Expert Panel Recommendations on the Preservation and Development ofOzumo

For the Tradition and Future of Ozumo

An auspicious day of April 2021 (Reiwa 3)
The Expert Panel on the Preservation and Development of Ozumo

Contents
Preface to the English translation .................................................................... 1
Introduction ....................................................................................................... 3
Chapter 1. Where Ozumo should be going........................................................ 5
1. Multinationalization of Ozumo ................................................................. 5
2. Internationalization of Judo and overseas promotion of Kendo .............. 7
3. Acculturation in Ozumo ............................................................................ 8
4. ‘Nyu-Nihon-ka’ of Takamiyama and the dignity of Ozumo ..................... 11
5. Where Ozumo should be going ............................................................... 14
6. Preservation and development of Ozumo and international friendship 16
7. Fostering Japanese rikishi ..................................................................... 17
Chapter 2. Measures to be pursued ................................................................ 20
1. Improving Sumo stables ......................................................................... 20
2. Coaching foreign-born rikishi and encouraging
stablemasters’ self-improvement .......................................................... 22
3. Strengthening guidance and supervision of stablemasters ................... 23
4. Toshiyori-myoseki succession and one-generation toshiyori titles......... 24
5. Educating Japanese rikishi about Sumodo ............................................ 28
Chapter 3. Sport integrity and governance .................................................... 30
1. Improving sport integrity in the Ozumo universe.................................. 30
2. The Japan Sumo Association’s guidance for governance (governance code)............................................................................................................... 32
Conclusions...................................................................................................... 34

Appendices: Members’ opinions (summaries/excerpts) ................................. 36
YAMAUCHI Masayuki, chair:
Taste of Sumo culture, art of mutual understanding .............................. 36
IMAI Takashi, special advisor:
Establish a framework sustainable for 100 years ................................... 38
ATODA Takashi, member:
Reaffirm and share the philosophy .......................................................... 39
OH Sadaharu, member:
Overcome misconduct and practice hard ................................................. 40
MATSUMOTO Hakuo, member:
Kabuki and Ozumo................................................................................... 42
KONNO Misako, member:
As a fan of Ozumo for over half a century ............................................... 43
TADAKI Keiichi, member:
Culture of empathy and beauty of Sumo performances .......................... 44
OTANI Takehiko, member:
Bearers and supporters of the Sumo culture ........................................... 46
WATANABE Daigoro, a.k.a. theformer Takamiyama and former

stablemaster Azumazeki:
Ten Hearts ................................................................................................ 47

PREFACE
TO THE ENGLISH TRANSLATIONIn Japan, professional Sumo is called “Grand Sumo,” i.e. Ozumo, todistinguish it from the amateur version of Sumo in which those who practiceand compete may be male or female, students or adults.
Ozumo and amateur Sumo have much in common, in aspects such as
the size of sumo rings, called dohyo, and the spirit of Sumodo, meaning theSumo way. That said, this series of recommendations, nonetheless, strictly uses
the word “Ozumo,” in accordance with the contemporary usage of related terms,
to refer to Sumo tournaments organized by Nihon Sumo-Kyokai Japan, i.e. theJapan Sumo Association (JASA). In doing so, this series aims to separate“Sumo” – in its use as a common noun referring to the martial art in a
generalized way – from the more specific and historically rooted world of
Ozumo.
Various countries in the world have martial arts similar to theJapanese martial art of Sumo. People in each of those countries are proud of
their unique and traditional martial arts. Sumo, Ozumo and all of those ethnic
martial arts abroad are recognized as parts of culture. JASA and we membersof the Expert Panel on the Preservation and Development of Ozumo fully
respect cultural diversity and cultural rights as described in the Universal
Declaration on Cultural Diversity adopted by the General Conference of
UNESCO in 2001. Against the background of its ongoing multinationalization,
the Ozumo world continues to make every effort to “ensure harmonious
interaction among people and groups with plural, varied and dynamic cultural
identities as well as their willingness to live together” (Article 2 of the
Declaration).
Rikishi (Sumo wrestlers) belonging to JASA include not only many
foreign-born ones but also others having Japanese citizenship after being bornin Japan to parents from abroad. This series of recommendations, respecting
such cultural diversity, points out the importance for those who are fromforeign countries or born in Japan to parents from abroad to enter the world of
Ozumo while becoming familiarized with Japan’s culture, tradition andcustoms as an essential part of the process of becoming acquainted with thoseof Ozumo. This does not at all mean that those rikishi will be forced to renounce
their nationalities of origin or stop identifying with their ethnicities of origin.
“Entering” the world of Ozumo of one’s own will and at one’s sole discretionmeans that one elects to gradually “enter” Japan’s culture, tradition andcustoms related to Ozumo. As there exist no Japanese terms yet to describe
this particular process, the Panel uses newly coined Japanese-language
expressions of its own in this series of recommendations: “nyu-Nihon” (entering
Japan) and “nyu-Nihon-ka” (entering Japanese culture, tradition and customs).
The Panel provides recommendations, with full respect to cultural diversity, on
the process and framework for ensuring understanding and acceptance on thepart of those rikishi as defined above of the tradition, culture and customs of
Ozumo through the “nyu-Nihon” and “nyu-Nihon-ka” approaches, which are to
be detailed in the following pages.
Those rikishi who need to understand Japan’s culture, tradition and1customs are not limited to foreign-born ones. It is true that newly recruited
young Japanese disciples who hardly understand the very basis of the culture,
tradition and customs of Ozumo have been on the rise in recent years. Lastly,
I add that this series of recommendations was compiled out of self-reproof forsuch an unfortunate trend in the world of Ozumo.
An auspicious day of June 2021
Yamauchi Masayuki, representing the Expert Panel2

Introduction
Nihon Sumo-Kyokai Japan, i.e. the Japan Sumo Association,(hereafter referred to as JASA), a public interest incorporated association,
decided at its directorate meeting held on May 30, 2019 — in the first year of
the Reiwa era — to set up “an Expert Panel on the preservation anddevelopment of Ozumo.” Citing two specific themes, JASA asked the Panel to:(1) Work out a series of recommendations, from a broad perspective, on
how JASA should preserve and develop the tradition of Sumodo (theSumo way), while protecting Ozumo, which embodies Japan’s
traditional culture, at a time when the internationalization of the
Ozumo universe is progressing; and(2) Compile JASA’s own guidance for governance that is in line with
Sumodo, while respecting the Japan Sports Agency-initiatedgovernance code with which Japanese sports organizations are
required to comply.
Responding to the request of JASA, the ad hoc Expert Panel heldrounds of discussion from multiple angles, reviewing the tradition of Ozumo
and the multifaceted values embodied by Ozumo; identifying the mission
JASA will have to keep fulfilling and the conceivable challenges it will haveto deal with in the years ahead; and considering the path Sumodo should
follow in the new era of Reiwa. We subsequently came up with a series ofrecommendations to present to JASA.
Our recommendations are divided into three chapters.
Chapter 1 focuses on how the multinationalization of Ozumo has
proceeded since the latter half of the Showa era (1926-1989) thanks to thepresence of many powerful foreign-born rikishi (wrestlers). The chapter thenshows where Ozumo should be going from now on in an era in which economic
and cultural globalization has been gathering momentum worldwide.
Chapter 2 recommends a set of measures that will be indispensable
for JASA to implement to ensure the preservation and development of the
tradition of Sumodo while Ozumo is navigating in the new era.
Chapter 3 touches on sport integrity, which has recently emerged as
an international theme in the sports world, emphasizing the importance of
uprightness and soundness. The chapter then looks into what governancemeasures Ozumo should put in place to maintain and improve sport integrityin its sphere. It finally recommends specific guidance for governance or selfdiscipline — a governance code — with due consideration to thecircumstances that are particular to JASA.
First of all, it should be noted that we decided at the outset of our
discussions to avoid using the word “internationalization” in ourrecommendations on where Ozumo should be going. The reason is that theword tends to be used in a way that makes it ambiguously synonymous with
“de-Japanization” or “cosmopolitanization.” Instead, we refer to the hitherto
and ongoing presence of foreign-born rikishi from diverse countries as3

“multinationalization.”
At the same time, we describe the practice of accepting the traditionand customs of Ozumo of Japan on the part of foreign-born rikishi as theprinciple of “nyu-Nihon” (entering Japan) or “nyu-Nihon-ka” (entering
Japanese culture, tradition and customs). This principle means the opposite
of de-Japanization, but it is absolutely devoid of any implication of forcing
foreign-born rikishi to separate themselves from their own inherent cultures.
The adoption of the “nyu-Nihon” principle also aims to keep it from being
confused with the words “assimilation” and “Japanization” — both of which
are often misinterpreted to mean that foreigners are being forced to accept
Japanese culture. Chapter 1 explains in detail why the Panel thinks this way.
We sincerely hope that our recommendations will be understood andshared not only by all of the members of JASA but also by all of those whohave loved and continued supporting Ozumo.

4Chapter 1
Where Ozumo should be going
As we look back at the history of the multinationalization of Ozumo,
we remember that there were a number of foreign-born rikishi who thrilled
dedicated and casual Sumo fans alike with their bouts in the ring. On the flipside, it was regrettable that there were a few others who came under criticism
due to behavior that many of those fans found strange or discomforting. Whatkind of multinationalization do a large majority of Japanese want to happen
in the Ozumo world? Seeking to answer that question, this chapter looks into
the contrasting paths that Judo and Kendo chose to take on their ways to
becoming recognized in the world. It finally shows the direction in which
Ozumo should proceed to preserve and develop Sumodo.

