With the first two weeks of the Junior Grand Prix season in the books, Japanese skaters have posted encouraging results so far.
Ryuju Hino started the campaign off on a high note by winning the JGP in Riga, Latvia, while teammate Sei Kawahara finished sixth.
Hino, a 16-year-old from Nagoya, clearly exhibited improved skills over last season, when he finished sixth and 12th in his two JGPs. After placing second in the short program, Hino overtook China's Zhang He and won the free skate to claim a narrow triumph.