2025-26 Japanese Pairs and Ice Dance

[throw_triple_flip]

On the other hand, we know how stingy JSF is when it comes to international assignments, especially in ice dance (even to the federation's own detriment)...

Isn't that due to finances? They don't have a bottomless pit of money and they understandably prioritise potential medallists.

 

[surimi]

Isn't that due to finances? They don't have a bottomless pit of money and they understandably prioritise potential medallists.

Perhaps so, but as much as I appreciate them funding skaters of different tiers, it would be great if they allowed skaters to compete abroad for the skaters' own money. It would still be unfair towards those who cannot afford it, but it would be an improvement in that the Japanese skaters get more opportunities for getting SB, points and minimums, and also international competition exposure. What the lower-ranked Japanese skaters have currently is really very little, compared to European skaters, or even to North Americans, or to the pre-covid JSF assignments.
Don't competitions pay for the judges'/officials' accommodations and meals? I think CS and GP do that, though I'm not sure about senior B's. Sure, the return plane tickets are bound to be expensive anyway, but any improvement in competition access would make a difference. Having Kinoshita Cup is a good opportunity, but skaters having the freedom to travel to competitions on their own would be even better IMO.

 

[Anna K.]

However, according to the announcement on the official event page, there will be ice dance competitions for juniors and seniors: https://sofia-trophy.clubdenkovastaviski.com/2026/ST2026-Announcement.pdf

Normally they have Ice Dance and, as for a lower tier dance team, it would be really worth going.

A lower tier team can improve their PB by 10 points easily if they go to a B event because teams are weaker, fewer, and judges are less sparing with GOE. If a developing team which has a big GOE reserve gets just extra +1 GOE for each element (i.e. -1 instead of -2 or +1 instead of 0) their PB jumps drastically.

That's how Seiji Urano/Harlow Stanley from Mexico got their minimums last year. They were 14 points off the minimum after Golden Spin and it looked like there was no way they could go to 4CC. But then they went to Sofia Trophy and... ta-damm!

 

[synesthesia]

Isn't that due to finances? They don't have a bottomless pit of money and they understandably prioritise potential medallists.

It most likely is and I understand the reasoning. However, imo this approach is pretty shortsighted. If they want to develop the dance discipline and to have more than one competitive team at a time, they need to give them opportunities to gain international experience and to build their reputation (and thus scoring potential). Otherwise they have no teams to fall back on for the Olympic team event (which they seem to care about quite a bit) if the currently highest-ranked team is unable to compete due to injury or illness.

That would probably mean having to make cuts elsewhere (e.g. overhead), which the federation is presumably not prepared to do, though...

 

[synesthesia]

I just came across this interviw with Cathy Reed, in which she also brought up the point about Japanese ice dance couples needing more international exposure, among other topics:

https://www.tokyoupdates.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/post-1673/

Reed emphasizes that it is crucial for Japanese ice dance teams to gain more experience and competition opportunities on the international stage. “It's necessary for the judges to see them and for the world to know that Japan has excellent ice dance teams. Such opportunities are indispensable for them to grow and continue improving together through skating.”​

​

[...]​

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Ms. Reed hopes that the outstanding achievements of Japanese skaters in singles will create more opportunities for ice dancers to shine.​

Ms. Reed is currently based at the Kinoshita Academy Kyoto Ice Arena in Uji City, Kyoto Prefecture. The Kinoshita Skating Academy offers programs not only for singles but also specifically for ice dancing and pairs. Ms. Reed points out that in Japan, where singles skating is popular and the number of ice rinks is limited, ice dancers often struggle to secure practice ice time.​

​

The lack of funding and infrastructure for the couples' disciplines has always been an issue in Japan. I remember the Reeds' siblings mom being critical of the lack of support (financial and otherwise) from the JSF. I think that with the establishment of the dance (and pairs) department at the Kinoshita Academy and the inclusion of the Kinoshita Cup in the Challenger Series (as surimi also pointed out above), the situation has improved somewhat, but there is still a long way to go. I wonder what Cathy meant when she said that the outstanding achievements of the Japanese singles skaters could potentially help create more opportunities for ice dancers - they have been excellent for many years, but that doesn't seem to translate into higher funding / more opportunities for the couples disciplines...

