Unfortunately, Hockey will never develop into major sports status in Japan, like baseball or soccer. Although there are some 19000 registered players kids to adults in Japan, most are played in Hokkaido, some in Tohoku and less in most populated major cities, if they play most as short life.
Reasons are
- high expense much more than NA (considered rich kids sports, equipments cost 50% or 100% more than Canada) not enough teams in vicinity to play means more over night trips, etc. Much more expensive than baseball or soccer.
- not enough hockey ice rinks and more expensive to rent rinks. very little opportunity and exposure of the game even if interested. Must move to Hokkaido to see half descent environment, but still expensive.
- general public does not understand the game of hockey, nor the rules. No interest, no broadcast on TV and too minor and not marketable for money to be generated.
It often becomes chicken and egg question..."if they have this in place it will become established"...but there just isn't any basic sustainable fundamentals or base in place in Japan for hockey culture to mature and sustained...even if it produces a star NHL players by a fluke, the infrastructure and the required base and the scale for hockey development just does not exit in Japan (except for the distant Hokkaido)....its unfortunate but this is my opinion having lived and played hockey in both Japan and Canada with families in both.
See below post if interested to know about Japanese Peewee elite level hockey, which isn't bad at all.
http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=121989325&postcount=174
