At the 2026 Winter Olympics, a Japanese figure skating pair set a world record in the free skate and won gold. It was Japan¡¯s first such medal in ¥Ú¥¢¥¹¥±©`¥Æ¥£¥ó¥° (pea suk¨¥tingu, pair skating).
ľÔýˆÒ» (Kihara Ry¨±ichi, Ryuichi Kihara) and ÈýÆÖÁ§À´ (Miura Riku, Riku Miura), known to fans as ¡°¤ê¤¯¤ê¤å¤¦¡± (¸é¾±°ì³Ü¸é²â¨±), initially finished fifth in the short program after an error on a lift. But ÐÅîmév‚S (shinrai kankei, a relationship of trust) built over seven years of partnership provided the foundation for a dramatic comeback.
On Friday, the pair announced their retirement from competition (they¡¯ll still work together to promote pairs figure skating), bringing a close to one element of a partnership that redefined Japan¡¯s presence in pair skating. However, their interviews can show us how language reflects relationships in Japan.
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