Japan expresses gratitude to RF for taking over world championship

TOKYO, April 25 (Itar-Tass) -- Japan has expressed gratitude to Russia
which demonstrated its readiness to host the 2011 World Figure Skating
Championship which was to be held in Japan, but was moved to Moscow
instead, following a devastating earthquake and tsunami in the northeast
of Japan, a source from the Japan Skating Federation told Itar-Tass on
Monday.
The Japan Skating Federation pointed out that the natural calamity put
Japan in a very difficult situation; it was unable to host the world
championship. Japan is grateful to Russia for its readiness to play host
to the world championship, it said. "We hope with all our hearts that
friendly relations between Russia and Japan will be strengthened in
future," the Japan Skating Federation stressed. Its President Seiko
Hashimoto will take part in an official ceremony of opening the World
Figure Skating Championship, which will be held in Megasport Palace in
Moscow, and will express her gratitude to Russia in an official statement.
The World Figure Skating Championship was scheduled in Tokyo for March
21-27. After the devastating quake in Japan on March 11 the International
Skating Union postponed the championship and later made a decision to hold
it in Moscow.
The World Figure Skating Championship is opening in Moscow on Monday
and will continue until May 1.