Japan's 2025 World Championship roster will enter the tournament as decided underdogs. They'll look, for the first time in years, not to maintain a spot in Group A, but to avoid relegation to the Division 1A tournament.
Akane Shiga headlines Japan's roster for the World Championships scheduled to take place beginning April 9 in Czechia.
Shiga finished tied for 9th in the SDHL in points this season scoring 31 points in 34 games with Luleå. She's one of only two players on Japan's roster this season who played outside of Japan.
The other is defender Ayaka Hitosato who also played in Sweden with Linköping.
Japan will remain without Haruka Toko, who missed almost all of the 2024-25 season with an injury.
Japan will field an almost identical roster to the one they used to qualify for the 2026 Olympic Games during this winter's Olympic qualifiers.
Forwards Yumeka Wajima and Makoto Ito who finished second on Japan's Olympic qualifying roster in points behind Shiga are both back, as are forwards Rui Ukita and Mei Miura who also played key offensive roles for Japan this winter.
Rounding out their forward group are Suzuka Maeda, Yoshino Enomoto,, Wakana Kurosu, Remi Koyama, Hikaru Yamashita, Rio Noro, Riri Noro, and Japanese U-18 star Umeka Odaira. Odaira is one of the top teenage talents in the nation.
On the blueline, Aoi Shiga will be the backbone of Japan's blueline alongside Hitosato, Kanami Seki, and Kohane Sato. Filling out Japan's blueline are Akane Hosoyamada, Shiori Koike, and Shiori Yamashita.
In net, Japan will likely ride the combination of Miyuu Masuhara and Riko Kawaguchi, with teenager Haruka Kuromaru in tow as the team's third goalie.
Japan will face off against Sweden, Hungary, Norway, and Germany in Group B.
