Overview
- Olympic-bound Meiji University skater Shun Sato led the men's short program at Tokyo's Tatsumi Ice Arena with 93.13 points.
- He landed three jumps cleanly, highlighted by a quad Lutz, to begin his 2026 campaign on a solid footing.
- Sato said he will retain the element layout he used at nationals for the Olympics to prioritize consistency.
- He revealed he has resumed practicing the quad flip after skipping it earlier this season because of injury.
- The free skate takes place on Jan. 11, and he entered the student championships to build momentum and contribute as his university team's captain.