Miwa Harimoto: “I imagined how I’d feel if I could win the title, and what kind of view I’d see.”

This interview was conducted with Miwa Harimoto immediately after she won her first title at the All Japan Table Tennis Championships in January 2026. For Japanese table tennis players, the All Japan Table Tennis Championships (All Japan) is a special stage. It has a long history dating back to 1936, and it is more than just a domestic championship—it is also a battle fought with pride as a player on the line. Praise is sent to the "ranking players" who make the top 16, and the highest honor, the Emperor's Cup and Empress's Cup, is awarded to those who ascend the throne. After deepening her confidence with her first title in 2026, Harimoto took on the World Championships in April with that confidence in her heart. Even before the tournament began, she had pictured it: herself holding the Empress's Cup at center court. The title of All Japan champion, finally won in her third Final. How did the 17-year-old new queen overcome pressure and anxiety to reach the top? Through her words, we get to the heart of victory.

PHOTO Takeshi Nara

◆ Miwa Harimoto
Born June 16, 2008, from Miyagi Prefecture. She picked up a racket at age 2 under the influence of her parents, both former Chinese national team players. As an elementary school student, she won the All Japan Championships in U12, U10, and

U8, and in her first year of junior high school she won the National Junior High School Championships. At the 2021 World Youth Championships, she won four titles in U15. In her first appearance at the Paris Olympics, she won a silver medal with the women's team. In the 2026 All Japan Championships, she won her first Singles title and achieved four titles, adding the junior, women's Doubles, and mixed Doubles crowns. World ranking No. 4 (as of June 2026)

"Honestly, that last Game was the first time in my life I was in the zone. I’d never had a Match where I swung my racket that much before."

　What felt, at that moment, almost as if the clock at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium had stopped was no illusion.

　In the women’s Singles Final, Game 6. Victory slipped through her fingers even as she had pushed queen Hina Hayata to within one point of defeat. In the bench right after, the thread of Miwa Harimoto’s thoughts snapped cleanly.

　With no retreat left, at the final moment, the 17-year-old let go of "thinking." The instant her forehand topspin, swung unconsciously, caught the white line, her confusion transformed into "the zone."

　The "new landscape" the awakened new queen gazed at, together with the weight of the Empress's Cup. We get closer to what that really was.

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●─Looking back on this tournament, where you won your first title in the women's Singles and your fourth straight title in the junior division, what kind of tournament was it for you?

Miwa Harimoto (hereafter, Miwa)　Before the All Japan started, I had already imagined a few scenes—like myself holding the Empress's Cup on court, or myself winning. In order to make that happen, I also felt very strongly that I had to win. Since I was actually able to do it, I’m just so happy.

●─You didn’t have an image of yourself holding the Empress's Cup last year?

Miwa　Not at all.

●─So does that mean you were confident this time?

Miwa　No, it wasn’t that I was hugely confident. But this year, I really, really wanted to win the title. Because of that, I kept imagining what I’d feel like if I actually won, and what kind of view I’d see. I thought the scene spreading out in front of me would surely be something amazing, and that I’d be happy if I could receive the Empress's Cup there. I had those kinds of images in my head.