring in their fans, an early match between Shoma and Yuma can be a good story (and having them both for pre-competition press would be nice too).

Oh I didn't know about this rumour, that makes perfect sense now. Thanks for explaining!

 

[rabidline]

Oh I didn't know about this rumour, that makes perfect sense now. Thanks for explaining!

No problem! Two top skaters meeting early in Japan isn't bad. Yuzuru and Shoma was an early match-up in the 2021 GP series before Yuzuru withdrew from injury. And I think at this point, both Shoma and Yuma will take whatever result from their match-up well, since Shoma is in a different place achievement-wise while Yuma is also returning from injury. Meanwhile NHK should get good material for promotion since it's a high profile match-up, so win-win for everyone.

 

[KiraraChin]

Yeah that should be interesting! On a sillier note, I'm kinda sad that Kazuki didn't get Finland which is his dream destination sauna-wise Maybe one day!

At least he'll be able to go to Tim Horton's again in Canada and I'm sure he'll drag both Sota and Shoma to try some delicious Chinese food during his second assignment

 

[rabidline]

At least he'll be able to go to Tim Horton's again in Canada and I'm sure he'll drag both Sota and Shoma to try some delicious Chinese food during his second assignment

If they are allowed out... who knows with China travel restrictions these days

 

[yuumagical]

Yeah that should be interesting! On a sillier note, I'm kinda sad that Kazuki didn't get Finland which is his dream destination sauna-wise Maybe one day!

At least he'll be able to go to Tim Horton's again in Canada and I'm sure he'll drag both Sota and Shoma to try some delicious Chinese food during his second assignment

Wait when did he go to Tim Hortons?!? I love to go there whenever I'm in Canada.

I also doubt the Japanese boys will be going out for Chinese food in Chongqing, but for a different reason. As I recall, the JSF advised athletes before the Beijing Olympics to not eat the meat there to avoid the risks of drug contamination...of course, Sota and Kazuki didn't go there, but they may have received that same advice. Although it sounds fun, it's not a risk worth taking, imo.

 

[Arriba627]

Wait when did he go to Tim Hortons?!? I love to go there whenever I'm in Canada.

I also doubt the Japanese boys will be going out for Chinese food in Chongqing, but for a different reason. As I recall, the JSF advised athletes before the Beijing Olympics to not eat the meat there to avoid the risks of drug contamination...of course, Sota and Kazuki didn't go there, but they may have received that same advice. Although it sounds fun, it's not a risk worth taking, imo.

Shoma will bring his own niku.

 

[KiraraChin]

Wait when did he go to Tim Hortons?!? I love to go there whenever I'm in Canada.

Just a few months ago, he spent about a week in Canada for choreography with Jeff Buttle. He said he had Tim Hortons for lunch every day when he was there His meal of choice was chicken and bacon wrap + black coffee.

It's a shame they might not have the opportunity to go for food in Chonqjing, but I trust Kazuki to create some sort of fun food-related occasion anyway. Like last year at GP France, they couldn't go out but he and Sota had sushi together in the hotel room. It's also interesting that when Sota and Shoma did a joint interview for a women's magazine, they both remarked how they felt a bit shy to talk (being both introvert types) and they wished Kazuki was with them. So now the three of them will be together during GP China, and I hope we will see them together in the podium there too

 

[yesterday]

I can see JSF already packing several suitcases full of instant noodles and astronaut's meals

 

[yuumagical]

Kazuki clearly knows where the tasty food is at in Canada.

And why am I imagining Shoma bringing a carry-on bag filled with niku and all of the Japanese guys having a yakiniku party in a Chinese hotel room? No matter what happens during the competition, I'm sure the three of them are going to have a really fun time.

 

[yesterday]

Kazuki clearly knows where the tasty food is at in Canada.

And why am I imagining Shoma bringing a carry-on bag filled with niku and all of the Japanese guys having a yakiniku party in a Chinese hotel room? No matter what happens during the competition, I'm sure the three of them are going to have a really fun time.

 

[Arriba627]

Sho took LOTS of food to the Olys.

 

[KiraraChin]

So the competitive season will kick off for Japanese Men with the Gensan Summer Cup on 11-14 August, entries here: https://www.jsfresults.com/non_responsive_toppage.htm?figure_top.htm,local/2023-2024/fs/25/503/index.htm

Notable entries include Sota Yamamoto, Kao Miura, Tatsuya Tsuboi, Nozomu Yoshioka, Takeru Amine Kataise and Lucas Tsuyoshi Honda. Kazuki is not participating this year as Gensan dates overlap with One Piece on Ice.

 

[surimi]

Interesting to see Honda doing both singles and pairs. But Moriguchi is successful at both, so why not. I hope some videos leak online. The podium order is also a question mark. I hope Sota podiums, but the competition is quite good here, not just Kao, but also Tatsuya and Nozomu if clean.

 

[cohkaix]

Interesting to see Honda doing both singles and pairs. But Moriguchi is successful at both, so why not. I hope some videos leak online.

Gensan Summer Trophy will have an online streaming (JSports), like last year, according to the twitter of Shiga Skating Federation.