____________
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The JSF published the competitor lists for Nationals. The team of Yajima/Yajima is not listed (they also withdrew from the Tokyo Citizens' Sports Festival last month). Does anyone know the reasons? (I hope they didn't split? )

https://www.skatingjapan.or.jp/japan2025/competitors.html

 

[Anna K.]

I understand that every Japanese pair and team has an official portmanteau that is used by fans and journalists alike.

Can somebody knowledgeable help please with an updated official portmanteau list? There are suddenly so many new names. I'm confused

 

[SmileHappy34]

I hope RM and Rk get better health wise.
For me i hope they don't do both in team.
I think they are one of the few teams that are a lock for any individual medal.
Yes anything can happen.
I think a bronze even with mistakes is not out of reach.

 

[tsuyoboogie]

I understand that every Japanese pair and team has an official portmanteau that is used by fans and journalists alike.

Can somebody knowledgeable help please with an updated official portmanteau list? There are suddenly so many new names. I'm confused

Notable teams currently competing together

Senior Pair teams:
Riku Miura / Ryuichi Kihara = RikuRyu
Yuna Nagaoka / Sumitada Moriguchi = YunaSumi
Ayumi Kagotani / Lucas Tsuyoshi Honda = AyuLuca

Senior Ice Dance teams:
Utana Yoshida / Masaya Morita = UtaMasa
Ayano Sasaki / Yoshimitsu Ikeda = AyaMitsu
Ikura Kushida / Koshiro Shimada = IkuKo
Rika Kihira / Shingo Nishiyama = RikaShin
Chisato Uramatsu / Atsuhiko Tamura = ChiiAtsu
Haruno Yajima / Tsukasa Yajima = YajiYaji <--this is a recently formed team and at this time I'm unsure if they are still training together

Junior Ice Dance teams:
Kaho Yamashita / Yuto Nagata = KahoYuu <--they will compete as Senior starting next season
Sumire Yoshida / Ibuki Ogahara = SumiIbu
Ayumi Shibayama / Tomoki Kimura = AyuTomo

There are many newer and/or younger Dance teams, particularly Novice and Juniors without nicknames as of yet

 

[Anna K.]

Notable teams currently competing together

Senior Pair teams:
Riku Miura / Ryuichi Kihara = RikuRyu
Yuna Nagaoka / Sumitada Moriguchi = YunaSumi
Ayumi Kagotani / Lucas Tsuyoshi Honda = AyuLuca

Senior Ice Dance teams:
Utana Yoshida / Masaya Morita = UtaMasa
Ayano Sasaki / Yoshimitsu Ikeda = AyaMitsu
Ikura Kushida / Koshiro Shimada = IkuKo
Rika Kihira / Shingo Nishiyama = RikaShin
Chisato Uramatsu / Atsuhiko Tamura = ChiiAtsu
Haruna Yajuma / Tsukasa Yajima = YajiYaji <--this is a recently formed team and at this time I'm unsure if they are still training together

Junior Ice Dance teams:
Kaho Yamashita / Yuto Nagata = KahoYuu <--they will compete as Senior starting next season
Sumire Yoshida / Ibuki Ogahara = SumiIbu
Ayumi Shibayama / Tomoki Kimura = AyuTomo

There are many newer and/or younger Dance teams, particularly Novice and Juniors without nicknames as of yet

Thank you very much!

I hope YajiYaji will stay together. Their portmanteau is so cute

 

[Silevril Ilumire]

There are many newer and/or younger Dance teams, particularly Novice and Juniors without nicknames as of yet

There are more teams?! That is exciting news!

