By Yuta Matsumura and Daia Koyano
The excitement of the four-person national trials has hardly cooled, yet the curling world is already turning to its next showdown. The Mixed Doubles National Trials, which will determine Japan’s representatives for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, will be staged in Wakkanai, Hokkaido, from Sept. 24–28.
ENTRY CRITERIA AND COMPETITION FORMAT: THREE TOP CONTENDERS FACE OFF
Qualification for this event follows the same criteria as the four-person trials:
1. Winners of the 2024 Japan National Championship
2. Winners of the 2025 Japan National Championship
3. The highest-ranked Japanese team in the WCTR (as of Feb. 5, 2025) that also placed in the top three at either the 2024 or 2025 nationals
Meeting these conditions, the following three teams will compete:
• Miyu Ueno / Tsuyoshi Yamaguchi
• Chiaki Matsumura / Yasumasa Tanida
• Tori Koana / Go Aoki
The tournament will be played in a double round-robin (two meetings between each pair). The top two teams will advance to the final, carrying over their head-to-head record. The final is a best-of-five series, with the first team to reach three wins crowned champions. Should the second and third teams tie for position, a tiebreaker will be held.
FROM THE NATIONAL HIGH PERFORMANCE TRAINING SYSTEM: THREE TEAMS ON THE RISE
In Japan, the system has allowed elite four-person squads to form pairs and enter the national mixed doubles championship with a special recommendation. All three pairs in this trial came through that development path, helping raise the standard of mixed doubles in Japan. Today, several teams focus exclusively on mixed doubles, competing on the international tour and climbing into the top ranks. Their consistent presence on the world stage underlines the growth of the discipline.
THE THREE TEAMS: CONTRASTING STYLES AND EXPERIENCE
UENO / YAMAGUCHI — Challengers from the Four-Person Discipline
Both players appeared as skips in the four-person national trials. While their mixed doubles activity is limited, their track record speaks volumes: champions at the 2023 Japan championship and ninth place at the world championship. In June, they won the only domestic tour event they entered. Ueno throws the first and fifth stones, while Yamaguchi delivers stones two through four.
MATSUMURA / TANIDA — Proven World Medallists
This pair etched their names into history by claiming silver at the 2023 world championship — the first-ever medal for Japan in mixed doubles. Specializing in the format since 2022, they are currently ranked ninth in the WCTR. At the 2025 worlds, they placed 13th, continuing to post solid international results. Matsumura throws the first and fifth stones, with Tanida responsible for stones two through four.
KOANA / AOKI — Internationally Seasoned Specialists
Focused solely on mixed doubles, they actively compete overseas. Their resume includes gold at the 2024 Asian Winter Games and eighth in the WCTR standings. They have even hosted Estonian teams for training camps to sharpen their competitive edge. Aoki throws the first and fifth stones, known for finishing ends with powerful big-weight shots.
WHO WILL CLAIM JAPAN'S FIRST OLYMPIC MIXED DOUBLES BERTH?
Of the three, only Matsumura/Tanida have previous Olympic trial experience. Yet all teams boast extensive records at home and abroad, making it unlikely that experience alone will decide the outcome. The field appears evenly matched, promising battles where every stone could prove decisive.
Still, expectations inevitably weigh on the two specialist pairs, while Ueno/Yamaguchi present the intriguing question: how far can their four-person pedigree carry them in this format? Fresh from competing at the same venue, their sharpness and familiarity with the conditions could prove an advantage.
For the first time, Japan will send a mixed doubles team to the Winter Olympics, should they advance out of the Olympic Qualification Event in December. The question now is clear: which pair will step through that door to history?
Note: WCTR rankings are as of the start of this season.
