Overview
- Ayumu Hirano won the World Cup halfpipe opener in Zhangjiakou with 93.50 points, meeting the All-Japan Ski Federation’s dispatch criteria and leading a Japanese men’s podium sweep with Yuto Totsuka second and Ruka Hirano third.
- Nozomi Maruyama captured the women’s ski jump World Cup individual event in Klingenthal, her fourth win of the season that keeps her atop the standings.
- Miho Takagi took the women’s 1500 meters at the speed skating World Cup in Hamar in 1:54.95, marking a timely win at the final World Cup stop of the year.
- The Japan High School Baseball Federation named nine regional candidates for the 21st-century slot for next spring’s Senbatsu, with two schools to be selected on January 30.
- Table tennis duo Terusora Matsushima and Miwa Harimoto advanced to the WTT Finals mixed doubles semifinals after finishing the group stage at 2–1, while J1 Hiroshima coach Michael Skibbe confirmed his departure after four seasons.