 

[Sai Bon]

Sadly, the rumours were not totally off the mark. Misato Komatsubara and Tim Koleto are divorced, but will continue skating together in shows.
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/cbb85e4db48e4316596751951361d3a4e9466ab3 (Yahoo News, Japanese)

fs gossips, English translation https://fs-gossips.com/15100/?fbcli...fRXBGQqLIVt54Gc5AV_aem__LG7ZuYVG0KutiumlSdTCA

 

[ladyjane]

To me, this is really unexpected. Sad, but at least it doesn't sound like a bitter one.

 

[Anna K.]

Congratulations UtaMasa on their new free dance PB!
They have really improved this program since the beginning of the season.

I would also like to note that IkuKo with their Golden Spin total score 148.62 would have finished 12th in this year's 4CC leaving four teams behind. I'd say that knowing this might cheer up a beginner team that they are!

 

[denise3lz]

AyuTomo cleared Junior World tec minimum at Challenge Cup.
They are reserve of KahoYuu.

 

[lileychristie]

AyuTomo cleared Junior World tec minimum at Challenge Cup.
They are reserve of KahoYuu.

Oooh I didn't even know JSF sent them to Challenge Cup! Good on them, they deserve the international experience

 

[Anna K.]

Oooh I didn't even know JSF sent them to Challenge Cup! Good on them, they deserve the international experience

And they will be given a better warmup group when they go to JGPs this autumn.

Talking about JGPs, there is a question. A country which is not a top-performing country in Junior Ice Dance (and Japan is such country) has a quota of one team per event with the maximum of 3 teams being sent to 7 events (it will be specified after this years JWC but I don't think that it will change much). So, what's the chance that more than one team could go to the series?

 

[denise3lz]

Yoshimitsu Ikeda retired.

https://x.com/17Yoshimitsu17/status/2017714715754172745

https://x.com/icedancegasuki/status/2017906337620144298

 

[reneerose]

It was my first time seeing Yuna Nagaoka and Sumitada Moriguchi during these Olympic games and they look like promising successors. Had not kept up a lot with Japanese pairs at all but they really made an impression upon me during the Team event and also today's pairs short program event.

 

[Anna K.]

Now, I wonder how the OG figure skating results are being reflected by Japanese media and general public. Is there some interesting material for this thread? The only gold medal in figure skating was taken home by a pair. And, the only reason why Team Japan missed the Team Event gold was ice dance...

 

[denise3lz]

ChiiAtsu split

Atsuhiko Tamura on Instagram: "この度、千聖さんとパートナーシップを解消することになりました。 短い間でしたが、貴重な経験をさせてくれた千聖さんにはとても感謝しています。 ⁡ これからまた新しくパートナーを探していきたいと思います。 ⁡ これからもよろしくお願いいたします。"

876 likes, 7 comments - atsuhikotamura on February 22, 2026: "この度、千聖さんとパートナーシップを解消することになりました。 短い間でしたが、貴重な経験をさせてくれた千聖さんにはとても感謝しています。 ⁡ これからまた新しくパートナーを探していきたいと思います。 ⁡ これからもよろしくお願いいたします。".

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Chisato Uramatsu on Instagram: ". いつも応援ありがとうございます🙇🏻‍♀️ この度、浦松田村組はアイスダンスカップルを解消する運びとなりました。 短い期間でしたが、アイスダンスの楽しさを教えてくれたパートナー、そして素晴らしい先生方、選手が集まるIAMでアイスダンスができたことにとても感謝しています。 私は来シーズン以降も競技者としてアイスダンスを長く続けていきたいです。 暫くは、東京で練習しながら新しいパートナーを探していきます。 次の練習拠点について

piita___chii on February 22, 2026: ". いつも応援ありがとうございます🙇🏻‍♀️ この度、浦松田村組はアイスダンスカップルを解消する運びとなりました。 短い期間でしたが、アイスダンスの楽しさを教えてくれたパートナー、そして素晴らしい先生方、選手が集まるIAMでアイスダンスができたことにとても感謝しています。 私は来シーズン以降も競技者としてアイスダンスを長く続けていきたいです。 暫くは、東京で練習しながら新しいパートナーを探していきます。 次の練習拠点についてはまだ未定です。 このようなご報告となり本当にごめんなさい。...

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