Japan's Olympic ice icons inspire new skating generation
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Andrew MCKIRDY Wed, 28 January 2026 at 1:41 am UTC·3 min read Japan did not win an Olympic figure skating medal until 1992 but it is now among the sport's world powers, with kids dreaming of becoming the next Yuzuru Hanyu or Mao Asada. The country produces a conveyor belt of talent and skaters such as Kaori Sakamoto and Yuma Kagiyama head to next month's Milan-Cortina Games with ambitions of emulating the now-retired Hanyu, a two-time Olympic champion.Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Skating is hugely popular in Japan, where children as young as three can be seen taking their first tottering steps onto the ice at rinks nationwide. Kanon Amagai, an 11-year-old member of the...