1. Multinationalization of Ozumo
In 1964 (Showa 39), when Tokyo hosted the summer Olympic Games,a young Hawaiian native named Jesse — whose full name is Jesse James
Wailani Kuhaulua — arrived in Japan to become a new apprentice in Ozumo.
The young rikishi, better known by his ring name of Takamiyama,
consistently performed so well that he was promoted to sekiwake, the third
highest rank. His achievement marked the beginning of themultinationalization of Ozumo.
In this connection, it is worth noting that JASA came into being with
contributing to international friendship as one of the purposes of its
establishment. The “Organization Overview” section both on the official siteof JASA and in the “Sumo Techo” (handbook) compiled by JASA, says of its“Purposes and Operation”:“To uphold, inherit and develop the tradition and order of Sumodo, theinherently Japanese national sport that originated in Shinto rituals(festivals) in ancient times that were held to pray for bountiful
harvests, this incorporated association shall organize honbasho(Grand Sumo Tournaments) and jungyo (regional Sumo tours), foster
human resources responsible for carrying out such events, instruct
and spread Sumodo, preserve and utilize Sumo records and engage
international friendship…”
To that end, JASA obliges itself to maintain, manage and operate therelevant facilities and thus promote the culture of Sumo and help improve themental and physical well-being of the Japanese people. As such, both the5instruction and spread of Sumodo and the pursuit of international friendshipare important duties of Ozumo. Therefore, the multinationalization of Ozumo
through the development of both Japanese and foreign human resources is
not in contradiction with Sumodo. During the post-World War II decades ofJapan’s Showa era (1926-1989), Takamiyama and four other foreign-bornrikishi became sekitori, meaning that they were qualified to compete in the
top Ozumo division called makunouchi (makuuchi). During the Heisei era(1989-2019), the number of foreign-born sekitori jumped to 62. Foreign-bornrikishi, including those failing to advance to sekitori status, have so far
totaled 192 from the postwar years into the current Reiwa era, which began
in 2019. They came from a total of 24 different countries and territories
outside Japan. Of them, 65 were from Mongolia, 37 from the United Statesand 17 from Brazil.
Six of the foreign-born rikishi have become yokozuna (grandchampions) and five others have advanced to the second highest rank of ozeki(champions). A total of 14 foreign-born rikishi have so far won the Emperor’sCup, which is given to winners in the makunouchi division of each Grand
Sumo (Ozumo) Tournament. They have clinched Grand Sumo Tournament
victories 117 times. Mongolian-born yokozuna Hakuho had won theEmperor’s Cup 44 times as of the start of the July 2020 Grand Sumo
Tournament, according to JASA data as of February 2021.
The Ozumo rikishi population has ranged from the 600s to the 800s
since the latter half of the Showa era. The overall total has been gradually
increasing within the 600-700 range in the last decade. The numbers of
foreign-born rikishi have varied from year to year. For example, the numberof foreign-born rikishi reached an all-time high of 61 in 2008 (Heisei 20),
accounting for 8.7% of the rikishi population. That number has since been on
the decline, ranging from about 30 to 40 in recent years, accounting for 4% to
5% each year. Eight foreign-born rikishi have been given the post-retirement
status of oyakata (Sumo master). Of them, six have become stablemasters
called shisho, also known as heya-mochi toshiyori (stable-owning Sumoelders). Of those six, all but Takamiyama — who completed his Sumo life
when he reached the mandatory retirement age, taking the post-retirement
Sumo name of Azumazeki — are still active as shisho. The number of foreignborn rikishi gaining Japanese citizenship and becoming oyakata is most
likely to increase in the ongoing Reiwa era.
As seen above, when it comes to multinationalization, the Ozumo
world is expected to be on the same path as it has been to date. However, thePanel recommends that, for a series of reasons to be explained in and beyond
the following section, JASA should avoid a limitless increase in the presenceof foreign-born rikishi from the perspective of the necessity to preserve thetradition of Sumodo and ensure the big-picture development of Ozumo.
It is true that a decrease in the number of Japanese willing to become
rikishi has been offset by an increase in the number of foreign-born rikishi
and that their activities have helped improve the Sumo ring scenes. But on
the other hand, even though more than a few foreign-born rikishi havelearned the tradition of Sumodo from experience, some rikishi haveoccasionally behaved in a way that dedicated and casual Sumo fans findstrange and discomforting. In some cases, they have even come undercriticism for failing to take Sumodo seriously. We will consider why we have
had rikishi of that kind.

6

2. Internationalization of Judo and overseas promotion of Kendo
Sumo, like Judo and Kendo, originated from the traditional warrior’s
code of Budo (martial arts) or Bushido. As the Judo and Kendo societies inJapan chose contrasting ways to make their respective martial arts known
abroad, their subsequent experiences must offer an important lesson for the
future of Ozumo. To learn more about their experiences, the Panel invited Mr.
Yamashita Yasuhiro, president of the All Japan Judo Federation, who isconcurrently serving as president of the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC),
and Mr. Nakai Kenji, a lawyer who used to serve as a comptroller of the All
Japan Kendo Federation, to give lectures on how the two martial art societies
engaged with the world.
Mr. Yamashita told the Panel that Dr. Kano Jigoro (1860-1938), thefounder of Kodokan Judo — who also served as principal of the Tokyo
Higher Normal School, which was the forerunner of the Universityof Tsukuba — was the first Asian to become a member of the International
Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1909 (Meiji 42). Dr. Kano was known to havebeen so internationally minded that he kept a diary in English throughout
his life. Obviously, against this background, the internationalization of Judobegan quite early.
The International Judo Federation (IJF) was inaugurated in 1951
(Showa 26) at the initiative of 17 European countries. Today, the IJF has morethan 200 member countries and territories. It thus ranks among the top few
international sports organizations, including FIFA, in terms of its number ofmember countries and territories.
In the field of Judo, an international strategy was adopted totransform the Japanese martial art into a sport capable of appealing to as
many spectators around the world as possible in a more dynamic, moreinterest-catching way. As a result, aspects of IJF Judo, such as the scoring
criteria for waza (technique) points and the rules on prohibited waza, becameless in conformity with those that had been in place in Japan — the birthplaceof Judo. As time went by, it became increasingly difficult for Japanese Judosociety to have its opinions heard abroad.
A high-profile example was the IJF’s push, despite Japan’s objection,for introducing colored Judo uniforms rather than only white ones andadopting a complicated points decision system with less emphasis on clearcut ippon victories based on decisive moves. Those decisions meant the loss ofthe virtues and qualities inherent in Japanese Judo.
The outbound approach of Judo, according to Mr. Yamashita, helped
spread to the rest of the world the traditional style of Judo performance: One
needs to wear a Judo uniform, stand barefoot on tatami mats, bow inJapanese style while both standing and sitting, compete while using certain
Japanese words, respect each opponent and respect manners. It is undeniable
that the outbound spread of Judo was initially useful to promote theinternational understanding of Japan and deepen international friendship.
Nevertheless, the internationalization of Judo has changed it fromwhat it used to be as an inherently Japanese martial art. Judo no longer
embodies the pure aspects of Japanese culture. Once Judo became a “deJapanized” sport, some Judo federation officials in certain European
countries began publicly insisting that the growing popularity of Judo had
nothing to do with embodying Japanese culture and spirit.
In contrast, Japan’s Kendo society adopted an outbound approachclearly different from that of Judo. Mr. Nakai told the Panel that the All
Japan Kendo Federation (AJKF) intentionally refrains from using the word7

“internationalization” in the first place. The federation commonly uses suchterms as “overseas spread,” “international spread” and “international
responses” instead. The thinking behind this is that the AJKF places
importance on “spreading” Kendo abroad as a martial art cultivated inJapan’s traditional culture — it never imagines de-Japanizing Kendo.
The most important part of the effort to spread Kendo abroad has been,
and is, the adoption of a rulebook for refereeing Kendo matches, called “TheRegulations of Kendo Shiai and Shinpan [matches and referees].” Especiallysignificant is its definition of ippon-gachi or winning by ippon. The AJKF
rulebook stipulates ippon-gachi to be “striking a valid target” with “full spirit”
and “correct posture” and “using zanshin,” which means mental readinessand physical preparedness.
In other words, even when a shinai (bamboo sword) hits one of thedesignated striking areas on the opponent, it must not be recognized as ippon
if the shinai’s correct hasuji (sharp blade angle) is not used, and moreover, if
no sign of zanshin is observed even after the use of correct hasuji.
The Kendo term zanshin is said to refer to the post-striking postureor tension each winning kenshi (swordsperson) needs to maintain in
preparation for a hypothetically possible counterattack by the opponent. It isdifficult for lay people to understand the skill of Kendo referees to makedecisions by judging the state of the inner mind of each kenshi and the process
for Kendo kenshi to acquire the ability to have a zanshin mindset seconds
after hitting a strike.
The AJKF rulebook emphasizes the spiritual characteristics of Kendo
because it believes that the idea of Kendo is to support a path for humandevelopment through the practice of the martial art.
Mr. Nakai said that what does matter in the Kendo world is neither
who wins or loses in each competition nor if it is possible to become the holder
of a certain dan (grade). The utmost purpose of Kendo is human development.
Therefore, Kendo can be described as a martial art for individuals to practicefor themselves, not a sport for entertaining spectators. Japan’s Kendo society
has pursued and preserved the idea of Kendo to ultimately support humandevelopment. It has also continued to prioritize the preservation of the qualityof Kendo cultivated by traditional Japanese culture out of serious concernthat the essence of Kendo would be lost if it were “de-Japanize” itself for thesake of easily spreading abroad. In this way, its efforts almost exactly matchthe direction we on the Panel think the Ozumo world should go in.
The International Kendo Federation, often known by its Frenchabbreviation of FIK (Féderation Internationale de Kendo), was established in1970 (Showa 45). Currently, it has about 60 member countries and territories.
The FIK rulebook used for its world championships is almost identical to “TheRegulations of Kendo Shiai and Shinpan” of the AJKF. Japan is primarily
responsible for coaching referees across the world. Moreover, the dan grade
qualification systems adopted by FIK member countries and territories arenearly identical to that of Japan.
3. Acculturation in Ozumo
Using the abovementioned contrasting approaches of the Japanese
Judo and Kendo societies as guides for considering how to deal with themultinationalization of Ozumo, we see two possible paths that JASA could
theoretically follow.
8

The first path would be to continue to preserve and develop Sumodo
in the same way as in the past. In this case, the Ozumo world’s traditions,
including its time-honored ethos and techniques — which originated from
Shinto rituals and have been naturally accepted by a large majority ofJapanese — would be the principles JASA must uphold in the future no
matter how multinationalized Ozumo becomes. The existing systems of
Ozumo, including the ones related to oyakata (Sumo masters) and Sumo-beya(Sumo stables), would remain.
The second path would lead to the transformation of the history andtradition of Ozumo. In this case, JASA would respect the individuality of eachrikishi from diverse countries and territories, reflecting the tradition,customs, mindsets and culture inherent in each of the various places fromwhich they hail. The Ozumo world also would move, in the progress of thiskind of multinationalization, to accept the existence of multifaceted elementsthat would be added to Ozumo and formulate new common regulations andrules for a de-Japanized “new Sumo” world. The existing systems related tooyakata and Sumo-beya would be reviewed in accordance with the progressof such multinationalization.
The Ozumo world has thus far followed the first path. Sumodo has
been preserved and developed as the main pillar of Ozumo, while foreign-bornrikishi have been fostered under the traditional systems related to oyakata
and Sumo-beya. The Ozumo world also has turned out multiple foreign-born
shisho (stablemasters) who have taken Japanese citizenship.
The Panel does not believe that Ozumo should choose the second path,even in the future. We do not think that the second path will lead to thepositive development of Ozumo. We cannot envisage such an outcome no
matter how many ways we consider it in.
If JASA chooses the second path, the likely consequence would be thespread of the belief that the most important thing is to win — a phenomenon
that is seen in parts of the internationalized Judo world. This is highly likely
to result in the introduction to the Ozumo world of not only points-based
decisions as a winning criterion but also a weight-division system, based on
physical differences, with winners to be determined in separate weightclasses. Such artificial across-the-board rules have already been adopted
worldwide by certain types of sports, including Judo. If they were to begin
governing the Ozumo world as well, such a change would rob Ozumo
supporters forever of David-and-Goliath fights between rikishi of divergent
weights. Ozumo fans are particularly fond of watching scenes in which rikishi
of relatively small stature — like Mainoumi, who was active in the Ozumo
world in the 1990s, as well as current rikishi Enho and Uno, to name just a
few — overpower their towering opponents. Such a thrilling aspect of Ozumo
is possible only under the existing competition system — namely, open-weightround-robin tournaments. If Ozumo were to adopt points-decision and weightdivision rules, it would instantly bring an end to Sumodo — the way ofdeveloping oneself as a human being that attaches importance to the pursuitof what should be attained beyond competition, instead of myopically defining
Ozumo as a venue where victories in simple contests of strength are all thatmatter.
It should be noted further that when the word “internationalization”
is used, it often is associated with transnational activities by people who want
to behave freely as cosmopolitans or be free from the limitations of nationality.
For some Japanese individuals, this can mean behaving as de-Japanizedcosmopolitans or people cut loose from the limitations of Japanese citizenship,
meaning that they in general do not care about Japan’s culture as it has been9

