Machiko Yamada

[TheIronLady]

IIRC Mao just had no choice but going abroad, because of the poor situation of ice rinks in Japan.

Back then Mao was training with Yamada in a local rink in a big city, probably in public skating, too. Then around 2005 GPF she got attention by the whole nation and too many people would come to the rink to watch her. There was no way she could continue to train there. Or so I have heard.

Some years later they built some ice rinks for elite skaters and now Mao trains there.

Yes, this is the explanation I also recall. Yamada wanted her to stay in Nagoya if possible and said as much. Given the problems at that time with fans mobbing the rinks and limited facilities, it makes sense to hear that Yamada supported Mao going to the USA.