Overview
- Japanese skaters completed final on-ice adjustments at Thialf on December 4 before the Heerenveen opener on December 5.
- Tatsuya Shinhama, entered in the men's 500 meters, said his adductor pain has eased and he intends to race for the podium.
- Takagi focused practice on sharpening cornering to convert recent gains into stronger race execution.
- Sprinters Wataru Morishige and Yukino Yoshida are also setting medal ambitions for their short-distance events.
- Results from this World Cup block factor into Milan–Cortina Winter Olympic quota allocation later this season.