refined by its history and tradition. In the Ozumo world, multinationalization
has now been continuing unabated for decades, with foreign-born rikishi
joining it from various countries and territories year after year. As a result,many people think that the Ozumo world has already become diverse andplural.
However, in reality, Ozumo has not been going along the second path.
It has never deviated from the first path — the path toward uniform
harmonization of the Ozumo world in a way true to its longstanding core andessence. The Panel believes that Ozumo must keep on the first path now andforever.
While Ozumo need not de-Japanize and distance itself from Japan’sculture, tradition and customs, it is important to know the ways of thinkingof foreign-born rikishi as they elect to join Japan’s traditional competition,entering the history inherent in Ozumo. Foreign-born rikishi are expected toaccept the tradition and customs of this “inherently Japanese national sport”(Article 3 of the Articles of Incorporation of JASA) and associate themselveswith Japanese culture accordingly.
However, it would be short-sighted to jump to the conclusion that
becoming a disciple of the Ozumo world — the process that is regarded as the
beginning of one’s acceptance of part of Japan’s traditions — is equivalent toforcible “Japanization.” Such a perception tends to lead people to imagine asituation in which there exist regulations for “assimilation” as well as thepower to enforce them. This is an incorrect and unacceptable perception as it
has nothing at all to do with the attitudes of JASA and shisho (stablemasters),
who respect each rikishi’s decision of his own will to enter the Ozumo world.
What the Panel envisages is to adopt a new definition of “entry to the Ozumo
world” as a process synonymous with “entry to Japan,” meaning, to put it inmetaphorical Japanese, “nyu-Nihon” and “nyu-Nihon-ka” for foreign-bornrikishi. These Japanese terms refer to the practices of foreign-born rikishi
themselves choosing to “enter” or “come into” Japan’s culture, tradition andcustoms, which are the linchpin of Ozumo as one of Japan’s national sports,
by deciding on their own to “enter” or “come into” the Ozumo world.
The reason why the Panel uses the completely new Japanese terms“nyu-Nihon” and “nyu-Nihon-ka” is because, in reality, there exist no exact
Japanese words that can be used to properly describe the situation of, forexample, “a Mongolian-born Japanese Ozumo rikishi” or “a Georgian-born
Japanese Ozumo rikishi,” without contradicting the current state of themultinationalization of Ozumo, which is characterized by the presence of
foreign-born rikishi from a large variety of countries and territories.
The Panel uses “nyu-Nihon” and “nyu-Nihon-ka” as terms that in noway mean forced “assimilation,” or the renunciation of each rikishi’snationality of origin. Likewise, the Panel wishes that each foreign-bornrikishi tackles the same tasks as Japanese rikishi for absorbing Sumo’s
tradition and practices.
A number of foreign countries and territories have martial arts of
their own that are similar to the Japanese martial art of Sumo. For example,
Mongolia has a traditional grappling martial art, called Bokh, that needs nodohyo rings. People in Senegal practice Laamb (Senegalese wrestling) using
circular rings.
Should practitioners of those martial arts abroad choose to become
rikishi in Ozumo, they would likely experience empathy with and acculturatethemselves to the history and tradition of Ozumo of Japan. In other words,
through this process of “nyu-Nihon,” those foreign-born people from Mongolia,
Georgia and so on can qualify themselves to become Ozumo rikishi in Japan.
10Wherever they were born, foreign-born rikishi can proceed with the “nyuNihon” process — which again is distinct from “Japanization” and“assimilation” — by entering the Ozumo world.
Consequently, like their Japanese-born peers, successful foreign-bornrikishi, reaching the top makunouchi (makuuchi) division and the second-tierjuryo division also are allowed to wear the oicho (ginkgo leaf) topknot
hairstyle as the symbol of their prestigious status. Rikishi, Japanese-born
and foreign-born alike, wear another traditional topknot haircut known aschonmage while they are ranked below the juryo division. Rikishi in the twohighest divisions must dress in the traditional formal attire of haori coat andhakama trousers on ceremonial occasions and wear kimono for everyday
outings.
In the case of foreign-born rikishi with experience of participating asfighters in their home countries’ martial arts that are similar to Ozumo, it isunderstandable that they remain patriotically affectionate and loyal toward
those national martial arts and sports. However, as long as foreign-bornpeople aim to become Ozumo rikishi in Japan, it is natural for them to follow
the process of “nyu-Nihon-ka” in their Sumodo quest by becoming acquainted
with Ozumo’s unique competition regulations and customs that have been
established through the history and traditions of Japan.
At first glance, this kind of acculturation looks similar to the way the
Kendo world has developed. But, in the case of Kendo, foreign kenshi(swordspersons) usually practice Kendo in their own countries instead ofbeing required to dwell in Japan. Moreover, Kendo is not a professional sport.
For these reasons, the Kendo world has been free from the issue of “nyuNihon.” In contrast, when would-be foreign-born rikishi choose to join the
Ozumo world, they need to come to Japan and live in one of the Sumo-beyastables. This in turn means that those foreign-born rikishi exactly undergo
the process of “nyu-Nihon” to enter the Ozumo world by adapting themselves
to becoming members of the Japanese martial art world, which is new to them.
The Ozumo world has accepted many foreign-born rikishi to date.
Those rikishi, regardless of where they come from, be it Hawaii or Mongolia
or elsewhere, have fascinated Ozumo fans with their dazzling ring
performances — the outcome of their “nyu-Nihon” endeavors. Japanese fansof Ozumo have been, and are, pleased first by the efforts on the part of foreignborn rikishi to become acquainted with Japan’s traditions, customs, ways ofthinking and culture to the level of “nyu-Nihon-ka,” and second by theimportant role they continue to play in ensuring the preservation of the
tradition of Ozumo as Japan’s national sport.
The process for foreign-born people to become Ozumo rikishi in Japan
can be defined as part of a kind of acculturation. In this case, acculturationmeans a change in one culture when it experiences contact with a different
culture. The Ozumo world has experienced case after case of acculturation on
the part of foreign-born rikishi, regardless of where they have come from inthe world, as they have undergone the processes of “nyu-Nihon” and “nyuNihon-ka” while adapting to Ozumo of Japan in terms of culture, Sumo
techniques and long-lasting traditions. The first foreign-born rikishi who
went through all of these steps was Takamiyama.
4. ‘Nyu-Nihon-ka’ of Takamiyama and the dignity of Ozumo
Mr. Watanabe Daigoro, who is better known by his Ozumo ring name11

of Takamiyama and his post-retirement title and stablemaster name of
Azumazeki, told the Panel, “I wanted to become an oyakata (Sumo master)
only after learning Japan’s culture, history and life — everything about
Japan.” With this mindset, Takamiyama continued his active rikishi career
until he was almost 40 years old. Four years before leaving the ring, he earned
Japanese citizenship. About two years after his retirement, he became ashisho (stablemaster), teaching his disciples about Sumo culture. Whilerunning his own stable, he reportedly said, “[As far as Sumo coaching isconcerned,] it doesn’t matter if my disciples are American or Japanese” and“I want to teach them about patience and endurance, faithfulness andhumanity, and the traditions and qualities of Ozumo society. That’s my wayof returning what [Ozumo society] did for me.” It can be said that
Takamiyama successfully underwent the process of “nyu-Nihon-ka” during
his rikishi career and, after becoming a naturalized Japanese citizen, he chose
to “Japanize” himself as the stablemaster Azumazeki.
In the Azumazeki stable, disciples chanted a motto, titled “TenHearts,” every day. The motto consisted of 10 polite Japanese phrases, each
one calling a particular virtue to mind:(1) “Ohayo” (good morning): (affection)(2) “Hai” (yes): (straightforwardness)(3) “Sumimasen” (sorry): (remorse)(4) “Dozo” (please): (humility)(5) “Watakushi ga shimasu” (let me do it): (devotion)(6) “Arigato” (thank you): (gratitude)(7) “Okagesamade” (a modest way of returning greetings when one is
asked “How are you?” or “How is your business going?”):(modesty)(8) “Otsukaresan” (a workplace greeting with meanings that include,“See you tomorrow”): (a sense of caring)(9) “Nanikuso” (I won’t give up): (endurance)(10) “Uso o tsukuna” (Don’t lie): (honesty)
These rules of behavior have much in common with what the Ozumo
world has emphasized as the spirit of decorum in its “classic” code of conduct.
In other words, this everyday scene at the Azumazeki stable demonstrates
that the Hawaiian-born rikishi accomplished his “nyu-Nihon-ka” endeavor oflearning Japan’s traditions and history in the Ozumo world, whereas
Japanese rikishi join it after learning such matters in Japanese society — athome, at school and so on.
With his “Ten Hearts” motto, Takamiyama provided an easy-tounderstand explanation about the spirit of the Japanese martial art of Sumoin which decorum and dignity matter — as seen when each match begins andends with a bow of respect.
Although, needless to say, victories matter in sports, many Ozumo
fans, ardent and casual alike, abhor scenes in the dohyo ring in which winners
ostentatiously gloat over their victories. Such behavior is considered to lackboth dignity and consideration for the loser, no matter how exultant thewinner feels. There are certain acts that may be allowable in some othersports but can hardly be accepted in Ozumo, a martial art that, as mentioned
above, begins and ends with a bow of respect. Unseemly scenes in Ozumo
have included an improper tachiai initial charge in which a rikishi refuses tobe in tune with his opponent, fist pumps or raised fists on the part of a winner,and complaints expressed against a gyoji referee’s decision by a disgruntled
rikishi returning to the ringside.
Yokozuna grand champions are strongly expected to set an example
12

of the highest level of decency for other rikishi in the Ozumo world.
In recent years, certain yokozuna have taken the initiative to engage
in volunteer activities in host cities and towns during JASA’s regional Ozumo
tours, one of the association’s two all-important permanent programs alongwith the Grand Sumo Tournament series. For example, they have encouraged
local people in various areas in the country who lost their houses and even
their beloved family members in natural disasters, including the Great East
Japan Earthquake of 2011. Their dedication deserves praise.
However, in sharp contrast, there are times when we are stunned tohear severe criticism from Ozumo fans about some rikishi’s discomforting
moves in the ring, regardless of their standings in the banzuke rankings.
Fans are disgusted to see rikishi using such moves as “harite” (slapping the
opponent’s face with an open hand) and “dame-oshi” (pushing an alreadydefeated opponent). Although they do not constitute fouls in the JASA
rulebook regarding kinjite (forbidden moves) and other prohibited acts, they
are unbecoming of high-ranking rikishi. Even today, a majority of Ozumo fansfeel a strong affinity toward Ozumo’s “martial art nature,” which
idealistically rejects a mentality that prioritizes victories alone. Yet thisvictory-oriented mentality causes some rikishi feel free to do whatever theywant as long as they win.
A yokozuna champion, as an Ozumo rikishi of the highest rank, is
exempt from being demoted on the banzuke rankings no matter how poorly
he performs or how many times he is absent from Grand Sumo Tournaments,
usually due to injury. Until recently, from the viewpoint of respecting eachyokozuna’s status and self-directed responsibility, it had been thought to benatural for them to make a serious, well-considered decision on their own toretire if their performance deteriorated. However, particularly in 2020 and
2021 (Reiwa 2 and 3), the deeds of rikishi at the rank of yokozuna and theirdecisions to be absent from Grand Sumo Tournaments irritated Ozumo fans
who place importance on the dignity and martial art nature unique to Ozumo
as actions inconsistent with the traditions of Ozumo.
The fact that JASA’s Articles of Incorporation and its relevant
regulations have no provision pertaining to the demotion of yokozuna does
not mean that yokozuna are guaranteed to indefinitely continue their active
careers. Each yokozuna is obliged to show leadership to all subordinate
rikishi by performing “dohyo-iri” (entering the ring) ceremonies andcompeting in bouts each day during Grand Sumo Tournaments and regional
tours, living up to the expectations of Japanese society. It is the responsibilityof shisho (stablemasters) to keep yokozuna mindful of the weight of theirposition.
In this connection, it is noteworthy that several days into a recent
Grand Sumo Tournament, an ozeki happened to find himself in the positionof the active rikishi with the highest standing in the tournament because thetwo reigning yokozuna both withdrew halfway through it. The ozeki, who had
been performing poorly up until then, made up his mind to go through withhis newfound duty to remain in the ring as the rikishi with the highest
standing. After doing so, he announced his retirement. What he did is theexact way any rikishi should fulfill his responsibility in keeping with his
Ozumo status.

