The Japan Ice Hockey Federation announced on May 12 that Tomohito Okubo has been appointed as the head coach of Smile Japan, the Japanese women’s national ice hockey team. Okubo previously served as head coach of the U18 men’s national team during the 2025–26 season. He also led the Seibu team, a powerhouse in the Japan Women’s Ice Hockey League, from the 2023–26 season.
Joining Okubo as assistant coaches are Hideto Kubo, a three-time Olympian (Sochi 2014, PyeongChang 2018, Beijing 2022) and a longtime icon of Japanese women’s ice hockey, along with Jun Harasawa, who was previously a coach for the U18 men’s national team.
Kubo transitioned into coaching after her playing career, serving as a coach for the U18 women’s national team from 2024 to 2026.
The Japanese women’s team was eliminated in the preliminary round of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics in February, leading to the resignation of former head coach Yuji Iizuka in April. Under the new leadership, Smile Japan is set to begin its journey toward the 2030 Winter Olympics.
