News photoFigure skater Mao Asada smiles after accepting the 2005 Japanese sportsman of the year award, given by the Foreign Sportswriters Association of Japan, from Japan Times sports editor and FSAJ president Jack Gallagher.

Figure skating champion Mao Asada hoisted a different kind of trophy Monday night.

The 15-year-old star was honored as the top Japanese athlete for 2005 by the Foreign Sportswriters Association of Japan at a dinner in Tokyo.

Asada's 2005 was loaded with many other trophies and accolades, including wins at the world junior championships, the Grand Prix event in Paris and the Grand Prix Final.

One byproduct of her success, Asada said, has been the inability to live a life out of the public eye.

"I used to be able to walk the streets without getting much attention," she said. "Now that's not how it goes. I especially get a lot of attention at the skating rink when I practice."

Asada trains in Nagoya.

Although Asada -- the only female skater to land two triple axels in the same program -- established herself as one of the best skaters in Japan and the world in 2005, she is too young to be eligible for this month's Winter Olympics in Turin.

Much discussion has been had during the last few months about Asada's ineligibility for the Olympics, but she said she is focusing on other things, namely training to defend her world junior title this year in Slovenia.

"I wasn't thinking about participating or not participating," Asada said.

Asada took first place in voting by FSAJ members, ahead of golfer Ai Miyazato who finished second. Gymnast Hiroyuki Tomita took third. Only athletes based in Japan were eligible to win.

Chiba Lotte Marines manager Bobby Valentine won the award in the foreign category after leading the Marines to their first Japan Series title in 31 years. Valentine is expected to receive his award in March.

This is the second year for the awards, which are voted on by members of the sports media in Japan at English-language media outlets.