JAPANESE STARS IN THE OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES IN NAGANO

Last modified on March 30, 1998.

BOBSLEIGH
Shinji Aoto
178 cm. tall, 80 kilos. Was the Japan record holder in the 100 meter track event. He ran the race in both the Soeul and Barcelona Olympic Games. The first Japanese man ever to participate in both the winter and summer Olympic Games.

FIGURE SKATING
Takeshi Honda
165 cm. tall, weighs 57 kilos. A 16 year-old high school student.
Has been practicing the quadruple jump, but failed to show it at the Olympics in Nagano . He's hoped to become a male version of Midori Ito.

FREESTYLE SKIING
Women's
Tae Satoya
Born June 12, 1976. Stands 165 cm. tall and weighs 55 kilos. She won the national championships while in the 6th grade. Was 11th in the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Games. She was not a medal favorite in Nagano, so she surprised everyone by winning the gold medal in the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano.

NORDIC SKI COMBINED
Kenji Ogiwara
Born Dec. 20, 1969 in Kusatsu, Gunma Prefecture. 169 cm. tall and weighs 58 kilow. King of Ski. 3 time overall champion in the World Cup series. 1993, 1997 world champion. Gold medalists in the nordic combined team event in the Winter Olympic Games in Albertville and Lillehammer. Holds the most World Cup victories at 19. Captain of the Japanese Olympic delegation for the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics, and represented all athletes by presenting the oath. Although he was in a slump in the 97-98 season, he gave all he could in Nagano and won 4th place in the individual event.
Michiyo's Note: I was very honored to be able to meet the king on Mar.28, 1998. He honestly mentioned to me that although he was proud of the feat by the ski jumpers at the Nagano Winter Games, he also was upset, because he couldn't win a medal himself.

SKI JUMP
Masahiko Harada
Born May 9, 1968. 173 cm.tall and weighs 55 kilos.
1993 world champion in the normal hill event.
He took the blame for not being able to get his team a gold at the Lillehammer Winter Olympic Games. Japan finished second in the team event there. He won 4 World Cup titles in the 95-96 season. He achieved a tremendous feat in the 1997 Nordic ski World Championships in Trondheim, Norway. Harada became the first Japanese gold medalist in the individual large hill event, and also won the silver in both the individual and team normal hill events. Bronze medalist in the large hill event and member of the gold winning team at the Nagano Olympic Winter Games.

Kazuyoshi Funaki
Born Apr.27, 1975. 173 cm. tall and weighs 63 kilos.
Is noted for his beautiful jumping form. His first World Cup victory was in the normal hill event in 1994. The first Japanese to win the title of Four Hills champion in 1998. Has a total 9 World Cup wins. Clinched the silver in the normal hill at the Nagano Olympic Winter Games. Won the gold in the large hill, the silver in the normal hill, and a gold as a member of the Japanese team at the Nagano Olympic Winter Games.

Noriaki Kasai
175 cm. tall, weighs 62 kilos. Represented Japan in Albertville. Contributed to Japan's silver medal in the team normal hill event at Lillehammer. Has a total 6 world Cup victories.

Takanobu Okabe
Born Oct.26,1970. 164 cm. tall and weighs 52 kilos.
Member of the silver winning ski jump team in the Lillehammer Olympics. Winner of the 1995 World Championships in the normal hill event. Clinched the gold as a member of the Japanese team at the Nagano Winter Games.

Hiroya Saitoh
173 cm. tall, weighs 57 kilos. A stable jumper. Was one of the 3 Japanese dominating the top posts twice in the 97-98 World Cup season. Clinched the gold as a member of the Japanese team at the Nagano Winter Games.

SLALOM SKI
Kiminobu Kimura
Born Oct 24, 1970. 180cm tall, 78 kilos. First Japanese to win the gold in the Winter Universiade in the men's slalom. Took part in the Winter Olympics in Albertville and Lillehammer. Has been showing a lot of improvement during the 96-97 World Cup.

SHORT TRACK SKATING
Men's
Satoru Terao
Born July 25, 1975. 174 cm tall, 64 kilos. Was 4th at the Lillehammer Olympics. Has won 3 point races for the 96-97 season. Overall bronze medalist in the 1997 World Championships. Will take part in the 500, 1000 meter races and the relay in Nagano.

