Olympic pairs champions Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara have been named sports ambassadors for Kinoshita Group, the Japanese company that backed them throughout their competitive careers, with Miura setting her sights on making Japan a world power in pairs skating.
Kinoshita Group announced the appointment on October 2. Miura and Kihara, who won Japan's first Olympic pairs gold at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Games in February, retired from competition at the end of last season.
A Sponsorship Spanning More Than A Decade
The new role formalizes a long relationship. Kihara joined Kinoshita Group in 2013, and Miura followed in 2019, the year the two formed their partnership. The company has supported them ever since, through an era in which the duo, nicknamed "Riku-Ryu," collected the sport's biggest titles with performances built on mutual trust and tight synchronization.
Kinoshita Group said it will keep backing the pair while using the ambassador program to promote pairs skating and a wider range of sports, with the aim of contributing to the growth of sports culture in Japan.
Miura Targets A Pairs Powerhouse Japan Can Be Proud Of
Miura thanked the company for its years of support and laid out her ambitions for the role.
"I want to pass on to the next generation of athletes what I experienced during my competitive career and the appeal of pairs skating," she said. "I want to keep taking on new challenges, with the goal of making Japan a pairs powerhouse the world can be proud of."
She added that she would do her utmost to share the excitement and enjoyment of the sport with as many people as possible.
Kihara Pledges To Pass His Lessons To Young Skaters
Kihara also expressed gratitude for support that dates back to the very start of his pairs career.
"Through my competitive life, I experienced and learned so many things, including moments of joy and moments of frustration," he said.
As an ambassador, Kihara said, he intends to hand down the experience he built up in competition to younger skaters, spread the word about what makes pairs skating special, and take part in activities that help secure the future of the sport.
Pairs Skating Remains Japan's Next Frontier
The appointment fits a broader push by the pair to grow a discipline that has historically trailed singles skating in Japan. In September, the two announced a self-produced "Thank You Tour" that will visit 10 Japanese cities in 2027, and their summer ice show "THE DESTINY" drew 18,000 fans across four performances.
For a country that has produced Olympic singles champions but had never won an Olympic pairs medal before Milan Cortina, Miura and Kihara's next task is making sure they are not the last.
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