“Riku-Ryu” Figure Skating Pair to Receive Medal of Honor

Tokyo, April 28 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government announced Tuesday that 603 individuals and 28 groups will receive medals of honor this spring, including figure skating pair Riku Miura, 24, and Ryuichi Kihara, 33, who won gold at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. The “Riku-Ryu” pair will be among 26 recipients of the Medal with Purple Ribbon for outstanding achievements in the fields of academia, sports, culture and the arts. The recipients will also include Miyuki Miyabe, a 65-year-old novelist whose real name is Miyuki Yabe, and 67-year-old actor Kotaro Yoshida. Miura and Kihara were the first Japanese to win Olympic gold in pairs figure skating. They are praised for contributing to the development of Japanese figure skating through their strong performances in international competitions. Miyabe is noted for contributing to the development of Japanese literature by attracting a wide range of readers to her mystery and historical novels. Yoshida is recognized for leading the Japanese theatrical acting world with his strong stage presence. The Medal with Blue Ribbon, which recognizes contributions to industrial and social welfare development, will be given to 373 individuals, including Toshio Kagami, 90-year-old chair of the board of directors at Oriental Land Co., the operator of Tokyo Disney Resort. Nine individuals and 28 groups will receive the Medal with Green Ribbon for volunteering and other work. The Medal with Yellow Ribbon will be awarded to 195 individuals. Emperor Naruhito will meet with the medal recipients at the Imperial Palace on May 13 and later. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]