Japan Cup

Course

The Japan Cup is held at the Tokyo Racecourse, situated in the western Tokyo suburb of Fuchū. At 2,400 metres long, the race is run counter-clockwise around the Racecourse's oval turf track, which uses a blend of Noshiba grass and Italian ryegrass. The Japan Cup uses Tokyo Racecourse's A-course configuration, which has the track's fence rail in its innermost position. This configuration means the circumference measures 2083 m and the width of the race varies from 31 to, offering racers ample room to manoeuvre and overtake other racers, as well as avoid being boxed in, in ways that are not always available in similar lengthed races.

There are several undulations across the track, varying in size and length over the race's duration, with a sharp rise of 1.2 m over 60 m halfway through the race being one of the more challenging obstacles. The homestretch is one of the longest in Japanese racing at 525 m, which often leads to dramatic late finishes. At 400 m to the post, there is a sharp 2 metres of elevation gain over the next 120 m, requiring the horses to conserve their stamina in the race to overcome this final hurdle. The final stretch after this is flat, allowing for the racers to focus entirely on one last spurt of speed towards the post.

Due to the race's length and demanding finish, the race tends to favour strong closers who can handle the uphill run and quickly accelerate in the final straight. Despite the race starting in the homestretch about 300 m before the winning post, beginning the race with a long 325 m before the first corner and theoretically minimising early positional advantages, analysis of the 2014 to 2024 races shows that the horses that start near the inner fence are notably more likely to win the race.

Race history

Origins and early years (1981–1988)

The inaugural running (1981)

From the race's conception, the motive behind the Japan Cup's creation was the JRA's desire to ensure the horses racing in Japan were up to par with the quality of international horses. Prior to its creation, and even in the years after, options were limited in Japan for foreign horses, with the majority of races only allowing Japanese horses to compete, leaving Japan's horses isolated from the outside world. As such, the Japan Cup offered a unique opportunity to determine how Japan compared to the rest of the world. The idea of "creating strong horses that can compete on the world stage" had been proposed by the JRA since at least the 1970s, although efforts early in that decade to hold an international events collapsed because of disagreements between the JRA and other countries over the specific horses invited. By the start of the 1980s, the JRA's relations with the main racing authorities in other countries had developed enough for the JRA to host their proposed international race.

The race was won by the American mare Mairzy Doates, ridden by Cash Asmussen, who finished a length ahead of Canadian-trained Frost King. Japan's best performance was Gold Spencer placing fifth. The disparity in the two sides' performance came as a major surprise to the JRA officials, who had anticipated that one of their horses would secure the victory. The race has been credited as a turning point in Japan's efforts to seriously compete at an international level in horse racing.

Early runnings in the 1980s (1982–1988)

In the Japan Cup's second year the original entry restrictions were eased, allowing broader international participation from Europe and Oceania. However, the race was once again won by an American horse. Half Iced, the last international horse to enter the race, narrowly defeated French fillies All Along and April Run, with the Irish mare Stanerra in fourth. Like last time, the best performing Japanese horse, Hikari Duel, placed fifth.

Stanerra returned the next year after a successful season in Europe, having recently won the Group 2 Prince of Wales's Stakes and Group 1 Joe McGrath Memorial Stakes, and won the Cup by a head over Japanese-trained Kyoei Promise, with France's Esprit Du Nord a close third. At the time, Stanerra's victory was highlighted by the Liverpool Daily Post as an example of the growing trend in the 1980s of European mares matching the racing performance of stallions. Her victory has also been credited with strengthening the Republic of Ireland's diplomatic relations with Japan; since 1990, the winner of the Japan Cup is traditionally presented with the Ambassador of Ireland Prize by the Irish Government.

1984 was the first year Japanese horse races received grading, and the Japan Cup was officially classified as an International Group 1 race. The race itself marked the first ever showdown between two Japanese Triple Crown winners, Mr. C. B. and the undefeated Symboli Rudolf. The two horses had won their Triple Crowns a year apart, the first two to do so in twenty years after Shinzan achieved the accolade in 1963. This at the time led to much discussion by Japanese horseracing fans over which of the two horses was superior, with an expectation that one of the two horses would be the first Japanese horse to win the event in the "Triple Crown Showdown". However, it was the lesser-fancied Japanese Katsuragi Ace who claimed victory, defeating British-trained Bedtime by lengths, with Symboli Rudolf narrowly behind in third and Mr C. B. trailing in tenth. Japan achieved a second victory the next year, with Symboli Rudolf returning to triumph over Japanese-trained Rocky Tiger.