13

5. Where Ozumo should be going
Based on our review of and discussions about the recent and current
state of the Ozumo world, the Panel thinks Ozumo should go in the direction
to be spelled out below.
As for the future of Ozumo, when comparing the outbound paths
taken by Japan’s Judo and Kendo societies, Ozumo should not follow the pathof “internationalization” adopted by Judo. Ozumo should go in a direction
similar to the one Kendo chose for “overseas promotion” and “international
responses.” The Ozumo world has already experienced years of recruiting
foreign-born young people with physical prowess — some with experience intheir own national martial arts. Those foreign-born newcomers to Ozumo
have been trained through countless rounds of practice to become full-fledged
rikishi. In that sense, each shisho (stablemaster) who has coached andbrought out the best in new foreign-born disciples can be likened to a master
lapidary – a cutter and polisher of gemstones.
In the Ozumo world, no system has ever existed requiring foreignborn newcomers to spend early days as amateurs to accumulate enoughexperience to become professional rikishi. Newcomers, Japanese-born andforeign-born alike, have been treated as fresh disciples — novices — in theprofessional Sumo world. In the case of rikishi hailing from Hawaii or
Mongolia, for instance, they have been called “Hawaiian-born JapaneseOzumo rikishi” or “Mongolian-born Japanese Ozumo rikishi.” Foreign-born
disciples have lived together with their Japanese peers at stables in Japan.
For foreign-born rikishi, such stables have served not only as gateways to the
Ozumo world but also as indispensable places to experience the process of
growing as Japanese Ozumo rikishi. Against this background, it can be said
that, unlike the “overseas promotion” effort of Japan’s Kendo society, Japan’s
Ozumo community has provided foreign-born rikishi with what amounts to awell-thought-out “nyu-Nihon-ka” environment of its own amidst themultinationalization of and acculturation in Ozumo. In other words, evenamidst growing globalization, Ozumo has evolved to become minimallysusceptible to simplistic cultural pluralism or multiculturalism.
Ozumo fans have been excited to see newly recruited foreign-bornrikishi turn out to be powerful rikishi showing amazing Japanese Ozumo
performances in the ring. Nevertheless, there have been regrettable
exceptions. For instance, a foreign-born rikishi celebrated by raising or
pumping his fists seconds after winning bouts, and waved the national flag of
his home country during a victory parade in Tokyo. Another foreign-bornrikishi, appearing in tournament victory interviews in the ring, asked
spectators to join him for three banzai shouts on one occasion and even carriedout a “sanbonjime” ceremonial cheer, which involves a triple hand-clap, with
spectators on another occasion. Many Ozumo fans felt let down as they foundall such acts strange, discomforting and unbecoming of Japanese Ozumo
rikishi. Those reactions were natural and understandable, considering that
Ozumo fans always look forward to seeing foreign-born rikishi going throughthe “nyu-Nihon-ka” process in a dignified manner.
Now that the Ozumo world has opened its door to foreign-born rikishi,
it should not shut the door in the future. In cases when foreign-born rikishi
with experience in martial arts and the like abroad manage to impeccably
undergo the “nyu-Nihon-ka” process and powerfully perform as JapaneseOzumo rikishi, their presence certainly contributes to making Ozumo more
attractive.
That said, however, from the viewpoint of preserving and developing14the tradition of Sumodo, JASA should avoid a limitless increase in the numberof foreign-born rikishi. It rather should envisage the future of Ozumo as an
idiosyncratic Japanese sport competition — a Japanese-style martial art that
embodies a variety of elements, including traditional culture, Shinto
decorum, entertainment, spiritualty and the beauty of form — that has
proved to be effective in achieving a harmonious balance between“multinationalization” and “nyu-Nihon-ka.”
The Panel thinks Ozumo should not sacrifice its distinctive nature asa one-of-a-kind competition method, or its essence as the inherently Japanesenational sport originating from the history of Japan, for the sake of spreading
itself internationally. The Ozumo world, while accepting foreign-born rikishi,
should pursue developing them as Japanese Ozumo rikishi by motivatingthem to undergo the “nyu-Nihon-ka” process. The Ozumo world has continued
to adapt to the multinationalization of rikishi without obliging foreign-bornrikishi to earn Japanese citizenship when entering Ozumo.
As mentioned in Chapter 1-3, foreign-born rikishi are expected toaccept the tradition and customs of “the national sport inherent in Japan”
and associate with Japanese culture through the “nyu-Nihon-ka” process. The
Panel also expects them to develop the qualities and abilities to becomeoyakata (Sumo masters) and shisho (stablemasters) in the future — a way
they can definitely contribute to the preservation and development of Sumodo.
To do so, foreign-born rikishi need to change and develop from the inside.
In their “nyu-Nihon-ka” process, foreign-born rikishi are notnecessarily required to earn Japanese citizenship. That being the case, why
is Japanese citizenship imperative as a qualification for foreign-born former
rikishi to assume those management positions within JASA?
The reason is that they are in a position responsible for coaching andinteracting with foreign-born disciples at their stables — where they live
together with those disciples and supervise day-to-day practices — both inand out of the ring. There are two types of oyakata — those who run theirown stables (shisho) and others who have no stables of their own but belong
to one of the stables as coaches. Both shisho and other oyakata are obliged tocoach rikishi, Japanese- and foreign-born alike, to ensure that they absorb
Sumodo, the way of Sumo, which is “the national sport inherent in Japan.”To perform that duty, all oyakata — especially shisho, also known asheya-mochi toshiyori (stable-owning Sumo elders) — must understandJapan’s inherent fudo (values and spirit) and customs. Therefore, they are
required to take firm root in Japanese society. If foreign-born oyakata andshisho place importance on developing plural identities and favoring acosmopolitanism that lacks special attachment to Japan’s tradition and fudo,
they are unlikely to be able to fully teach their disciples about what Ozumo is
and what the spirit of Japan and the spirit of Ozumo are.
In this regard, earning Japanese citizenship means the symbolic andsubstantive choice to live in Japan with a firm determination to take root in
its soil. JASA gives the status of oyakata to those who have excellent rikishi
track records and sufficient qualities and abilities as supervisors. Oyakata
then are eligible to stay with JASA until the age of 65. Each heya (stable)
embodies all the qualities of its shisho. This means that shisho are totally
responsible for everything related to their stables, ranging from managing
their own stables to developing and coaching disciples. When foreign-bornrikishi, going through the “nyu-Nihon-ka” process under this system togradually absorb Japan’s culture and tradition, become shisho with Japanesecitizenship, the fundamentals of JASA can be enhanced further in real — notabstract— terms.
15

Further, toshiyori as members of the General Meeting of Toshiyori
have voting rights in electing Toshiyori Director candidates to be confirmedby the JASA Council (Article 3-1 of the Regulations Concerning the General
Meeting of Toshiyori, Ichimon and Toshiyori-kai). The word ichimon in thetitle of that article means a clan, grouping a certain number of stables.
Those qualified to be oyakata participate in the Ozumo world’s
decision-making process for preserving, inheriting and developing the
tradition and order of Sumodo, the way of the inherently Japanese national
sport of Sumo. They may also assume public roles to promote related
activities for such a purpose. Specifically, they are appointed by JASA to be
directors, deputy directors, i-in (committee members), shunin (managers) andtoshiyori holding other positions in the public interest incorporated
association, such as belonging to relevant divisions or committees of theorganization. Given the importance of oyakata’s responsibility in the Ozumo
world, the possession of Japanese citizenship is a necessary precondition.
6. Preservation and development of Ozumo and international friendship
Let’s again touch on the definition of Sumodo, which was discussed in
Chapter 1-3. Sumodo is a way of developing oneself as a human being that
attaches importance to the pursuit of attainments beyond competition,
instead of myopically defining Ozumo as a venue where victories in simple
contests of strength are all that matter.
Japan’s Ozumo world has consistently emphasized the significance of
Sumodo. The reason is related to the fact that Sumo is a martial art
developing from the tradition of Bushido.
“Azuma Kagami” (literally, The Mirror of the East), a historicalchronicle of events that that occurred in the Kamakura period (circa 11851333), repeatedly uses the descriptive phrase “masters of Kyuba (equestrianarchery) and Sumo” (Vols. 19, 25, etc.). The fact that Sumo, along with Kyuba,
was an art practiced by bushi also was highlighted in Volume 12 of “Teijo
Zakki” (literally, Teijo’s Miscellaneous Notes), a 16-volume history
encyclopedia compiled during the Edo period (1603-1868). Its author,
historian Ise Sadatake (whose given name can also be pronounced as “Teijo”),
specialized in medieval-age imperial court and warrior customs. The Japan
Budo Association defines Budo as “the way” of practitioners “striving to unify
mind, technique and body; to develop their character; to enhance their senseof morality; and to cultivate a respectful and courteous demeanor.”
The Articles of Incorporation of JASA mention preservation anddevelopment along with international friendship in Article 3 as being among
the purposes of JASA’s incorporation. This clarifies that Sumodo and theinternational character of Ozumo are not contradictory to each other. As apublic interest incorporated association, JASA is obliged to attain all of its
stated purposes, including preservation and development and international
friendship, pursuant to Article 3.
In this connection, as mentioned earlier, the Ozumo world should
uphold Japan’s classic traditions, ethos and techniques and preserve anddevelop the essence of Sumodo. Foreign-born rikishi are required to engage
in the “nyu-Nihon-ka” process to join the Ozumo world’s efforts to attain thoseparticular purposes. Sumodo requires more than a “yes or no” dichotomy.
Instead of mechanically choosing between whether one “may do this” or “maynot,” rikishi need to develop flexible acumen and integrity — by gathering
16experience through day-to-day practice in front of shisho at stables andOzumo bouts — to judge whether they “should not” do something or “hadbetter not.” The Ozumo world has traditionally eschewed a “might makes
right” attitude among rikishi.
Ozumo is a profoundly multifaceted world: Rikishi take part in a
popular spectator activity while also seeking after truth through Sumodo; it
is a sport while also embodying traditional culture; and it retains Shinto
rituals while also providing various entertaining ceremonies, such as thedohyo-iri (entering the ring) ceremony, the rare sandan-gamae ceremony —performed by the two highest-ranked rikishi to show “three stages of fighting
posture” including firing oneself up and defending — and the yumitori-shiki(bow twirling) performed at the close of each day’s Grand Sumo Tournament
program. Against this background, it is inevitable for the Ozumo world to
expect foreign-born rikishi to engage in firsthand learning of deep andversatile expertise and knowledge of Ozumo through the “nyu-Nihon-ka”
process.
The Panel sincerely hopes that foreign-born people with the desire
and determination to perform in the Ozumo world will continue developing
themselves through “nyu-Nihon-ka” as rikishi becoming of Ozumo of Japan.
We look forward to seeing such foreign-born Japanese Ozumo rikishi taking
on the important mission, true to the Articles of Incorporation of JASA, ofpromoting international friendship by performing abroad and showing to therest of the world how attractive Ozumo is.
7. Fostering Japanese rikishi
The recruitment and development of excellent rikishi talent is themost important part of the responsibility for maintaining Ozumo’s traditions,spirit and techniques and preserving and developing Sumodo. JASA
recognizes and pursues this as one of the main purposes — andresponsibilities — of the organization, pursuant to Article 4, Section 2 of the
Articles of Incorporation, which calls for “the development of talent essential
for preserving the tradition and order of Sumodo.”
As long as JASA is dedicated to and responsible for preserving anddeveloping Japanese Sumodo, it is obvious that Japanese-born rikishi must
always account for the majority of the rikishi population. Therefore, it isvitally important for JASA to recruit and develop Japanese-born rikishi. It iseven more important to do so from now on to keep the mainstay of Ozumo
steadfastly supported by Japanese-born rikishi, especially if JASA continues
to accept the multinationalization of Ozumo and promote the “nyu-Nihon-ka”
process on the part of foreign-born rikishi and, therefore, needs to require
foreign-born oyakata and shisho to play a greater role, together with their
Japanese-born peers in the Association, to preserve and develop Sumodo.
In reality, however, it has become increasingly difficult to recruit
young Japanese with enough of the qualities and motivation essential to
become rikishi. The reason is because Japanese society has been inundatedwith diverse cultural trends and multiple popular sports even while its birthrate has been on the decrease and young people have been placing importanceon higher education and greater stability in their lives. To put it differently,
JASA and shisho now are experiencing the difficulty of maintaining the
traditional level of Ozumo by developing young rikishi day after day under
the heya (stable) system.
17

