The Japan Ice Hockey Federation announced on March 12 that Tomohito Okubo, who served as head coach of the U18 men’s national team during the 2025–26 season, has been appointed as the new head coach of Smile Japan, the women’s national ice hockey team. The coaching staff also includes three-time Olympian Hidee Kubo, a legendary figure in Japanese women’s ice hockey, and Jun Hanzawa, a former coach of the U18 men’s national team.
Okubo previously managed Seibu, a powerhouse in the Japan Women’s Ice Hockey League, from the 2023–26 season. Kubo represented Japan at the Sochi 2014, PyeongChang 2018, and Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, serving as a long-time leader in the sport. After retiring, she moved into coaching and was an assistant for the U18 women’s national team from 2024 to 2026.
Japan’s women’s team was eliminated in the preliminary round at the Milan Cortina Olympics in February, and head coach Yuji Iizuka stepped down in April. Under the new leadership, Smile Japan is setting course for the 2030 Winter Olympics.
