The seven are Hiroyasu Shimizu in men's 500-meter speed skating, Tae Satoya in women's moguls in freestyle skiing, Kazuyoshi Funaki in individual and team large-hill ski jumping, Masahiko Harada, Takanobu Okabe and Hiroya Saito in team ski jumping, and Takafumi Nishitani in men's 500-meter short-track speed skating.

Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto will invite the gold medalists to a party at his official residence Monday evening, Chief Cabinet Secretary Kanezo Muraoka told reporters.

The 16-day sports event came to a close in Nagano, central Japan, on Sunday.

Hashimoto will also hand prizes to silver and bronze medalists, those placing eighth and higher, and athletes who bettered their own records, Muraoka said.

Muraoka hailed all the Japanese athletes for giving Japan its best Winter Games results ever, meeting public expectations and helping Japan fulfill its role as the host nation.

Meanwhile, Education Minister Nobutaka Machimura commended Japanese medalists and athletes placing eighth and higher in a ceremony in Tokyo.

In the 18th Olympic Winter Games, Japanese athletes won five gold, one silver and four bronze medals in 10 events, the most for Japan in a Winter Olympics. (Kyodo News)