“Some athletes achieved their goals, while others, like myself, may have some regrets, but each step we took was a step toward a hopeful future.” Kaori Sakamoto delivered a heartfelt speech on behalf of the Japanese team during their visit to Prime Minister
Olympic silver medalist Kaori Sakamoto delivered a heartfelt speech on behalf of the Japanese team during their visit to Prime Minister, reflecting on the courage, unity, and inspiration gained from the Milan-Cortina Games.
original source: Nikkansports 25th April 2026
On the April 24th, the Japanese Olympic and Paralympic team paid a courtesy visit to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi at the Prime Minister’s Office. Here’s a translation of her comments posted on Nikkansports.
Kaori Sakamoto (26), who won silver medals in both the individual and team events in women’s figure skating, gave a greeting on behalf of the athletes.
“Thank you very much for this opportunity. At the Winter Olympics, Prime Minister Takaichi posted on X that this was a memorable Games, and praised us for delivering so much inspiration and courage. I sincerely thank you for your kind words.
At this tournament, our concept was to have the courage to take a step forward together, and each of us continued to challenge our own limits. Some athletes achieved their goals, while others, like myself, may have some regrets, but each step we took was a step toward a hopeful future, and I believe this was a tournament that strengthened Team Japan’s unity. The support from the people of Japan inspired us on the world’s biggest stage, and at the same time, we were reminded of the value of sports, the Olympics, and the importance of taking on challenges.
We will use this experience as nourishment to aim even higher, and in each of our activities, we will continue to challenge ourselves with courage. We hope that our efforts will deliver even a little courage and hope to many people, and that it will become the courage to take a step forward, the trigger to take that first step. We will continue to do our best. Thank you very much for today.”
Related topics: Kaori Sakamoto
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