Sakamoto leads skating swansong with 'Time to Say Goodbye' at worlds
In the absence of reigning Olympic champion Alysa Liu, the silver medallist at Milan Sakamoto scored 79.31 points.
Chiba was a whisker behind on 78.45, while the American Amber Glenn was third on 72.65.
The free programme is scheduled for Friday, where the 25-year-old Sakamoto hopes to bid farewell on a winning note on what she says will be her final professional outing.
"I had high expectations for the Olympics, and many people around me expected a lot from me as well. Not being able to meet those expectations was therefore very...