Yuma KAGIYAMA, a 3rd year figure skater studying at SEISA Kokusai High School Yokohama, won the 2020 NHK Cup International Figure Skating Competition, and also won a silver medal at the 2021 World Figure Skating Championships.

He was selected as the "Skater of the Year" for the 2020-21 season by the Skating Subcommittee of the Tokyo Athletic Press Club, and this is the first time he has received this award. In response, on Tuesday, May 18th, 2021, he paid a courtesy call on Mayor Fumiko HAYASHI at Yokohama City Hall. He received many words of encouragement from her.

Thank you very much for all the supports and encouragements. The new season is scheduled to start with the regional championships in August. Please look forward to the activities of this 18-year-old who is aiming for the podium at the Beijing Olympics.

Figure skater Kagiyama on the podium as MVP of the skating year in his first appearance at the World Championships (Mainichi Shimbun)

Yuma KAGIYAMA laughs at the pretense of Yokohama Mayor Fumiko Hayashi, who shares her birthday with him.