YOKOHAMA ¨C Heavy favorite Yuma Kagiyama took the lead after the short program at the Japan Junior Championships at Shin-Yokohama Skate Center on Saturday night.

The 16-year-old from Yokohama racked up a total score of 79.92 points to hold a comfortable advantage over Yuto Kishina (74.29) and rival Shun Sato (74.19) going into Sunday¡¯s free skate.

Kagiyama, who along with Sato has qualified for next month¡¯s Grand Prix Final in Italy, skated to the Piano Concerto from ¡°Fate¡± and aside from a bit of a wobble on the landing of his triple axel, was fluid from beginning to end.

¡°I turned my shoulder too much on my takeoff on the axel,¡± Kagiyama stated. ¡°I have to fix that for tomorrow and then land all of my quads.¡±

Kagiyama holds the big lead despite getting level threes on two of his spins and step sequence.

Kishina¡¯s jumps were solid, but he had trouble on one of his spins or would have had a higher score skating as the 28th of 29 skaters.

Sato, a 15-year-old from Sendai, moved clinically through his jumps to ¡°Arrivee des Camionneurs¡± to stay within striking distance of Kagiyama.

¡°I have three quads planned in my free skate tomorrow and my goal is to land them all,¡± commented Sato.

Sato got level fours on two of his spins, but only a level two on his step sequence.

A berth at the Youth Olympic Games in Lausanne, Switzerland, in January will go to the winner on Sunday.

Lucas Honda is a surprise in fourth place at 74.14. Sena Miyake (70.53) is fifth, while defending champion Tatsuya Tsuboi (68.83) stands in sixth.

Mana Kawabe took the lead after the women¡¯s short program earlier Saturday with her perky skate to ¡°You¡¯re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.¡± Kawabe, who won the West Japan Sectionals two weeks ago, earned a score of 64.95 and looked confident in doing so.

Kawabe, a 15-year-old from Nagoya, began with a nice triple lutz/triple toe loop combo, then hit a triple loop and a double axel. She received level fours on two of her spins and a level three on her step sequence.

Tomoe Kawabata (63.55) is in second, while Rino Matsuike (61.91) is third.

¡°My speed was good today,¡± Kawabe stated. ¡°When my jumps go well, my steps and spins usually do also.¡±

Kawabata, who was third at this event last year, landed huge jumps in her skate to ¡°On the Beautiful Blue Danube.¡± She opened with a nice double axel, then hit a booming triple lutz/triple toe loop combo and also landed a triple loop.

Shiika Yoshioka (60.78) is in fourth place, with Azusa Tanaka (58.58) fifth and Moa Iwano (58.31) sixth.

The top six finishers in the men¡¯s and women¡¯s competitions will advance to skate in the All-Japan Championships next month in Tokyo.

Ice shavings

Two-time world champion Miki Ando, who won the Japan junior title three times (2002, 2003, 2004), was one of the spectators on hand Saturday.