Road to Milan: Nakai, Kagiyama, Kihara & Miura Lead Japan’s Figure Skating Hopes

Ami Nakai (17) Women’s Figure Skating

The steel mentality hidden behind her lovely smile

Medal expectation ★★★

If “Queen” Kaori Sakamoto’s weapon is her all-around ability, Ami Nakai’s is the triple axel.

“After making her senior debut in 2025, she won in her very first appearance at the Grand Prix Series opening event in France that October. She then placed second at the Grand Prix Final in December and also finished second at the Four Continents Championships this January, continuing to perform well in her first year,” (sports newspaper desk)

Can the 17-year-old succeed in landing the ultra-difficult technique that her idol, Mao Asada (35), once performed on the Olympic stage?

“To land a big element at your first Olympics, you need not only technical skill but also an exceptionally strong mentality. Many skaters are overwhelmed by the tension of the once-every-four-years stage.

However, the fact that she has maintained such stable results immediately after moving up to seniors is proof of her mental strength. She will enter the real competition with both her past success and the momentum of youth on her side, so I hope she lands the triple axel in Milan and becomes a leading presence for Japanese figure skating,” (pro skater and commentator Takahito Mura)

The extraordinary mental strength concealed within her charming smile is supporting Nakai’s rapid rise.

Yuma Kagiyama (22) Men’s Figure Skating

Aiming for the top with expression and completeness

Medal expectation ★★★★★
Feb 11 2:30 Short
Feb 14 3:00 Free

Yuma Kagiyama is burning for redemption.

“His strength is his expressive ability that doesn’t fall apart even after the jumps. He also has the level of program completeness befitting Japan’s ace, so just like last time when he won the silver medal, he should be in the medal contention,” (Mura)

On the top step of the podium that eluded him in Beijing, can Japan’s men’s figure skating ace sing Kimigayo?

Ryuichi Kihara (33) & Riku Miura (24) Pair Figure Skating

The strongest duo that overturned the conventional wisdom of pair skating

Medal expectation ★★★★★
Feb 16 3:45 Short
Feb 17 4:00 Free

The “Rikuryu pair” of Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara, formed in August 2019, headed to the decisive battleground of Milan carrying their overwhelming achievements: two World Championship gold medals, two Four Continents gold medals, and two Grand Prix Final gold medals.

“Japan is weak in pair skating.”

The two who turned this long-whispered phrase in the figure skating world into a thing of the past now aim for the top on the Olympic stage.

From “FRIDAY” combined issue February 20 & 27, 2026.