Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Tokyo is the capital and largest city.

History of hockey in Japan
The English brought the game of ice hockey to Japan in the early 1900's. The game soon became popular, especially in the northern regions of the country. The Japan Ice Hockey Federation was founded in 1929, and it joined the IIHF on January 26, 1930. After World War II, the country was expelled from the IIHF, but it was reinstated in 1951.

The All Japan Championship was first contested in 1930, and the Oji Eagles have won it a record 34 times. From 1966-2004, the Japan Ice Hockey League existed alongside the All Japan Championship. The Oji Eagles and the Seibu Prince Rabbits won the most JIHL titles, with 13 apiece. Since the 2003-04 season, teams from Japan have participated in the multi-national Asia League. A team from Japan has won the league in every year except 2010.

The men's national team first took part in the World Championships in 1930, where they finished in a tie for sixth place. After that, they did not take part in the World Championships again until 1957. From 1998-2004, they played in the top division of the World Championships. The country has participated in the Olympic Games eight times, the first of them being in 1936. Their best finish at the Olympics was eighth place in 1960. They have played in all seven Asian Winter Games since 1986, winning the gold medal twice and the silver medal five times.

The women's national team made its international debut in the 1987 World Women's Hockey Tournament. They finished in sixth place. They first participated in the Women's World Championships in 1990, with their best finish being seventh place in 2008. They received an automatic bid to the 1998 Winter Olympics, which were held in Nagano. They finished in sixth and last place. At the IIHF Pacific Rim Championships, they finished in fourth and last place in both 1995 and 1996. They have won the silver medal in all five of their appearances at the Asian Winter games, dating back to 1996. They have played in the IIHF Women's Challenge Cup of Asia anually since 2010, winning the gold medal in 2011 and 2012, and the silver medal in 2010. The Women's U18 national team has participated in the World Women's U18 Championships since 2009.

The junior national team first appeared at the World Junior Championships in 1982. Their best finish was eighth place in the top division in 1993. The U18 national team participated in the IIHF Asian Oceanic U18 Championships yearly from 1984-1999. They won the gold medal ten times, and the silver and bronze medals three times apiece.