Against this backdrop, shisho need to be fully aware of their
responsibility for being at the heart of developing rikishi by preserving
Ozumo’s tradition of generation-to-generation, master-to-disciple instruction.
Those rikishi who now are active in the ring also need to remember that theirperformance and behavior influence the aspirations and ambitions of younger
people outside the Ozumo world to become rikishi. JASA needs to make every
possible effort to tackle the difficulty of recruiting new disciples.
In Japanese society, parents now hesitate to let their sons join the
Ozumo world as disciples. One reason is their concern about issues of healthand safety management for rikishi in the event of injury or other problems.
In recent years, the average weight of rikishi has increased, resulting in an
apparent increase in injuries among them. When injuries force rikishi to beabsent from Grand Sumo Tournaments, it can seriously lower their banzuke
rankings or, in the worst case, even terminate their careers. It goes without
saying that the absence from Grand Sumo Tournaments of those rikishi whoare popular and likely to be promoted to higher rankings diminishes some
spectators’ interest in Ozumo to a considerable extent, a negative
development in terms of JASA revenue from ticket sales.
The increase in the number of rikishi suffering injuries can be
attributed to an improvement in the power of their physiques and a gain inweight, which may cause a too-forceful impact at the moment of a clash
between two massive rikishi, leaving virtually no way for one or both of themto soften the force of the blow. On this particular point, there is also a viewthat the increase in injuries is a phenomenon that indicates a lack of practiceat stables.
On the other hand, there has been progress in the area of medical
support to prevent injuries among rikishi. Shisho and JASA should make fullmedical support available for them. Particularly in the case of injury among
lower-ranked rikishi during Grand Sumo Tournaments and regional tours,
JASA should give them special care until recovery. The Panel sincerely
expects JASA to prioritize healthcare management to prevent injuries. Thisis a matter of life and death for every rikishi.
JASA has been studying a proposal for improving and enhancing its
clinic, Nihon Sumo Kyokai Shinryojo, better known simply as the Sumo Clinic.
Today, parents do not want to let their sons join Ozumo immediately after
finishing compulsory education at junior high school — they want their sonsto graduate from senior high school and stay healthy and free from injury. It
is an encouraging development that the JASA clinic employed a full-time
physician in April 2021 (Reiwa 3). At the same time, considering that rikishi
are mostly prone to injury in the ring, JASA needs to improve the clinic’s
capabilities in the fields of orthopedic treatment and rehabilitation of injured
rikishi. To facilitate the efforts to recruit disciples and develop new rikishi,
the Panel expects JASA to realize the proposed reform of the Sumo Clinic as
early as possible.
In the case of recruiting junior high school graduates as disciples,
there should be a set of special discipleship measures for them, including
helping them earn senior high school diplomas, to ensure that they can keep
growing as both rikishi and good citizens and prepare for their future lives.
At the same time, it is essential for JASA to ensure that their parents have asense of assurance about the environment surrounding their sons who arerecruited by the Ozumo world. These days, the number of young people wholove Sumo and aspire to become Ozumo rikishi when they are elementary or
junior high school students is regrettably small.
As a result, most new disciples recruited just after graduating from18

junior high school are precious talent found by shisho and heya-tsuki oyakata(Sumo masters belonging to specific stables as coaches) on their own. Shisho
and oyakata spend many hours and even days traveling to various parts ofJapan to scout for promising talent after receiving tips mostly from local
Sumo enthusiasts about the presence of such boys. In most cases, they haveto repeatedly visit and patiently talk to the boys concerned — not all of whomnecessarily wish to become rikishi in the first place — and their parents. Evenin most of the cases in which they succeed, shisho and oyakata can gain theconsent of boys and parents only after many more hours and days of earnest
persuasion. In reality, however, a majority of their efforts have ended in vain.
Let’s take a look at how many new disciples joined the Ozumo world
after passing annual JASA discipleship tests in the Heisei era (1989-2019).
In 1992 and again in 1993 (Heisei 4 and 5), more than 200 entrants passed
the annual tests. Afterward, the annual totals of successful entrants tended
to fall. In 2008 (Heisei 20) and later, the numbers of new disciples generally
ranged between 50 and 100, showing a general downward trend. Nevertheless,
it is heartening that in recent years, more than a few junior high school
graduates still opted to join the Ozumo world, while there has been an
increase in the number of Sumo club members at the senior high school leveland university level who are eager to become professional Sumo wrestlers.
How can newly recruited disciples and young rikishi without postcompulsory education earn senior high school diplomas? There are at least
three viable solutions.
First, Sumo Kyoshujo, the JASA-managed Sumo training school for
Ozumo rookies, should be transformed into a JASA-affiliated educational
corporation qualified to provide the three years of senior high school
education that is standard in Japan.
Second, JASA should ask for cooperation of senior high schools locatednear the Kokugikan, the Ozumo venue in Tokyo, in creating schooling
opportunities for Ozumo disciples and rikishi.
The third possible choice is for young rikishi to take correspondence
senior high school courses given by NHK Gakuen, among other schools of thekind.
In any case, the Panel expects JASA to work out an education
curriculum that can be practically compatible with rikishi’s regular practices
and Grand Sumo Tournament participation. JASA should start consultation
with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology,
which supervises the Association as a regulatory ministry, and the JapanSports Agency as early as possible about specific measures to enable young
rikishi to have adequate time for both Ozumo training and education.
Furthermore, we need to refer to rikishi’s post-Ozumo careers. To date,shisho and stables have played a primary role in helping retiring rikishi findtheir second careers. Shisho take full advantage of their respective networks
of contacts and supporters’ associations in helping retiring rikishi.
Occupations that have been chosen for post-Ozumo careers vary to a great
extent indeed, ranging from cooks and manga artists to certified engineers
and technicians, to name a few. It is noteworthy that retiring rikishi’s
relationships with shisho and stables last even after leaving the Ozumo world
and that no rikishi have retired without securing a new career ahead of time.
It is desirable for JASA to make further efforts for young rikishi to keepsociety, including parents, better informed about concrete examples of thestrong, everlasting bonds between shisho and stables and former disciples
even after the latter’s departure from the Ozumo world.
19

Chapter 2
Measures to be pursued
This chapter focuses on what the Ozumo world should specifically do
to ensure that it will go in the direction that it should, on the premise thatthe multinationalization of Ozumo will continue in the future. The Panelproposes the following measures as essential for preserving and developing
Sumodo in the face of the various challenges that now confront the Ozumo
world, such as the development of foreign-born rikishi and oyakata and therecruitment of Japanese-born rikishi.

1. Improving Sumo stables
Ozumo is a sport that begins and ends with a bow of respect. For
rikishi, living in heya (Sumo stables) is the most vital part of Ozumo inlearning virtues such as respect for shisho (stablemasters) and elders,perseverance and self-denial (through daily practice), and reverence for the
dohyo ring. Being a place where such norms are fused together, enabling
rikishi to learn the aesthetics and virtue of Japanese things, a heya is theright venue for foreign-born rikishi to undergo the “nyu-Nihon” process thathelps them develop power and virtue.
It is noteworthy that Ozumo actually serves as a role model inJapanese society. For instance, rikishi instill a sense of public morality — avolunteer spirit — in their minds through shugyo (discipleship), which
motivates them to do even unpleasant tasks by themselves without being told.
Such self-motivated behavior is standardized at each stable, with disciples
rigorously working to keep the whole stable always clean and organized andcomplying with various rules set by their shisho.
In the Ozumo world, JASA has not been directly responsible for thedevelopment of the human resources essential for preserving and developing
the traditions of Sumodo. Ozumo veterans, especially heya-mochi toshiyori(stable-owning Sumo elders) have traditionally assumed that responsibility
instead.
Currently, there are 42 Ozumo stables.
These stables exist under a quasi-stock ownership system called
Toshiyori-myoseki, which literally means “elder’s stable name succession.”
The history of Ozumo tells us that the original form of this system dates backto 1684 (the first year of the Japanese era of Jokyo). At the time, Toshiyorimyoseki name rights were granted to a select group of Edo-period Ozumo
veterans, such as Ikazuchi, Tamagaki and Isenoumi. Likewise, the circulardohyo ring became fixed as the setting for Sumo bouts in the Genroku era(1688-1704), while an organization called the “Sumo Kaisho” was set up in
the Horeki era (1751-64) as the original predecessor of JASA. Sumo-beya
20stables themselves came into being over a period spanning the Horeki era andthe Meiwa era (1764-72).
In a nutshell, almost all of the fundamental aspects of Ozumo,
including toshiyori (oyakata) status, the dohyo ring, Sumo-beya stables andSumo associations, have been in place since the middle of the Edo period. Thismeans that Sumo-beya stables have preserved and developed Sumodo for
more than 250 years.
The Sumo-beya system, backed by the tradition of generation-togeneration, master-to-disciple instruction, has taken a firm hold in Japanesesociety, providing a pseudo-family environment where rikishi live together
and undergo the process of growing as rikishi with sound minds. As long as
the system continues to foster many good-quality shisho capable of developing
as many excellent rikishi as possible, the general public in Japan is likely tokeep supporting it as a useful and reasonable mechanism for preserving anddeveloping Sumodo.
On the other hand, it should be pointed out that there is no clarity as
to the authority and responsibility concerning the development of rikishi.
Compared with other professional sports, in which teams exist as
incorporated businesses, Ozumo is unique in that the Sumo-beya to whichrikishi (athletes) belong to are not incorporated — each stable is owned andrun by a self-employed shisho.
As mentioned above, Ozumo has been preserved thanks to the
tradition of generation-to-generation, master-to-disciple instruction in a
pseudo-family communal environment. From this perspective, thecharacteristics of Sumo-beya as private business operations seem natural.
However, as the stables are not incorporated, it is difficult to fully apply tothem the governance and compliance requirements that are increasingly
applied to incorporated entities these days.
For instance, Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) and J.League
soccer have contractual relationships with their players. But Sumo-beya andrikishi in the Ozumo world have no contracts between them — they only havepseudo-familial human relationships. Although shisho’s wives, calledokamisan, play an important role in helping disciples grow as rikishi, they
are not members of JASA, meaning that they are not bound by the disciplinesof JASA.
Because no contracts exist between shisho and rikishi, JASA is thesole holder of official disciplinary authority over rikishi. Likewise, JASA is
responsible for all public-relations activities related to rikishi. Therefore, it isdifficult to know, for example, who should actually be accountable for ascandal involving a rikishi. JASA or the shisho? Or, if both are responsible,
how should JASA and the shisho share responsibility? Given that shisho havealmost total de facto responsibility for developing rikishi, it is really difficult
to understand from the outside how this matter should be sorted out.
Due to this ambiguity, JASA is exposed to accusations of “negligenceof duties” even in the event of a rikishi’s violation of rules for which his shisho
should obviously be held responsible because of his de facto – and arguably
contract-like – relationship with the rikishi concerned.
To make the Sumo-beya system effective in preserving and developing
the traditions of Sumodo, JASA and Sumo stables should be clearly aware of
their respective authorities and responsibilities and redefine and buildsmooth cooperation and mutual relations between them — with a healthy
sense of tension. In the process of solving this issue, certain other matters,
including the role of the ichimon (clan) system — which creates multiple
collaborative groups of Sumo-beya — should be prudently reviewed as well.
21