In 1986, Jupiter Island, trained by Clive Brittain and ridden by Pat Eddery, became the first British-trained horse to win the Japan Cup, narrowly defeating fellow British runner Allez Milord. Unusually for the event's history up until that point, the result was only confirmed after an inquiry by racecourse stewards following an objection by Allez Milord's rider Greville Starkey, who alleged the two horses had collided 60 metres from the post. Jupiter Island's victory more than doubled the previous prize money the horse had accumulated in his previous forty starts. At seven years old, Jupiter Island remains the oldest horse to win the Cup.

The French-trained Le Glorieux, trained by Robert Collet and ridden by Alain Lequeux, captured the 1987 edition, while Pay the Butler, trained by Robert J. Frankel and ridden by Chris McCarron, secured the United States' third victory in the race. Having previously only won a single major race, the Group 2 Red Smith Handicap ran six months prior, Pay the Butler's win in 1988 was regarded as a major upset over the year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Tony Bin and Japanese favourites Oguri Cap and Tamamo Cross.

A decade of global competition (1989–1997)

The 1989 race was narrowly won by New Zealand six-year-old mare Horlicks, beating Oguri Cap by a neck. In doing so, she set a new world record time for 2400 metres and became Australia and New Zealand's highest stakes winner. Horlicks' win marked the beginning of a decade of several countries vying for supremacy in the Japan Cup, with no single nation remaining on top for long. In 1990, Better Loosen Up became the first Australian-trained winner, prevailing in a close finish over France's Ode and Britain's Cacoethes. In 1991, the United States achieved its fourth victory in the Japan Cup through Golden Pheasant. The horse, trained by Charlie Whittingham, was the rare example of a horse jointly owned by two parties (Los Angeles Kings ice hockey team owner Bruce McNall and NHL ice hockey player Wayne Gretzky), and has been credited for revitalising interest in the event in the United States.

For the next three years, Japanese-trained horses triumphed in the event, although in each event an overseas horse placed second. In 1992, Tokai Teio emerged victorious, followed by Legacy World in 1993 and Marvelous Crown in 1994. The 1993 race also saw the only instance in the Japan Cup's history of a fine being handed out after the race; the French horse Kotashaan's jockey, Kent Desormeaux, was fined $460 () after mistaking the 100 meter mark for the finish post and easing his horse.

Despite bookmakers expecting a fourth straight Japanese win through Hishi Amazon, in 1995 the Japan Cup was won for the first time by a German-trained horse, Lando. Lando's victory, which his jockey Michael Roberts has stated is his greatest memory, was a great breakthrough for the German cohort of entrants, with no German horse placing in the top five in the previous races. The race also marked the first time any Japanese horse failed to place in the top five, with Narita Brian finishing sixth lengths behind the American horse Awad.

The mid-1990s also saw notable success for British trainer Michael Stoute, who captured back-to-back victories in the Japan Cup. In 1996 the Irish horse Singspiel narrowly defeated his rivals by a nose, becoming Britain's leading prize money earner. The year after Pilsudski, another Irish runner, claimed victory by a neck in his final career start, making Japan the fifth country he won a G1 race in. Singspiel's jockey, Frankie Dettori, was originally scheduled to ride in 1997 as well, on the British horse Mons. However, Dettori was replaced a week before by Michael Kinane after receiving a riding ban due to numerous infractions that year. Dettori, who in his initial response specifically highlighted his shock at having to miss the Japan Cup, had to wait until 2002 to enter the race again and subsequently secure his second Japan Cup victory.

