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 Milano Cortina Games with ambitions of emulating the now-retired Hanyu, a two-time Olympic champion.
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.
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