Officials of Oji Paper Co., Japan's largest manufacturer of paper products, announced Friday that the company's 67-year-old speed-skating club will be disbanded at the end of April.
Kozo Takano, head of the Hokkaido-based skating team, said that disbanding the team was part of the company's overall cost-cutting measures in the face of the ongoing economic stagnation that has been hurting the paper industry.
The four athletes, including Olympic team member Eriko Seo, who comprise the club were told Thursday that the team would be disbanded.