The rise of Japanese dominance and the origins of the Autumn Triple Crown (1998–2004)

In the years that followed, there was a noticeable shift in the Japanese contingent's performance. In 1998, the Japanese-trained American horse El Condor Pasa led a historic sweep for Japan, finishing ahead of fellow Japanese horses Air Groove and Special Week in the first-ever one-two-three in the race's history for Japanese-based horses. Special Week went on to win the next year's race against a strong international field, including the year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Montjeu from Ireland, who placed fourth. Yutaka Take was Special Week's jockey for the race, and remarked at the time it'd been a long-time goal of his to win the event; Take went on to win the Japan Cup several times on multiple horses over the next three decades.

In 2000, the Japanese horse T. M. Opera O entered the Japan Cup unbeaten for the season and maintained his year-long record, defeating his compatriots Meisho Doto by a neck and Fantastic Light a nose behind in third. With this win and prize money, T. M. Opera O became the highest-earning racehorse in world history at ¥1,216,477,000, overtaking the North American record held by Cigar and the previous Japanese record held by Special Week. T. M. Opera O went on to win the year's Arima Kinen race; having already won the year's autumn Tennō Shō race as well, he was awarded an additional ¥200,000,000 by the JRA for winning the three races, an accomplishment popularly dubbed as completing the "Autumn Triple Crown." The same reward has been offered every year since to any horse that is able to win the trifecta of races.

Japan's strong performances in the race continued in 2001, when Jungle Pocket, winner of the Tōkyō Yūshun, closely defeated T. M. Opera O by a neck. Japanese-trained horses filled the top five positions. Golan, trained in Britain by Michael Stoute, was the best foreign finisher of the race in sixth place.

The Japan Cup was temporarily moved in 2002 to Nakayama Racecourse due to renovations at Tokyo Racecourse. The race was held on the right-handed outer loop course, switching the race's direction and reducing its distance to 2200 m. The year also marked Italy's best result in the race, with the Italian-trained Falbrav securing a narrow victory over the American-trained Sarafan, with Japanese runner Symboli Kris S finishing a close third. Falbrav was ridden by Frankie Dettori, making him the first jockey to win the event multiple times.

The race returned to Tokyo the next year. Finishing nine lengths in front of his Japanese compatriots That's The Plenty and Symboli Kris S, Tap Dance City went wire-to-wire to achieve the largest winning margin ever recorded in the race's history. The 2004 edition saw Zenno Rob Roy, ridden by Olivier Peslier, led home another Japanese sweep of the podium, against a series of lackluster performances from the international racers. Having already won in the year's autumn Tennō Shō, Zenno Rob Roy went go on to triumph in the Arima Kinen the following month, becoming the second, and most recent, horse to achieve the Autumn Triple Crown.

The beginning of the international win drought and homegrown legends (2005–2011)

In 2005, British-trained Alkaased, ridden by Frankie Dettori, won the Japan Cup in a photo finish over the Japanese horse Heart's Cry, with Zenno Rob Roy finishing third. The race set a new world record for the race's 2,400 metres at 2:22.1, surpassing the previous record set by Horlicks in 1989.

In 2006, a few weeks after being disqualified from the year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe after testing positive for ipratropium, Japanese thoroughbred Deep Impact returned to racing in his country at the Japan Cup and secured victory in the penultimate race of his career. He was later named Japanese Horse of the Year for the second consecutive year, in part due to his victory at the event. A similar set of circumstances occurred the year later, when the Japanese Admire Moon won the Japan Cup by a head over Pop Rock; this was Admire Moon's final race before retiring, and contributed to him being named Japanese Horse of the Year for 2007.

Screen Hero was considered an outsider in the 2008 race, having competed in only four races that year following an 11-month hiatus due to a leg injury. Sent off at odds of 40/1, he defied expectations to win the race, finishing half a length ahead of Deep Sky.

After finishing fourth in 2007 and third in 2008, the Japanese mare Vodka finally claimed victory in her third attempt at the Japan Cup in 2009, winning in a photo finish by a nose over the 2008 Kikuka-shō winner Oken Bruce Lee. Vodka's final time of 2:22.4 ranked as the third-fastest in the race's history, and marked the first time a Japanese mare had won the event, as well as making her the first mare worldwide to earn over $10 million in prize money in their career.