Sumo-beya are run as self-employed, self-reliant business entities.
Some of them actually appear to be ordinary business organizations that
include many people who are concurrently JASA members — indeed, one
stable has more than 40 JASA members. Against this background, it isnatural to request that each Sumo-beya be mindful of complying withgovernance rules. JASA’s regulations regard a “Sumo-beya as the same
person as its shisho” (Article 4, Section 4 of the Sumo-beya Regulations),
delegating governance responsibilities to shisho, who directly manage theirown stables. But those shisho are JASA members, making them responsible
for conforming with JASA’s governance rules even as they remain
independent of JASA as Sumo stable owners.
JASA’s governance compliance policy requires shisho to realize
governance in their stables in harmony with JASA’s governance criteria bysincerely complying with JASA’s governance rules as JASA members (Article
13, etc., of the Sumo-beya Regulations). Shisho should be mindful of not only
their responsibility as the persons in charge of governance at stables but also
self-management and self-improvement.
Especially when accepting newly arrived foreign-born disciples, who
are not yet fluent in Japanese and need time to familiarize themselves withJapan’s lifestyle and customs, it is indispensable for shisho and their wives,
okamisan, to be mindful of a balance between love and discipline in giving
instructions and creating a Sumo-beya environment for newcomers.
It is natural that shisho’s independence should be duly respected andalso that they are required to be highly capable of coaching rikishi. Whenshisho breach governance rules, JASA, which is responsible for supervisingthem, needs to strictly take punitive measures, in accordance with its
disciplinary regulations, to correct the misconduct. Shisho are obliged tocomply with a series of provisions set forth by the Sumo-beya Regulations. If
a shisho infringes upon any of those provisions, JASA will punish him andpotentially issue an order to either close down his stable or have anotheroyakata take it over (Article 6 of the Sumo-beya Regulations). In fact, werecently have seen JASA taking such punitive measures against shisho. JASA,
which obliges Sumo-beya to contribute to “improving the dohyo,” the very
center of Ozumo, should also sternly request shisho to work hard for“improving Sumo-beya.”
2. Coaching foreign-born rikishi and encouraging stablemasters’ selfimprovement
JASA’s current foreign-born rikishi quota allows each Sumo stable tohave one rikishi with foreign citizenship. The Panel invited the former
Takamiyama — who became stablemaster Azumazeki after retirement — toshare his Ozumo experiences with the Panel members. He told the Panel how
he managed to overcome many barriers, including the language one and thoserelated to the “nyu-Nihon” and “nyu-Nihon-ka” processes to learn Sumodo.
He was born and educated abroad — in Hawaii — and came to Japan, where
people’s lifestyle and cultural backgrounds, among other things, werecompletely new to him. It was obvious that he would have to work at least
twice as hard as his Japanese-born peers in the Ozumo world to learn the
traditions of Sumo, which has inherently Japanese cultural characteristics
that originated from Shinto rituals. The Panel pays respect to those many
foreign-born rikishi, including the former Takamiyama, who have made many22

“nyu-Nihon” efforts to adapt to Japan’s history and traditions, contributing to
the rejuvenation of Ozumo.
On the other hand, many foreign-born rikishi have been punished forscandals or misconduct. In 2017 (Heisei 29), JASA set up an ad hoc
independent committee for studying measures to prevent the recurrence ofacts of violence in the Ozumo world in the wake of the so-called Harumafuji
incident. In a report issued in October 2018 (Heisei 30), the committee
revealed the numbers of scandals committed by Ozumo rikishi in recent
decades — acts of violence, the use of rude words coupled with improper deeds,
and inappropriate ring behavior. Japanese-born rikishi were responsible for
33 cases and foreign-born ones were responsible for 77 cases between January
1989 (Heisei 1) and 2018. In more recent years, since 2000 (Heisei 12), there
were 24 cases caused by Japanese-born rikishi and 74 cases caused by foreignborn rikishi. Considering that foreign-born rikishi accounted for a high of
8.7% during the period from 1989 and 4% to 5% in the more recent years, thescandal incident rate was considerably high among foreign-born rikishi.
When foreign-born rikishi practice day in and day out to learn Sumodo
while grasping the beauty of Japanese Ozumo’s traditions, they can surely
advance in the “nyu-Nihon” process. In this context, to preserve and develop
Ozumo into the future, young Japanese-born shisho and oyakata who areresponsible for coaching foreign-born rikishi should develop themselves bykeeping up their own training and learning to become good shisho.
Each shisho runs a Sumo stable he either inherited or established,covering everything from developing human resources to managing financial,upkeep and personnel matters. Simultaneously, shisho, all of whom are JASA
members, are assigned by JASA to take up various posts within the
Association to contribute to its management and operations. In that sense,
being a shisho is an intense job compared with many other professions. Thatsaid, however, shisho still have to fulfill the most important part of their
responsibilities as educators who have to find disciples and develop them as
rikishi.
When new disciples join Sumo stables, an important thing that shisho
should teach them — foreign-born rikishi, in particular — at the very
beginning and continuously thereafter, is the sense of ethics that has been thesustainable basis of support for the beauty of the traditions and history of
Ozumo, originating from Shinto rituals. Shisho should make sure that rikishi
absorb such indispensable ethics and integrity to the extent that theynaturally avoid a “victory is everything” way of thinking and understand –for example – how unseemly it is for higher-ranked rikishi, such as yokozuna,to selfishly refuse to be in tune with their lower-ranked opponents at the timeof tachiai (initial charge) because of their own inadequate preparation. The
Panel strongly recommends that inexperienced shisho, in particular,
recognize the importance of teaching each newly arrived foreign-born rikishi
about the significance of Sumodo, the significance of carrying on the
traditions of Sumo as a national sport, and the significance of becoming a rolemodel rikishi respected by people in Japan.
3. Strengthening guidance and supervision of stablemasters
For newly arrived foreign-born disciples, who undoubtedly are unable
to immediately get used to Japan’s lifestyle and customs and speak Japanese
fluently, Sumo-beya can be an oasis when shisho, together with their wives
23

(okamisan), are mindful of a balance between love and discipline in giving
instructions and creating a Sumo-beya environment for newcomers.
Takamiyama recalled what he experienced when he entered the Ozumo
world, saying, “I was told first that the Sumo-beya was my [new] home fromthat moment.”
In the Ozumo world, while shisho’s independence is respected, they
are naturally required to have high leadership qualities. As mentioned
earlier, whenever it has become evident that a shisho violated the JASA
regulations that must be complied with by all shisho, JASA, as anorganization that is intrinsically responsible for governing human resources
development in the Ozumo world, intervened to punish acts of violation.
As mentioned in the preceding section of this chapter, in 2018 (Heisei30) the ad hoc committee worked out measures to prevent the recurrence ofacts of violence similar to the one committed by then yokozuna Harumafuji
in 2017 (Heisei 29). Its report recommended, first of all, that the Ozumo world“change its way of thinking to eradicate the mindset, including
subconsciously, of tolerating violence — the mindset that has been held byshisho themselves [and rikishi under their leadership], and implement
specifically relevant steps accordingly.” In response to the recommendation,
the Ozumo world led by shisho is thought to have made every effort to discard
the mindset of tolerating violence.
Notwithstanding such efforts within the Ozumo world, cases ofinterpersonal disputes and various kinds of harassment have often occurredat Sumo stables. That is why shisho now are expected, to a greater extent
than before, to carry out Sumo-beya management in a proper manner. In thereport cited above the committee also recommended that the existing “criteria
for qualifying as new shisho be clarified and rigidly applied.” However, there
has been no sufficient response to this recommendation. The Panel, too,recommends that JASA take necessary measures to ensure that only thoseformer rikishi who have the right qualities to become shisho will ever bechosen, thus keeping all Sumo-beya run and managed by shisho with a highlevel of qualities and abilities.
Shisho have often been held responsible for a lack of leadership inconnection with improper behavior and misconduct committed by foreignborn rikishi, including yokozuna, in and out of the ring. The Panel expects
JASA to take a greater leadership on this particular issue, which tends todraw the attention of — and serious backlash from — the public.
Meanwhile, the Panel points out that in July 2019 (Reiwa 1), JASA
established a set of rules governing the compliance procedures within the
Association, including a provision regarding the role of ichimon clans.
Currently there are five clans, each comprising five to 14 Sumo stables. In the
Ozumo world, ichimon are expected to play a “mezzanine” role between JASA
and Sumo-beya. As such, JASA should continuously articulate the importanceof ichimon as a vital element that links JASA and Sumo-beya.
4. Toshiyori-myoseki succession and one-generation toshiyori titles
The Ozumo world’s Toshiyori-myoseki name succession system dates
back to the Edo period — specifically to 1684 (Jokyo 1), as mentioned in
Chapter 2, Section 1. At the time, the Tokugawa shogunate, also called the
bakufu, decided to prohibit tsuji-zumo (street corner Sumo) and kanjin-zumo(fundraising Sumo to solicit contributions to temples and shrines). Then, 1524

rikishi who had become “kanjin-moto” or kanjin-zumo promoters, including
Ikazuchi Gondayu, formed a guild called a “kabu-nakama” (literally meaninga “stock association,” i.e. a trade and crafts guild). Like other kabu-nakama
associations formed by merchants, artisans and so on, the Sumo group offeredto pay the bakufu “myogakin” — a de facto tax for receiving exclusive businesspermits. As a result, they were able to resume kanjin-zumo events. Against
this historical background, the Ozumo term “Toshiyori-myoseki” is also called“toshiyori-kabu” (literally meaning “Sumo elder stock”).
Reflecting Ozumo’s growing popularity, the number of holders of
Toshiyori-myoseki rights gradually increased from the 15 founding members,
including former rikishi Ikazuchi, Tamagaki and Isenoumi, to 105 as of 1927(Showa 2). Since then, the number has remained unchanged. This means, ofcourse, that the Ozumo world today has a total of 105 holders of Toshiyorimyoseki rights.
To become a Toshiyori-myoseki rights holder by succeeding a retiring
toshiyori, a former rikishi needs to undergo the name succession process
under the Toshiyori-myoseki system, from passing screening examinations by
JASA’s Toshiyori Qualifications Examination Committee to approval by the
JASA board of directors.
According to the JASA rules, former yokozuna may remain in JASA
as toshiyori, retaining their ring names, for five years from retirement even
without acquiring Toshiyori-myoseki rights. However, former yokozuna
holding this special title are not entitled to own their own Sumo stables.
Nonetheless, an ad hoc privilege was granted to some former
yokozuna in the years preceding the 2014 reorganization of JASA as a public
interest incorporated association. The special privilege, given in recognitionof those yokozuna’s outstanding rikishi career records or distinguishedachievements, enabled them to hold the title of special toshiyori, using theirring names, until reaching the mandatory retirement age or resigning from
JASA. Because of their acquisition of special Toshiyori-myoseki rights, thoseformer yokozuna, known by their ring names, were able to establish stablesof their own and become shisho.
They were called “ichidai (one-generation) toshiyori” because theprivilege was applicable to the specific yokozuna only. None of their disciples
would be eligible to become new shisho by succeeding to the names of thoseformer yokozuna and obtaining ownership of their stables. In other words, inthe case of one-generation toshiyori, the Sumo way they pursued with power
and waza (techniques) as yokozuna would officially disappear with the Sumobeya bearing their names — without generation-after-generation namesuccession.
We have so far had three former yokozuna choose to become onegeneration toshiyori — the 48th yokozuna Taiho, the 55th yokozuna
Kitanoumi and the 65th yokozuna Takanohana. The 58th yokozuna
Chiyonofuji declined to receive the special privilege because he wanted to“succeed to a long-existing heya (stable) name.” He succeeded to the toshiyori
name of Kokonoe and became the 13th shisho of the Kokonoe-beya stable.
As of today, the Ozumo world has no former yokozuna with one-off
toshiyori status. Following the death of Kitanoumi and the pre-retirement
resignation from JASA of Takanohana, the names of the Sumo-beya run bythem disappeared. Kitanoumi’s stable was renamed, while Takanohana’s
stable was closed down, with its rikishi moving to other stables that had close
relations with the disbanded one. The disciples of the two former yokozuna
had no chance to succeed to the names of the stables where they were coached,receiving their shisho’s tutelage.
25

