Japan Skating Federation

Local schoolboy Yuzuru Hanyu's emotional figure skating victory in an arena pressed into service as a morgue after the Japanese tsunami was a tonic for an area struggling to get back on its feet.

Figure skating's Grand Prix series winds up in Japan this weekend in an arena that doubled as a temporary mortuary after the 2011 tsunami that devastated the country's northeast.

Japan dominated the singles categories at the Cup of China on Saturday, clinching both men and women's titles in a tournament they had considered pulling out of due to safety concerns.

Japan's two-time world figure skating champion Miki Ando has pulled out of this year's Grand Prix series citing insufficient conditioning after she failed to find a new coach, officials said Tuesday.

Japanese star Daisuke Takahashi has what it takes to regain his world crown from Canadian rival Patrick Chan, Japan's figure skating chief Nobuhiko Yoshioka has warned.

Two-time world figure skating champion Mao Asada of Japan withdrew from the Grand Prix Final on Thursday and returned home after learning that her mother is critically ill.

Russia, with the backing of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, has bid to host the 2011 world figure skating championships after original hosts Japan withdrew following this month's earthquake and tsunami.

Russia has offered to host the World Figure Skating Championships in place of Japan, after the event was called off due to the devastating earthquake and tsunami in the country.

TOKYO (Reuters) - As Japan struggles to recover following last week's devastating earthquake and tsunami, the International Skating Union (ISU) said on Monday the nation would not stage the World Figure Skating Championships scheduled for March 21-27.

The spectacle followed a rule change lessening the risk for attempting the four-revolution jump which sparked a bitter debate at the Vancouver Winter Olympics in February.

Former Four Continents champion Daisuke Takahashi booked a ticket to his second Olympics as he won the men's title at the Japanese national figure skating championships Saturday.

Former Four Continents champion Daisuke Takahashi booked a ticket to his second Olympics as he won the men's title at the Japanese national figure skating championships Saturday.

Daisuke Takahashi wins Japan nationals to secure berth at Vancouver Olympics. Daisuke Takahashi won the Japan national figure skating championships Saturday to secure a place in the Vancouver Olympics.

The Japan Skating Federation has denied that Japanese competitors intentionally obstructed South Korean figure skating star Kim Yu-Na in warm-ups before international contests.

The teenage rivalry between Japan's Mao Asada and Kim Yu-Na of South Korea is hotting up with mind games underway ahead of next week's world figure skating championships.