The 2010 race ended with a controversial disqualification. Buena Vista, the race favourite, finished first past the post two lengths ahead of Rose Kingdom. However, following an inquiry Buena Vista was officially relegated to second position, having been determined to have abruptly veered inward on the final straight and impeding Rose Kingdom's progress. This meant Rose Kingdom was declared the winner. The disqualification was unpopular both within Japan and internationally due to Buena Vista's strong performance in the race, with the race's stewards being referred to as incompetent, and led to the JRA to begin revising the rules around inquiries to meet international horse racing standards. Buena Vista returned in 2011 to claim the title outright.

Record-setters and Triple Crown showdowns (2012–2020)

Gentildonna's double victory (2012–2014)

In 2012, the final stretch of the race came down to Orfevre, the 2011 Japanese Triple Crown winner, facing off against compatriot Gentildonna, the 2012 Fillies' Triple Crown winner. In a closely contested ending, Gentildonna narrowly claimed victory. However, while Gentildonna crossed the finish line first, she made contact with Orfevre in the final stretch. A stewards' inquiry confirmed that interference had occurred but allowed the result to stand, issuing only a suspension to her jockey Yasunari Iwata. Gentildonna returned the next year to win the Japan Cup again, becoming the first horse to have won the Japan Cup twice. Gentildonna attempted a third consecutive victory in 2014 in her final race, but came fourth whilst Japanese thoroughbred Epiphaneia, who had entered the race at the relatively low odds of 15–1, claimed victory.

The 2014 race was also the first race in the event's history to be sponsored, after the JRA began searching for suitable sponsors the previous year following a gradual decade-long decline in turnover. 2014 also saw the first yearly release of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities' "Top 100 Group 1 Races of the Year for 3yo's and upwards" report, an analysis of every Group 1 race's quality based on the IFHA's rating of the top-placing horses over the last three runnings of the race. The Japan Cup placed eighth in this initial report, and since then has regularly placed in the top ten each year, including first in 2023.

Almond Eye and the late 2010s (2015–2020)====

The Japanese filly Shonan Pandora captured the 2015 edition, becoming the seventh mare to win the race.

Kitasan Black went wire-to-wire to comfortably win the 2016 race, with fellow Japanese racers Sounds of Earth and Cheval Grand finishing second and third respectively lengths behind Kitasan Black. Cheval Grand returned the year after to claim victory, with Rey de Oro taking second and Kitasan Black finishing third in his final Japan Cup appearance. The win also secured the top position in the 2016 Longines World's Best Jockey Rankings for Hugh Bowman, who rode Cheval Grand.

In 2018 Alkaased's course record was broken, when Almond Eye clocked 2:20.6 on firm ground. The race was another all-Japanese top-three sweep, with Almond Eye finishing lengths ahead of Kiseki, with Suave Richard in third. Her performance received great praise from commentators, including her being called one of the greatest horses both in Japan and the world.

The 2019 Japan Cup was the first race in the event's history in which all the entrants were domestic racers, with no international horses signing up for the event. It also acted as a memorial race for the 2006 winner Deep Impact, who had been euthanised in July earlier that year. Several runners, including runner-up Curren Bouquetd'or and third-placed Wagnerian, were progeny of the late Deep Impact. Suave Richard, who instead was sired by Heart's Cry, secured victory, delivering a strong late run to win under British Champion Jockey Oisin Murphy.

The 2020 Japan Cup had a significant amount of excitement prior to the event due to a very strong line-up, in particular featuring three Triple Crown winners; the 2018 Japanese Fillies Triple Crown winner Almond Eye, the undefeated 2020 Japanese Triple Crown winner Contrail, and the undefeated 2020 Japanese Fillies Triple Crown winner Daring Tact. These three horses all placed in the top three, with Almond Eye in her final race triumphing in the Japan Cup once again by lengths over Contrail and Daring Tact. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 also marked the lowest crowd attendance in the race's history by a significant margin at 4,604 people, following the JRA's decision to hold all of their races that year behind closed doors.

Recent races and the end of the Japanese streak (2021–2025)

Contrail avenged his loss from the previous year by winning the 2021 Japan Cup in what was his final race, finishing two lengths ahead of the Japanese racehorse Authority. Despite racing only three times previously in the year, Contrail had been the odds-on favourite due to his strong showing in races the year prior. His victory at the Japan Cup contributed to him securing the 2021 JRA award for Best Older Colt or Horse.

