Consideration for closing the aging skating rink is also requested to reopen the skating federation Fukuoka

Shizuka Arakawa, a gold medalist of figure skating and vice chairman of the Japan Skating Federation, requested the management company to resume operations over the skating rink "Papio Ice Arena" in Fukuoka City, which is closed due to deterioration.

Saibu Gas Group, which operates Link, has decided to decide future policies including closure within this month, but announced that it will postpone the decision.

Shizuka Arakawa, vice president of the Japan Skating Federation, who won the gold medal in figure skating at the 2006 Torino Olympics, visited the Papio Ice Arena, which has been closed since July last year due to aging.

She handed her a request to the operating company to reopen, saying Vice Chairman Arakawa said, "The Papio Ice Arena, which is available year-round, is an important base for training athletes."

In response, the operating company explained that the museum is closed because it cannot cover the cost of about 500 million yen, which is necessary for renewing aging equipment.

Vice Chairman Arakawa told reporters, "Because it is not easy to maintain, I think we are at the stage where we should explore the possibility of support while letting everyone know the current situation. I will also become a professional in Kyushu. When I came, I practiced here and I have a lot of memories, so it's painful that I can't use it now. "

After that, Vice Chairman Arakawa submitted a request to the prefecture and city for support for resuming business, and the city wants to consider support based on the efforts of the operating company and the cooperation of the prefecture. Is that you answered.

Under these circumstances, Saibu Gas Group, which operates the skating rink, decided to decide the future policy including closure by the end of this month, but announced that it will postpone the decision.

At a press conference, Saibu Gas Holdings President Yukinori Michinaga said, "We have decided to postpone the decision based on the situation where the skating federation has started to support. In the future, we will carefully consider the specific content of the support. We will then decide whether or not the facility can survive. "