TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan, a winner of silver and bronze medals in women's curling at the past two Winter Olympics, will take one last shot at an Olympic berth at December's final qualifying tournament.

One Japanese team will go to the final qualifying event in Canada after Sapporo-based Fortius was unable to secure the berth for the country, finishing ninth at the recently concluded 13-team world championship in South Korea.

Competing at the Milan-Cortina Olympics in February 2026 is essential for Japan in terms of the sport's domestic popularity and the development of curlers.

Host Italy and nine teams will compete at the Olympics. Seven of the nine have qualified, based on ranking points from the 2024 and 2025 world women's curling championships. Japan's SC Karuizawa Club was 11th at the 2024 world championship.

Three teams, Fortius, SC Karuizawa Club and Loco Solare, will square off in September in Wakkanai, Hokkaido, for the rights to represent Japan and compete at the final qualifying event, which is expected to feature teams such as the United States and Turkey that both defeated Fortius at the world championship won by Canada.

"It's really hard. We accept the reality and will do our best to support the representing team," said coach Ayumi Ogasawara of the Japan Curling Association.

In Uijeongbu, South Korea, Fortius skip Sayaka Yoshimura had a hard time adjusting to the changing ice conditions.

"Tough times continued," said the 33-year-old veteran, who also had trouble with strategic choices and made mistakes at some crucial moments at the world championship.

Japan has made seven consecutive Olympic appearances in women's curling. Last time, Loco Solare survived the final qualifying tournament on its way to silver at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.