Takafumi Nishitani
Born Jan. 17, 1979. 176 cm tall, 74 kilos. Japan record holder in th 500 meters. The youngest ever Japanese to win a gold medal in the Winter Olympics at age 19. Won first place in Nagano.

Hitoshi Uematsu
June 21, 1974. 163 cm tall, weighs 56 kilos. Took part in the Albertville and Lillehammer Winter Games. Bronze medalist in the 500 meter race at the Nagano Games.

Women's
Ikue Teshigawara
Born Oct. 27, 1978. 156 cm. tall and weighs 48 kilos. 6-time Japan sprint champion, and 5-time Japan championship winner. Places 7th in the 1997 World Championships.

SNOWBOARDING
Women's
Yuri Yoshikawa
26-year old. The first Japanese ever to when an event at the World Cup in snowboarding on Jan.17, 1998 in San Candido, Italy. She won in the halfpipe event. One of the last persons to be selected on Japan's Nagano Winter Olympic team.

SPEED SKATING
Men's
Junichi Inoue
181 cm. tall, weighs 80 kilos. Bronze medalist in the 500 meters at the 1992 Albertville Winter Games. Also, took part in the 1994 Lillehammer Games.

Toshiyuki Kuroiwa
180 cm. tall and weighs 85 kilos. Won the silver medal in the 500 meters at the 1992 Albertville Games. Was a member at Lillehammer too.

Manabu Horii
Born Feb. 19, 1972. 179 cm. tall and weighs 78 kilos. Bronze medalist at the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Olympic Games. He broke the world record in the 1000 meter race in March 1996. He broke the record again in Nov. 1997, overwhelming a South Korean's. He is the overall champion in the 96-97 World Cup series in the 1000 meter race.

Hiroyuki Noake
180 cm. tall, 77 kilos. He broke the world record in the 1500 meter race in March 1996. His record was broken in March 1997. He should be receiving a lot of cheers in Nagano. That's where he was born.

Hiroyasu Shimizu
Born Feb. 27, 1974. 161 cm. tall, 70 kilos. Has deliberately gained weight to compete better for the 97-98 season. Speedskater in the 500 meters and 1000 meters. He came in 5th in the 500 meter race at the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Olympic Games. In March 1996, he broke the world record in the same event and has risen to be a gold medal hope for the Nagano Winter Games. 3 time overall World Cup champion in the 500 meters. The first Japanese to be given a berth to the Nagano Winter Olympic Games which was in October 1995. It's the first time that an Olympic candidate was announced 2 years prior to the actual Games. Shimizu became the 500 meters Nagano Olympic Winter Games gold medalist by breaking the Olympic record. He also won the bronze in the 1000 meter race. He broke the 500 meter world record again on Mar.27, 1998 clocking 34.82 seconds.

Keiji Shirahata
168 cm. tall, weighs 65 kilos. Won 2nd place in the overall standing at the World Championships in 1995 and 1997. Broke the world record for overall performance on Jan.4, 1998.

Women's
Shiho Kusunose
Born Oct.23, 1969. 160.cm. tall and weighs 57 kilos. Has won the 1000 meter race at the World Cup 5 times. She came in 6th at the Lillehammer Olympic Games in 1994. Holds the Japanese record for the 1000 meter race at 1 min.19:56. Retires after the 97-98 season.

Tomomi Okazaki
Born Sept.7, 1971. 163.cm. tall and weighs 58 kilos. One of Japan's cutest athletes. Took part in the 1994 Winter Olympics. Was 3rd in the 500 meter race at the 1996 World Single Distance Speed Skating Championships. She clinched the bronze in the 500 meter at the Nagano Winter Games, and also another bronze in the 1998 World Single Distance Speed Skating Championships.

Kyoko Shimazaki
159.cm. tall and weighs 52 kilos. Skated in the 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympics. Was 2nd in the 500 meter race at the 1996 World Single Distance Speed Skating Championships.

Mie Uehara
163.cm. tall and weighs 52 kilos. From Nagano. Came in third at the 1996 World Championships in the overall standing. Announces decision to retire after the 97-98 season.