is a retired Japanese figure skater. She is the 1989 World champion and the 1992 Olympic silver medalist. At the 1988 Calgary Olympics, she became the first woman to land seven triple jumps in an Olympic free skating competition. in the free skating: Lutz, flip, double Axel-half loop-triple Salchow combination, loop, triple toe loop-triple toe loop combination, and another Salchow. She received the best technical scores given, two 5.8 and seven 5.9 marks, Ito's presentation marks also suffered, despite her "high energy and pleasing cheerfulness", due to her tendency to keep her back and shoulders stiff, which resulted in a lack of fluidity and sublety in her musical expressiveness. She was 6th in the compulsory figures receiving 5.9s from the rest. Her win at the 1989 World Championships was the first world title in the sport for an Asian competitor. She planned to perform the triple Axel combined with a double toe loop for the jump combination requirement in the short program but changed it to a triple Lutz combination. Ito placed fourth in the short program when she fell on her triple Lutz jump. In comparison, Kristi Yamaguchi and Nancy Kerrigan completed their triple Lutz-double toe loop combinations and then placed one and two, respectively. The change may have an interesting origin. During a practice session, Surya Bonaly of France performed a backflip near her. Ito turned professional afterwards, bringing the triple Axel for the first time to the professional ranks, and performed with ice shows in Japan. She briefly returned to competitive skating in the 1995–96 season, but without her former success.

During the peak of her career, Ito performed much the same jump content as the top male skaters of the time. She was the first ladies' skater to perform a triple-triple jump combination and the first to perform the triple Axel. In March 1990, Jill Trenary said, "I was in awe of how high she jumps."

Programs

Post–2010

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

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! Season

! Free skating

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! 2012–2013

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  • The theme for the TV series Atsuhime <br>

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! 2010–2011

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  • Whisper of the River <br>

|}

Pre-1996

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|-

! Season

! Short program

! Free skating

! Exhibition

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! 1995–96

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  • The Firebird <br>

|

  • Cinderella <br>

|

  • Nessun dorma <br>

|-

! 1991–92

|

  • Tango Jalousie <br>
  • España cañí <br>

|

  • Piano Concerto No. 1 <br>

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  • Piano Concerto No. 1
  • Piano Concerto No. 2 <br>

| rowspan=2 |

  • Rhythm of the Rain <br>
  • Singin' in the Rain <br>
  • Over the Rainbow <br>

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  • On My Own <br>

|-

! 1990–91

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  • Warsaw Concerto <br>

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  • Piano Concerto No. 5 "Emperor" <br>
  • Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini Variation XVIII <br>
  • Finlandia <br>

|-

! 1989–90

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  • Anvil Chorus <br>
  • Memories of You <br>

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  • Scheherazade <br>

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  • Yotei no Matsuri <br>

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  • Mission: Impossible <br>

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  • On My Own <br>

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! 1988–89

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  • Fantastic Tango
  • Green – Midori Ito Official Blog