Japan isn't going to win a medal in Denmark, making their only true goal to make a quarterfinal game and avoid relegation worries.

The return of Akane Shiga to the PWHL should be a positive boost for Japan, and the fact Umeka Odaira is heading to the NCAA next season is another positive for the nation. Japan has somehow remained in the top division of the IIHF World Championships despite not sending players to better leagues for most of their national team history. Japan's women's league has remained strong enough domestically to continue filling their roster, but without players going abroad, Japan's medal hopes will never materialize. 

Since 1990, Japan has only twice finished higher than 7th place at the World Championships, with their all-time best finish being a 5th place end in 2022.

This year, Japan will need to beat Denmark in group play to punch their ticket to the quarterfinals. If they can't, it will be a date with relegation on the line against Austria or Germany.

They'll also be doing it without their leading scorer from the 2026 Olympics and 2025 World Championships, Mei Miuri.

They won the Asia Championships recently which was a confidence boost for the nation, but they must transfer that success to games against European and North American teams.

Akane Shiga will be a player to watch not only at the World Championships, but in how she adapts back to the PWHL. In the inaugural PWHL season, Shiga had the skating and skills to be in the league, but the physicality, lack of time and space, and the overall heaviness of the North American game were all struggles for Shiga. Now, with two seasons of SDHL action under her belt, Shiga is more accustomed to checking, and facing stronger opponents each night, although the time and space will remain an adaptation. This tournament will be an important bridge for Shiga. Her sister Aoi Shiga is arguably Japan's best defender on a blueline that is a strength.

Umeka Odaira is off to a strong start in Canada's top junior league with the North York Storm. She may not be ready to impact the game yet, but she's Japan's best prospect. 

Japan's best hope is to make the quarterfinals, but it would result in a head-to-head against USA, and that can be a demoralizing event for medal contenders, let along a Japanese squad who will measure success by avoiding a relegation game and advancing to the quarters. 

The fact Japan has three national team players in North America and four in Europe is a positive. The nation needs to build development pathways and pipelines that reach outside of their home country for players to continue to grow. Otherwise the nations who have shown themselves to be building bottom-up girls and women's hockey systems will soon pass Japan. 

Goaltenders (3): Rei Halloran, Miyuu Masuhara, Riko Kawaguchi.

Defenders (8): Aoi Shiga, Kanami Seki, Shiori Yamashita, Ayaka Tomiuchi, An Shinoda, Kohane Sato, Natsuki Okumura, Kika Terauchi

Forwards (12): Wakana Kurosu, Remi Koyama, Hikaru Yamashita, Akane Shiga, Marin Nagaoka, Yumeka Wajima, Hinata Lack, Makoto Ito, Rio Noro, Riri Noro, Ai Tada, Umeka Odaira