Even as Sakamoto exits, Japan’s figure skating future looks brighter

MILAN –

For Japanese women’s figure skating, the torch has been passed.

If there was any concern over who would be able to receive it from retiring three-time world champion Kaori Sakamoto, 17-year-old Ami Nakai and Mone Chiba, 20, made one thing clear in Milan: Team Japan need not worry.

After each showed their mettle at grand prix events in 2025 and, in Chiba’s case, with a bronze at the world championships the same year, both young skaters stepped into the brightest spotlight of all at these Olympics and emerged looking like top contenders for the 2030 Games in the French Alps.