Ice hockey in Japan | |
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![]() Exhibition game Amur Khabarovsk vs. Japanese national team on August 23, 2012. Face-off at the beginning of the game. Amur forwards Juha-Pekka Hytönen (at right) and Jakub Petružálek. | |
Country | Japan |
Governing body | Japan Ice Hockey Federation |
National team(s) | Men's national team; Women's national team |
National competitions | |
International competitions | |
Ice hockey is a minor sport that is gaining popularity in Japan.[1][2][3] Baseball and football (soccer) have dominated Japanese sports for decades, but ice hockey has been less popular in Japan since its founding in the 1920s.[4] It is governed by the Japan Ice Hockey Federation.