Overview
- Yamada Miyu held a Tokyo press conference on Friday to announce her retirement after losing an April national selection for the Aichi/Nagoya Asian Games and saying she felt her body had reached its limit.
- Yamada will become a manager in the sports department of her employer, Johoku Shinkin Bank, where she says she will support other athletes off the mat.
- Kaori Sakamoto completed her final competitive season after winning Olympic silver at Milan–Cortina and has begun a post-competition life that mixes ice shows and coaching.
- Sakamoto, speaking in a Mainichi interview, said she has enjoyed Fantasy on Ice and plans to work as a professional skater while taking on teaching and mentoring responsibilities.
- Both cases highlight a common succession pattern in Japanese sport where high-profile retirees steer young talent through employer programs, coaching roles and professional shows, and they leave selectors and fans watching who will fill the top national spots.