In spite of only recently switching from dirt tracks to racing on turf tracks, Japanese Vela Azul was the victor in the 2022 race, his first G1 title. The horse had spent the majority of his previous races (16 out of 21) on dirt tracks, only making the switch to turf at the Awaji Tokubetsu event in March 2022, five races before the Japan Cup. The favourite to win, fellow Japanese racehorse Shahryar, placed second, and in the closing moments of the race was involved in an incident where he drifted left in the closing stages and significantly impeded Danon Beluga's progress. Following the race the JRA stewards judged this careless riding and banned Shahryar's rider, Cristian Demuro, from racing for four days.

2023 was another year with a line-up considered especially strong. Several of the Japanese horses in the lineup had previously achieved numerous victories in Grade 1 races, such as the year's Saudi Cup's winner Panthalassa and the seventh winner of the Japanese Triple Tiara, Liberty Island. Equinox, having won his last five G1 races and at the time being rated the world's highest rated horse by the IFHA, entered the race as the odds-on favourite. In spite of the quality of the competition, Equinox won convincingly, with his victory widely described by reporters and the race's commentators as a commanding win for the horse. The strength of Equinox's performance, combined with the overall depth of the field, led to two honours: Equinox was subsequently given the IFHA's "Longines World's Best Racehorse" award for 2023, and the Japan Cup itself won the IFHA's "Longines World's Best Horse Race" award for the year.

Running near the back of the racers for much of the race, Do Deuce surged forward in the race's final stretch to win the 2024 Japan Cup in his penultimate race, which resulted in him being awarded both the JRA Japanese Horse of the Year award and the JRA Award for Best Older Male Horse for 2024. The victory also marked jockey Yutaka Take's record fifth win in the event's history.

The Irish-born and French-trained Calandagan was the sole entrant from outside of Japan in 2025. However, in the lead-up to the event he was considered one of the best horses from overseas in recent years, having previously won three Group 1 races in the year, being ranked at the top of the Longines World's Best Racehorses Rankings, and being awarded the title of Cartier Horse of the Year. Calandagan lived up to his strong reputation, surging in the last 300 metres to beat Masquerade Ball by a head, breaking the world record for 2,400m on turf set by Almond Eye in the 2018 Japan Cup and marking the end of Japan's winning streak of 19 years. The race itself also drew attention from reporters for featuring three jockeys getting thrown off their horses.

Decline in international participation and performance

In between the American horse Alkaased's and the Irish horse Calandagan's victories in 2005 and 2025 respectively, only one other horse from outside Japan has placed in the top three; the British Ouija Board, who was third in 2006. All other horses in the top three in this twenty-year period were born and trained in Japan, with the exception of the 2024 Cup's runner-up Shin Emperor, who was born in France and brought over to Japan as a foal. The number of international horses has also declined; while over half of the horses in the inaugural race were from abroad, by 2024 there would be only three. In more extreme cases, the number of international racers was even lower; Iresine, a French horse, and Calandagan were the only international entries in 2023 and 2025 respectively, and no international horses competed in 2019. These circumstances have led to commentators raising concerns about the Japan Cup maintaining its prestige or describing it as having "lost its way". However, it has also been argued that the homogeneity of the Japan Cup's winners since the 2000s is nothing unique and is instead an example of the home-advantage trends seen in other international horse races.

The decline in international participation and performance is often attributed to the rise in the overall strength of Japanese horses since the early 2000s. Several factors contribute to this trend, with the most commonly cited reason being the great success of leading sires Sunday Silence and Northern Dancer, whose progeny from the 1990s onwards have consistently performed at a high level and produced numerous Group 1 winners. Additionally, the JRA has focused on encouraging trainers to breed their horses with international bloodlines to enhance their competitive edge, as well as building facilities such as the to facilitate further training and research.

The increasingly busy international racing calendar may also be a contributing factor to the decline in the number of international participants. In the Japan Cup's first years, November was "a time when once a comfortable silence fell over flat racing". However, since 1981, numerous high-profile worldwide competitions have been established in the winter months, such as the Breeders' Cup and the Hong Kong Vase. With similar levels of prestige and prize money, these races have given trainers a wider range of available international options to choose from, and has led to suggestions that the Japan Cup should be moved to a less competitive time of the year.

