In the deep field of Japanese junior men, he stands out: reigning ISU World Junior Champion Rio Nakata is a star in the making. This 17-year-old impresses with his expression, technique and style on the ice and is the top qualifier and hot favorite in the ISU Junior Grand Prix Final December 4-7 in Nagoya, Japan. “I want to win all the titles in juniors so when I’ll move up to the seniors, I can get Grand Prix spots”, he proudly said when he started into the year in Riga.

So far, this is what he did, at least internationally: Rio struck gold in his two ISU Junior Grand Prix events in Riga, Latvia and Bangkok, Thailand. He just recently defended as well his national Junior title with 20 points to spare. The only second place so far came at the Kinoshita Summer Cup, a national competition at the very beginning of the season. 

 Rio Nakata (JPN) qualified for the ISU Junior Grand Prix Final with two victories on the circuit © ISU

End of September 2025, Rio Nakata was diagnosed with a stress fracture after feeling pain in his left leg for several weeks as Japanese media reported. He had to reduce his training time and could not practice jumps but he came back strong at Japanese Junior Nationals end of November.

Looking for redemption in the Junior Final 

The Junior Grand Prix Final is the next opportunity to shine for Nakata. For him, this is especially important as he won the Junior Final in 2023 in Beijing but had to settle for bronze in 2024 in Grenoble. 

 Rio Nakata (JPN) kept his exquisite Flamenco Short Program for this season © ISU

Rio kept his exquisite Flamenco Short Program to “Aroul” and “Uccen” from the previous season. “I really like my Short Program and I like working with Misha Ge (choreographer), too,” he explained. The program is full of fire and passion and the Japanese teen is in his element when performing.

For the Free Skating, he got a new powerful program to music from “The Gladiator” and “The Gladiator II” soundtracks.  “Misha (Ge) gave me some options for the program and he said ‘Gladiator’ and I agreed,” Nakata said. “First, my dad was using it and then Alexei Yagudin (2022 Olympic Champion). I watch his program every day.”

Rio Nakata (JPN) is coached by his father Makoto (right) and Kensuke Nakaniwa © ISU

A family affair 

Rio’s father Makoto is part of his coaching team. He was skater himself and competed at the international junior level. When he retired from competing, he performed in an ice show on a cruise ship and this is where he met Rio’s mother Hollie Mason – she is from Great Britain, from Wales to be exact, and worked on the ship as a massage therapist. That’s why Rio, the oldest of three sons, was born in Cardiff in Wales and that’s why you might see the Welsh flag being waved when Rio is skating. “When my mom is in the audience, it gives me extra energy”, the 17-year-old said. 

The family moved to Japan when Rio was still a toddler but he speaks English with his mother and is bilingual. Rio’s younger brother Joshua is a competitive figure skater as well.

The “Gladiator” this season is not the first time Nakato junior has been skating to a piece his dad used. In the previous season Rio’s Free Skating was set to “The Pirates of the Caribbean” that he picked himself because he liked his dad’s performance and enjoyed the music. That year, Rio prepared a surprise: he secretly took his father’s old costume from a closet in his grandparents’ house and put it on for the victory ceremony when he won gold at the ISU Junior Grand Prix in Wuxi, China, in October 2024. 

 Rio Nakata (JPN) is excited about competing in the ISU Junior Grand Prix Final in his home country © ISU

Now Rio feels ready to perform for the home crowd and his growing fan community in Nagoya. The ISU World Junior Champion wants to leave his mark, not only in juniors but he is testing himself at the senior level already. A year ago, he claimed silver at the senior-level Nationals and he would love to win gold this time and beat such accomplished competitors as Yuma Kagiyama and Shun Sato. However, as he turned 17 only in September, Rio is not yet age-eligible for international senior competitions including the Olympic Winter Games. 

He knows his time will come soon.