The 1996 Japan Open Tennis Championships included this tournament in women's singles. Third-seeded Amy Frazier was the defending champion but lost in the final 7–5, 6–4 against first-seeded Kimiko Date.

A champion seed is indicated in bold text while text in italics indicates the round in which that seed was eliminated.

	First round							Second round							Quarterfinals							Semifinals							Final
	1	K Date	6	6
		R Hiraki	3	1				1	K Date	7	6
		S-H Park	2	3					A Grossman	5	4
		A Grossman	6	6											1	K Date	6	6
		K Nagatsuka	6	4												K Kschwendt	2	2
		N Dahlman	7	6					N Dahlman	4	4
		K Kschwendt	6	6					K Kschwendt	6	6
	6	S-T Wang	2	2																		1	K Date	6	6
	4	A Sugiyama	6	6																		4	A Sugiyama	1	3
	LL	M Tang	1	4				4	A Sugiyama	6	3	7
		M Endo	7	6					M Endo	3	6	5
		N Dechy	5	4											4	A Sugiyama	5
		K Studeníková	6	6												K Studeníková	0	r
	WC	M Saeki	3	0					K Studeníková	6	6
		L Courtois	3	7	6				L Courtois	4	2
	7	Y Kamio	6	5	3																								1	Kimiko Date	7	6
	8	M Witmeyer	6	6																									3	Amy Frazier	5	4
	Q	A Ellwood	3	4				8	M Witmeyer	2	2
		L Wild	6	6	2			Q	K Po	6	6
	Q	K Po	7	4	6										Q	K Po	3	0
	WC	Y Yoshida	5	6	6										3	A Frazier	6	6
		N Feber	7	4	2			WC	Y Yoshida	1	1
	Q	K Takuma	2	3				3	A Frazier	6	6
	3	A Frazier	6	6																		3	A Frazier	6	6	6
	5	N Sawamatsu	7	6																			N Kijimuta	3	7	1
		L Poruri	5	3				6	N Sawamatsu	7	3	6
	Q	C Morariu	6	4	6			Q	C Morariu	5	6	7
		S Rottier	4	6	2										Q	C Morariu	3	3
		P Kamstra	0	2												N Kijimuta	6	6
		N Kijimuta	6	6					N Kijimuta	2	6	6
		N Miyagi	7	4	6				N Miyagi	6	4	2
	2	S Appelmans	6	6	0

• 1996 Japan Open Tennis Championships Draw