’Tis the season. And we’re not talking about Christmas here.
That’s right, it’s the time of the year again for the Japan Figure Skating Championships, widely considered to be the most competitive nationals on earth.
And the 2025 edition will have even more sauce on it than usual as Olympic qualification for Milano Cortina 2026 will be at stake.
A full house is expected nightly to see who will make the cut at Tokyo’s Yoyogi National Stadium, where the championships will take place from 19-21 December.
Japan’s squad for the Winter Games in February will be announced on the final day of competition, following the women’s free skating.
Three women and men each along with two pairs and a set of ice dancers – for the team event only – will be chosen by a selection panel of the Japan Skating Federation.
This year’s nationals will also be a farewell for two-time Olympic medallist and three-time world champion Sakamoto Kaori, who is retiring after the season and will be eyeing to go out with a bang by storming to a fifth consecutive title, her sixth overall.
Trying to deny Sakamoto will be the likes of Olympic hopefuls Chiba Mone and Nakai Ami, junior queen Shimada Mao and dark horse Miyake Saki, who are all chasing their maiden championship.
Defending champion Kagiyama Yuma and Sato Shun – who went two-three at the Grand Prix Final two weeks ago behind Ilia Malinin – are expected to lock horns for the men’s crown in what is shaping up to be a two-horse race.
Find out below the full schedule and how to watch live from the Japanese capital what should be an intense three days of do-or-die competition.
AloJapan.com