Japan's preparations for the new ISU Speed Skating World Cup have been hit by an outbreak of COVID-19 at a training camp in Germany ©Getty Images

Japan's team has seen its preparations for the opening International Skating Union Speed Skating World Cup of the season badly hit after four athletes and six officials tested positive for COVID-19 at a training camp in Germany.

The group have been forced into a seven-day quarantine following the tests in Inzell, the Japan Skating Federation announced.

The national governing body did not identify the athletes and support staff who had tested positive for coronavirus.

But it means they miss the opening event of the season, scheduled to start in Tomaszow Mazowiecki in Poland on Friday (November 12) and conclude on Sunday (November 14).

The team had left Japan late last month to train in Germany and were discovered to be suffering from COVID-19 after undertaking tests required for entry into Poland, which were performed on them at the end of last week, Japanese agency Kyodo News reported.

A total of 22 skaters and 13 staff members are a part of the international training tour.

Japan finished second on the Olympic speed skating medals table at Pyeongchang 2018, with Nana Takagi winning two golds, including the women's mass start ©Getty Images
Japan finished second on the Olympic speed skating medals table at Pyeongchang 2018, with Nana Takagi winning two golds, including the women's mass start ©Getty Images

Individuals who had negative test results will still be allowed compete in the long track World Cup event at Arena Lodowa as scheduled.

Quota spots for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing are due to be determined by the results from the four World Cup events scheduled to take place through until mid-December in Europe and North America.

Speed skating was Japan's most successful sport at the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang.

They won a total of six medals in the sport, including three gold.

Nao Kodaira won the women's 500 metres and Nana Takagi the women's mass start.

Takagi was also part of the women's team pursuit squad that claimed victory as Japan finished second in the speed skating medals table behind The Netherlands.