The consequences of the one-generation toshiyori system were
extremely regrettable in terms of (1) diminishing the shine of Ozumo’s
tradition of generation-to-generation, master-to-disciple instruction and (2)both symbolically and substantially disrupting Ozumo’s all-importantmissions of preserving Sumodo and fostering future Ozumo leaders andhuman resources, namely rikishi. It also is regrettable that the demise of thetwo stables run by Kitanoumi and Takanohana deprived the Ozumo world ofa precious chance to have the two former yokozuna’s Sumo knowledge andskills handed down to future generations.
The name succession system is an idiosyncratic Japanese tradition
that has been commonly followed for centuries in various classical theatricaland musical genres, for instance, Kabuki, Rakugo (storytelling), Noh (dancedrama theater), Kyogen (comic theater) and Ningyo-joruri Bunraku (puppet
theater), as well as various forms of Hogaku (classical Japanese music),
including narrative shamisen music such as Nagauta and Kiyomoto, among
others.
Like those classical theatrical and musical genres, the Ozumo world
has preserved its myoseki system to certify that those Ozumo veteransgaining Toshiyori-myoseki rights have definitely inherited Ozumo’s traditions,
history, authority, ethos and so on. The more toshiyori succeed to myosekirights for generation after generation, the more priceless those rights become.
This is possible only when a qualified former rikishi actually emerges as the
successor to the existing rights concerned, namely succeeding to the current
toshiyori name. On the other hand, the Ozumo title of one-generation
toshiyori was created as a one-off privilege on an ad hoc basis for certain
retiring yokozuna, a system that rules out, in the first place, any chance for
their disciples to honor Sumodo by succeeding to their names. Such a
preclusion does not exist in the previously mentioned classical theatrical andmusical genres at all. More importantly, the one-generation toshiyori
privilege is a “qualification” that is incongruous with Ozumo’s tradition ofgeneration-to-generation, master-to-disciple instruction.
The one-generation toshiyori privilege is said to have been created in1969 (Showa 44), when Taiho still was an active yokozuna, to allow him, on
an exceptional basis, to have uchideshi (live-in disciples) of his own as acurrent rikishi and, after retirement, to retain his yokozuna name, Taiho, tobe known as “toshiyori Taiho.” The explicit purpose of the unprecedented
privilege was to pay tribute to Taiho’s outstanding contributions to Ozumo.
But it had an implicitly practical purpose, capitalizing on his popularity, tomake as many young people as possible aspire to join the Ozumo world asdisciples. However, later on, the purpose of praising retiring yokozuna withextraordinary ring achievements was the only one emphasized. No attention
was paid to the fact that the one-off privilege is contradictory to Ozumo’s
tradition of generation-to-generation, master-to-disciple instruction.
Early in the Showa era, the Ozumo world had its 35th yokozuna
Futabayama, called Ozumo’s “kakusei” (saint of Ozumo) or “greatest rikishiof all time.” He was in the highest-ranked position from 1937 to 1945 (Showa
12 to 20). In 1941, while he was active in the ring, he established a Sumotraining hall (dojo) of his own, named “Futabayama Sumo Dojo.”
After retirement, he was named toshiyori Tokitsukaze and, therefore,
Futabayama Sumo Dojo was formally renamed Tokitsukaze-beya. Yet, hecontinued displaying the Futabayama Sumo Dojo signboard together with
one for the stable bearing his toshiyori name. The dual signboard placement
was the former yokozuna’s endeavor to reconcile the continuation of praise forhis yokozuna-age achievements with his obligation to uphold Ozumo’s
26

tradition of generation-to-generation, master-to-disciple instruction.
The one-generation toshiyori system was introduced without regard
for any of JASA’s self-governing statutory provisions while the Association
was in its previous organizational status as an incorporated foundation —which existed from 1925 to 2014. The JASA board of directors in those days
approved the ad hoc system in an ad hoc manner. As mentioned above, theexceptional privilege has been granted to three former yokozuna — Taiho,
Kitanoumi and Takanohana. But there has been no consistency in its
application — no special treatment was given to Futabayama, the 44th
yokozuna Tochinishiki or the 45th yokozuna Wakanohana (also known thefirst Wakanohana), all of whom were popular in the years preceding the debutof Taiho. The exceptional system intrinsically runs counter to the integrity ofOzumo, as will be further discussed later. Moreover, as we members of the
Panel reviewed the circumstances behind the somewhat surprising origins of
one-generation toshiyori, it became apparent that the exceptional privilege isincompatible with the statutory criteria for the existence of JASA as a public
interest incorporated association.
In fact, JASA’s existing Articles of Incorporation have no provisions
pertaining to the one-generation toshiyori privilege. When JASA transformed
into a public interest incorporated association, it adopted its current Articles
of Incorporation, declaring its public-interest purpose “to uphold, inherit anddevelop the tradition and order of Sumodo, the inherently Japanese national
sport.”The Articles of Incorporation adopted by JASA in its previous form as
an incorporated foundation had specified the honing of Sumo techniques aswell as Sumo instruction and the spread of Sumo.
When the new JASA sought to be recognized as a public interest
incorporated association, it introduced its currently existing Articles ofIncorporation, emphasizing its commitment to the improvement of the mental
and physical well-being of the Japanese people, and to the promotion ofcultural aspects such as the Shinto rituals (festivals) from which Sumo
originated, through JASA’s overall obligation to preserve and develop
tradition-rich Ozumo.
This purpose was officially certified as a public-interest one, which isa prerequisite step for establishing a public interest incorporated association.
More importantly, JASA was able to restart itself as a public interest
incorporated association because its decision to revise the Toshiyori-myoseki
system was certified as well. The new JASA renounced the old system thatenabled individuals to make decisions on Toshiyori-myoseki rights succession
at their discretion. Instead, it decided to take on across-the-board
responsibility for managing the system.
The Toshiyori-myoseki system originally came into being 337 years
ago. Today, the Ozumo world has 105 holders of Toshiyori-myoseki rights, anumber that has been unchanged for 94 years. From the standpoint ofpreserving the traditions of Ozumo, all JASA members need to jointly bear agreat responsibility for upholding the authority of the system as the symbolof the preservation and development of Sumodo by refraining from either
increasing or decreasing the existing number. For this particular reason,
when JASA as a whole is committed to continue respecting Ozumo’s
obligatory tradition of generation-to-generation, master-to-disciple
instruction, no basis can be found for allowing any former yokozuna to namehimself as a one-generation toshiyori even if it is meant to recognize his famefor his past achievements. The yokozuna position itself is proof of the honor
bestowed on those reaching the supreme post — the ultimate goal for all27

current rikishi to attain. JASA maintains the Sumo Museum as the place topermanently and greatly honor those great yokozuna of the past who brought
brilliant achievements to Ozumo.
That said, nonetheless, the Panel does not rule out the possibility that
JASA will still find it necessary to decide on some form of honoring someyokozuna for their outstanding contributions to the Ozumo world. For
instance, the former JASA devised a solution to allow former yokozuna
Futabayama, who succeeded the name of a retiring toshiyori, to display the
Sumo training hall (dojo) signboard bearing his ring name alongside the one
showing the stable name, which was identical to his toshiyori name. Such asolution may be viable in future cases.
Needless to say, when it comes to traditions, it is not good enough topreserve their extrinsic sides alone. In the process of handing down theessence of a tradition to future generations while keeping it vibrant, the Panel
thinks that it is necessary to sort out traditions that absolutely must bepreserved just as they are from others that may be slightly modified.
Considering that, as time goes by, preserving and developing Ozumo’s
traditions in their entirety continues to become increasingly difficult, now is
the time to take stock of Ozumo’s traditions with a view to choosing what
specific ones JASA ought to resolutely uphold or might modify slightly.
To do so, JASA should set up a panel, tentatively called “theCommittee on the Reaffirmation of Ozumo Traditions for Preservation,” withthe cooperation of directors and relevant members of JASA and outside
experts. The proposed committee would be tasked to:(1) Examine whether those traditions that must be resolutely upheld
are upheld;(2) Instruct Sumo-beya and rikishi to conform with such traditions if
they fail to do so;(3) Advise JASA to take the initiative in determining and announcing
association-wide specific measures — instead of leaving Sumobeya or rikishi to act on their own — for the slight modification ofany element of Ozumo’s traditions whenever and wherevernecessity arises.
Even as the multinationalization of Ozumo progresses, JASA shouldmake steadfast efforts to impeccably hand down to future generations themultifaceted allure of Ozumo, which embodies Japan’s traditional culture,
Shinto decorum, entertainment, spiritualty and the beauty of form, among
other facets.

5. Educating Japanese rikishi about Sumodo
Earlier sections of this report discussed the importance of teachingforeign-born rikishi about Sumodo through the “nyu-Nihon” process. However,given that Ozumo is a national sport of Japan, it is more obvious thananything else that Japanese-born rikishi must continue pursuing Sumodo
further.
Once there was a time when it was not unusual for many rikishi toenter Sumo-beya fresh from junior high school graduation — after completing
their nine-year compulsory education — to embark on Ozumo careers despite
having had no Sumo experience.
Shisho (stablemasters) in those days not only taught new disciples
28

about Sumo techniques and spurred their fighting spirit but also taught them
about the traditions of Sumodo and the dignity of rikishi, starting fromscratch to make them cultivate themselves and behave properly. What shisho
in those days provided can only be described as an all-round education.
Of late, an increased number of new disciples enter Sumo-beya after
graduating from three-year senior high schools or even universities. They
typically have well-developed physiques and a certain level of Sumo
technique that they acquired as students. However, some students learn
skills from their coaches with a victory-above-all mindset, which is different
from Sumodo, the ideal Sumo way that is pursued by the Ozumo world. For
instance, some university and other Sumo clubs instruct their members tointentionally avoid performing the tachiai (first charge) motion in sync with
their opponent as a tactic to get a favorable fighting position first. As a result,shisho now have to give extra rounds of coaching to make those disciples fromuniversities and other Sumo clubs adapt to the Ozumo world’s Sumodo, which
differs from the practices found in campus Sumo clubs.
Against such a background, it is thought that now also is the time for
JASA to revamp the Ozumo world’s Sumodo teaching methods for Japaneseborn rikishi to focus on developing mind, technique and body so that they will
be able to contribute to upholding Ozumo’s traditions, ethos and techniques
and preserving Sumodo. For example, Sumo Kyoshujo, the JASA-managed
Sumo training school for Ozumo rookies, should think of providing multitiercourses, depending on students’ academic backgrounds and Sumo experience.

