Milano Cortina 2026: Your guide to Team Japan at the Paralympic Winter Games

 The Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games will showcase the best of Para sport, delivering unforgettable moments in Para alpine skiing, Para biathlon, Para cross-country, Para ice hockey, Para snowboard and wheelchair curling.

Up to 665 athletes from around 50 National Paralympic Committees are set to compete from 6–15 March, making Milano Cortina 2026 one of the most anticipated editions of the Paralympic Winter Games.

Discover Team Japan at Milano Cortina 2026 and explore moments that shaped its Paralympic Winter Games journey.

Japan at Milano Cortina 2026

Japan has won a total of 97 medals (27 gold, 33 silver and 37 bronze) since making its Paralympic Winter Games debut at Innsbruck 1988. Milano Cortina 2026 marks the country’s 11th Winter Games appearance and it is set to showcase its strong tradition in winter sports.

Japanese athletes will compete in all six sports at Milano Cortina 2026, including a return to wheelchair curling, qualifying for the first time since Vancouver 2010.

The Japanese Para ice hockey team features a dynamic mix of experienced veterans and emerging talents as it returns to the Paralympic stage after missing Beijing 2022.

Para alpine skier Momoka Muraoka, one of the biggest stars in the sport, headlines Japan’s delegation. The nine-time Paralympic medallist aims to win gold at her third consecutive Paralympic Winter Games.

Para snowboarder Junta Kosuda and wheelchair curler Aki Ogawa will serve as Japan’s flagbearers at the Opening Ceremony.

Japan’s top moments at the Paralympic Winter Games

Nagano 1998: Japanese athletes shine on home soil

Japanese athletes took the spotlight at Nagano 1998, collecting 41 medals, including 12 gold, on home soil and finishing fourth in the overall medal standings. 

Miki Matsue, now a member of the International Paralympic Committee Governing Board, and Yutaka Takeda each earned three gold medals in ice sledge speed skating.

Miyuki Kobayashi won Japan’s first-ever Para biathlon gold, triumphing in the women’s 7.5km B2-3 event.

Vancouver 2010: Yoshihiro Nitta wins double gold

At Vancouver 2010, Yoshihiro Nitta, Japan’s most decorated male Paralympian, won two gold medals in Para cross-country skiing, the men’s 1km sprint standing and 10km standing.

These victories added to the bronze he earned at Salt Lake City 2002, contributing to his career total of five Paralympic medals. 

Nitta has competed at seven Paralympic Winter Games, becoming one of the most recognisable Para athletes in Japan.

Vancouver 2010: Para ice hockey team claims silver

Japan’s Para ice hockey team made history at Vancouver 2010 by winning its first Paralympic medal. Japan stunned powerhouse Canada 3–1 in the semifinals to secure silver in the sport, which debuted at Lillehammer 1994.

Japan faced the USA in the gold medal match but fell 2–0. Norway took bronze.

The team missed qualifications for Sochi 2014 and Beijing 2022, and finished eighth at PyeongChang 2018. Japan is once again among the eight teams competing for medals at Milano Cortina 2026.

PyeongChang 2018: Gurimu Narita earns Japan’s first Para snowboard medals

Gurimu Narita claimed Japan’s first-ever Para snowboard medals at PyeongChang 2018. He secured gold in the men’s banked slalom SB‑LL2, beating the USA’s Evan Strong by 0.52 seconds. Finland’s Matti Suur-Hamari took bronze.

Narita topped the podium four days after capturing the country’s first medal in the sport, a bronze in snowboard cross. Suur-Hamari won gold and the USA’s Keith Gabel took silver.

Beijing 2022: Momoka Muraoka dominates with three golds and a silver

Para alpine skier Momoka Muraoka, the most successful female Paralympian in Japanese history, added to her legacy at Beijing 2022 with three gold medals and a silver in the women's sitting category.

After reaching the podium in all five of her events at PyeongChang 2018, Muraoka won gold in the downhill, giant slalom and super-G, and took silver in the super combined, further cementing her place as one of the most decorated skiers in the world. 

Known as the “Queen of Winter”, Muraoka competed just six months after her Summer Paralympic debut in wheelchair racing at Tokyo 2020.

Now, she is aiming to achieve another milestone at Milano Cortina 2026.

“My dream is to win gold at my third straight Winter Games,” she said. “When you win a gold medal, it really feels like the time you spend – four years or even more – is worth it.”

Secure your tickets for the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games  

Milano Cortina 2026, which takes place from 6-15 March 2026, is set to be the most beautiful Paralympic Winter Games yet. Ticket prices start at EUR 10 for children under 14, with approximately 89 per cent of the tickets available for EUR 35 or less.

For more information, please visit tickets.milanocortina2026.org