Concerns have also been raised about the logistical challenges involved with bringing foreign horses to Japan. The process, which involves lengthy amounts of travel and quarantine, can distress the horses involved, further making the idea of participating in a Japanese race unappealing to foreign racers. In 2022, the JRA opened a new quarantine stable near Tokyo Racecourse to help solve this problem and make travel to Japan for the Japan Cup more enticing for trainers. The issues surrounding horses traveling from abroad have been noted as a problem since the early years of the Japan Cup. The 1983 winner Stanerra arrived in Tokyo in bad shape from the flight and required six hours of walking daily before her race to rebuild her strength, while the 1989 winner Horlicks needed the use of a dressing mirror to help distract her while in Japan to overcome her stress and loneliness after the long journey from New Zealand.

Purse and qualification

Throughout its history, the Japan Cup has been repeatedly described as one of the world's richest races. In the original 1981 race, the prize pool totalled over ¥123,000,000 (), with a reported US$282,600 () earnings for winner Mairzy Doates. The purse's size increased steadily over the years, with the prize pool nearly ¥250,000,000 (roughly US$3.61 million) by 1992. By 2023, the prize pool had reached over a billion yen.

While the list of qualifying races varies slightly each year, typically foreign horses that win notable Group 1 races outside of Japan will be invited to participate in the Japan Cup, with the incentive of an additional prize if they place well. Japanese horses undergo standard JRA selection based on previous performances and the amount of prize money they have won. Horses that participate in the race and have also achieved victory in other specific JRA races in the year will also be eligible for bonuses. For example, in 2025, the criteria were as follows:

Records

Leading horse:

• 2 – Gentildonna (2012, 2013)
• 2 – Almond Eye (2018, 2020)

Leading jockey:

• 5 – Yutaka Take: Special Week (1999), Deep Impact (2006), Rose Kingdom (2010), Kitasan Black (2016), Do Deuce (2024)

Leading trainers:

• 2 – Michael Stoute: Singspiel (1996), Pilsudski (1997)
• 2 – Hiroyoshi Matsuda: Admire Moon (2007), Buena Vista (2011)
• 2 – Katsuhiko Sumii: Vodka (2009), Epiphaneia (2014)
• 2 – Sei Ishizaka: Gentildonna (2012, 2013)
• 2 – Yasuo Tomomichi: Cheval Grand (2017), Do Deuce (2024)
• 2 – Sakae Kunieda: Almond Eye (2018, 2020)

Leading owner:

• 4 – Sunday Racing: Rose Kingdom (2010), Buena Vista (2011), Gentildonna (2012, 2013)

• **Fastest winning time (at 2400m): **Calandagan (2025); 2:20.3
• **Slowest winning time (at 2400m): **Symboli Rudolf (1985); 2:28.8
• Largest margin of victory: 9 lengths – Tap Dance City (2003)
• Shortest margin of victory: Nose – Marvelous Crown (1994), Singspiel (1996), Falbrav (2002), Alkaased (2005), Vodka (2009), Gentildonna (2012, 2013)
• Oldest winning horse: Jupiter Island (1986); aged 7
• Youngest winning horse: Half Iced (1982), Le Glorieux (1987), El Condor Pasa (1998), Jungle Pocket (2001), Rose Kingdom (2010), Gentildonna (2012), Almond Eye (2018); all aged 3
• Largest field: 18 runners (2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2022, 2023)
• Smallest field: 11 runners (2006)

Winners

Individual race results and prize money derived from the Netkaiba, Racing Post and JRA weblinks listed under References.

With Wayne Gretzky as a minority stake holder.

The 2002 race took place at Nakayama Racecourse over a distance of 2,200 metres.

Rose Kingdom finished second to Buena Vista but was promoted as a result of a disqualification.

Winners by nationality

Horse

Jockey

Notes

References

Full race results

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• Japan Racing Association (in Japanese, with race footage for 1983 onwards supplied in the event's index):
  • 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990
  • 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000
  • 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
  • 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
  • 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025

References

References

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