His debut World Cup performance was on 16 December 1989 in Sapporo.

Okabe had his biggest successes at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, winning five medals.

Okabe has five individual World Cup victories, three of which came on flying hills.

At the time of his latest win in Kuopio on March 10, 2009 he was, at the age of 38 years and 135 days,[1] the oldest ski jumper to ever win a World Cup competition.

On 12 March 2014, the International Ski Federation announced his retirement.