29

Chapter 3
Sport integrity and governanceIn August 2019, the Japan Sports Agency (JSA) introduced the“Governance Code for National Sport Federation Members.” The Governance
Code is a set of principles and norms aimed at protecting “sport integrity,”
which means uprightness and common sense.
As Ozumo is a sport, it is subject to the JSA Governance Code.
However, it should be pointed out that because Ozumo embodies Japan’s
traditional culture, certain elements of it are not be suitable to be — andindeed cannot be — governed by the Governance Code for National Sport
Federation Members. Hence, this chapter focuses on the sport integrity ofOzumo and discusses measures to maintain and improve it, including steps
to ensure sport integrity-related governance in the Ozumo world.

1. Improving sport integrity and the Ozumo universe
The Ozumo world’s efforts to maintain and improve the sport integrityof Ozumo center on dedication to the pursuit of Sumodo and the realizationof the perfection of the dohyo ring. Anyone visiting a Sumo-beya for the firsttime would be astonished by the intensity of practices by rikishi. Ozumo
spectators with a close view of tachiai (first charge) scenes in the dohyo ringare amazed by the fierce clash between two rikishi at the start of each bout,right after an initial charge full of energy and spirit. Only those rikishi who
diligently endure months and years of unrelenting practice under theguidance of shisho and coaches can climb up the banzuke rankings.
The sport integrity of Ozumo means dedication to preserving anddeveloping the traditions of Sumodo — which, like Judo and Kendo, inherits
the essence of Budo (martial arts) — by observing the Sumo-specific ritualorder and protocols. In that sense, the sport integrity of Ozumo advances in
its development and sophistication in tandem with the preservation anddevelopment of Sumodo.
The development of Sumodo is, and must be, guaranteed by those who
become capable of handing down the essence of the techniques and power
indispensable for Sumodo to their successors. Such rikishi gain the required
qualification by sternly and intensely practicing under the guidance of shisho— who follow Ozumo’s tradition of generation-to-generation, master-todisciple instruction — and eventually surpassing their shisho.
Sumodo embodies the traditional culture and the beauty of form thatare fused with the sternness and intensity of practices. Therefore, when it
comes to the integrity of Ozumo, it should be understood alongside the30

previously mentioned qualities of Ozumo that are underpinned by the historyof generation-to-generation, master-to-disciple instruction. The same is trueof the generation-to-generation succession of Sumo-beya. Compared withthose centuries-old traditions, ichidai (one-generation) toshiyori is a“qualification” or “system” of convenience that only furthers individual fameand is intrinsically incompatible with the integrity of Ozumo.
The reason why rikishi are obliged to comply with the Ozumo world’s
code of decency, rules and norms is not only that they are required to follow
Ozumo’s traditional customs originating from Shinto rituals but also that
Sumo is a martial art in which any lack of comity and adherence to the rules
may place their lives at risk. The most important element of the integrity ofOzumo is represented by the “perfection of the dohyo ring,” which means an
all-out devotion by the entire Ozumo world to bring to and display in thedohyo ring of the wholesome appeal of Ozumo.
To put it differently, the Ozumo world should always make the dohyo
ring a venue where spectacular bouts take place between well-built rikishi
who, while duly respecting each other’s Sumo expertise, fully clash head-on
and aim to throw their opponent down. The integrity of Ozumo is the ultimate
value sought by both devoted and casual Sumo fans, for whom the perfectionof the dohyo ring means the perfection of rikishi competition. For thisparticular reason, those fans cannot tolerate seeing a yokozuna engage indisappointing tachiai moves or lose by default without appearing in the dohyo
ring.
Japanese people who want to see rikishi fighting with all their might— the essence of Sumo — will feel disenchanted by those Sumo scenes thatend up eroding the perfection of the dohyo ring. If a yokozuna is responsible
for them, the popularity of Ozumo will suffer a terrible blow. Therefore,yokozuna, the highest-ranked rikishi, should realize that the integrity ofOzumo depends on them and that they have to contribute to the perfection of
the dohyo ring, namely the perfection of rikishi competition, in a conscious
manner and with a sense of duty.
Rikishi’s devotion to the perfection of the dohyo ring can only bepossible after countless rounds of practice. A member of the Panel, citing his
professional baseball experience, said he thought that people qualified to
speak of the baseball world were those who knew how painful it is for a
baseball player to be struck in the chest or any other part of the body with ahorsehide ball. He added metaphorically that those who had no experience ofthe severity of engaging in butsukari-geiko (literally meaning “collision
practice”) might not be qualified to speak of Ozumo. What he meant seemed
to be that for a rikishi equipped only with a cloth belt around his body, it
would be difficult to apply a sneaky tactic or coast to an easy win. In otherwords, he meant that rikishi should become capable of tenaciously fighting
by assiduously building up their bodies while developing the courage toovercome fear.
Another member of the Panel, referring to the Kabuki world, said
Kabuki actors are compared to artisans because they are unable to become
genuine Kabuki actors without thoroughly rehearsing day after day — justlike rikishi practicing at each Sumo-beya. An enormous amount of practice,especially an accumulation of “heavy practice,” is the only path toward theunderstanding of Sumodo and the emergence of a genuine Sumaibito(literally meaning “Sumo person”), the term used in the Heian period (7941185) to refer to rikishi. The integrity of Ozumo means the zenith of Sumodo
is reachable only after countless rounds of practice and effort that are
indispensable to reach the realm of artisanship.
31

2. The Japan Sumo Association’s guidance for governance (governance code)
In the past, Nihon Sumo-Kyokai Japan, i.e. the Japan Sumo
Association (JASA), has improved its self-management structure from time
to time. JASA should continue such efforts with particular emphasis on thefurtherance of governance. The delivery of enhanced governance isincreasingly important to prevent the occurrence within JASA of various
kinds of misconduct frequently occurring in modern society. Organizational
governance is necessary to ensure the healthy and transparent operations of
Ozumo with the participation of all JASA members, improve the environment
for rikishi to develop themselves, and equitably reflect the intentions of
Ozumo supporters and related stakeholders. Organizational governance isalso indispensable to keep Ozumo understood and supported as a widely
recognized national sport by people at large and various sectors and groups
in Japanese society.
Responding to a recent spate of scandals in sports, the Japan Sports
Agency (JSA) introduced the Governance Code for National Sport Federation
Members in 2019, with its primary purpose being to protect sport integrity.
Threats to sport integrity include doping, match-fixing, violence,
gambling and harassment. The JSA’s Governance Code for sport federations
is, in a nutshell, a set of principles and norms for preventing misconduct andprotecting sport integrity.
Ozumo, in its form as JASA, is not categorized as a nationwide
athletic organization governed by the JSA. Even so, JASA has pledged tocomply with the JSA Governance Code in improving its organizational
structure while adhering to Ozumo’s intrinsic historical background. The
Panel values the JASA decision.
As explained earlier, Sumodo embodies the moral ethics that are
inherent in it and is respectful of its traditions and dignity. All members of
JASA should be increasingly conscious of the significance of the role Ozumo
plays as a national sport not only in serving as a role model for the whole
sport universe but also in giving dreams and hopes to the young generation.
Now that JASA has accepted the intent and purpose of the JSA Governance
Code while remaining responsible for preserving and developing Sumodo’s
traditions and order on its own, it should run itself in accordance with theagency’s Governance Code with due consideration for its differences andcommonalities with the national sport federations directly covered by the JSA
code in terms of organizational management.
Nonetheless, it should be emphasized once again that Ozumo exists
not as a pure sport entity but as a national sport embodying its own
traditional culture. Therefore, it also should be noted that although Sumodo
maintains the characteristics of both sport and traditional culture as its
indivisible elements, the authentic value and quality of Sumodo exist in its
cultural characteristics. Sumo culture can and should be cultivated throughintense practice and is preserved and developed only when rikishi contribute,with full force, to the perfection of the dohyo ring.
For JASA, its own guidance for self-discipline, promulgated to uphold
the integrity of Ozumo, is definitely the governance code of Ozumo, and,
therefore, its content should precisely reflect the qualities of Ozumo.
On the other hand, the Membership Regulations of JASA stipulatethat those who want to join the Ozumo world “to become rikishi shall be male32

and younger than 23 years of age.” This means that only men are qualified to
become rikishi and that, as a result, all toshiyori (Sumo elders) are inevitablymale.
As such, JASA is an entity that is responsible for staging male-only
Ozumo competitions contested exclusively by male rikishi with male toshiyori
assuming jobs related to Ozumo tournaments and regional tours and malegyoji (referees) and yobidashi (ushers) working as tournament facilitators.
JASA is not an organization with both men’s and women’s divisions. As such,it is obviously different from other sport entities that include female athletes
as well. Nihon Sumo Renmei, i.e. the Japan Sumo Federation, which covers
amateur Sumo wrestlers, has a women’s division. In contrast, JASA is
responsible for running and managing Ozumo, which has historically been
maintained only by men as a professional sport.
Even so, JASA, in conforming with the JSA Governance Code, hassome operational areas where it needs to become more flexible in terms ofgender equality. That said, however, the operational guideline contained in
the JSA Governance Code requiring each sport’s governing body to have atleast 40% of its director positions occupied by women simply cannot be applied
to Ozumo.
It should be pointed out, however, that more than 30% of JASA’s
internal clerical work now is being done by women, who are responsible forhuman resources management, accounting and legal affairs management,
marketing, communications, and video production, among other aspects.
Many of those sections are supervised by female managers or deputy
managers.
Moreover, female staff, employed by JASA on a contract basis, take onjobs that are essential for the success of each Grand Sumo Tournament. They
include running “Sumo annai-jo” (Sumo information centers, better known
among Sumo fans as “chaya” or teahouses) located adjacent to the Kokugikan,
as well as providing information and audience control services at the
Kokugikan itself. It is obvious that Ozumo tournaments that are full of
splendid charm and vigor cannot be successful without the dedicatedactivities of those female JASA staff members and affiliated figures. In thatsense, JASA deserves praise for having made efforts toward adequate genderinclusion.
JASA has so far commissioned outside female members to serve on
the Yokozuna Deliberation Council, various committees — including theindependent panel on governance, the panel on measures to prevent therecurrence of acts of violence and the compliance committee — and the Expert
Panel on the Preservation and Development of Ozumo. Likewise, JASA
should consider having a female outside director on its board, provided that
she is well versed in Ozumo.

33

Conclusions

Like other parts of Japanese society, JASA’s Grand Sumo Tournaments
and regional tours were negatively affected by the novel coronavirus (COVID19) pandemic in 2020 and 2021 (Reiwa 2 and 3). A certain number of rikishi
were infected with COVID-19 and some Sumo-beya were directly affected. In
2020, JASA had to cancel the summer Grand Sumo Tournament in May andsome regional tours. Otherwise, well-coordinated efforts and precautionary
steps by JASA, Sumo-beya and rikishi have prevented COVID-19 infections
from worsening in the Ozumo world. The infectious disease still is a great
unprecedented menace to rikishi who live and practice in a familial
environment. The Panel recognizes that Sumo-beya have managed tomaintain a high level of health protection for rikishi. The Ozumo world, too,needs to discuss, based on its COVID-19 experiences, how Ozumo and rikishi
should deal with this “new normal.”
Meanwhile, the Panel is concerned about an increase of late both ininjuries of rikishi in the ring and in absences from the ring due to illness.
Until 2003, the “kosho seido” (public injury system) allowed any rikishi,
suffering an injury in the ring, to sit out the next tournament with no impact
on his banzuke ranking. With the abolishing of the system, injuries now cause
serious disadvantage to rikishi in terms of banzuke assessment of ring
performance — in the worst case, an injury results in the permanenttermination of a rikishi’s ring career. A perception of Ozumo as a dangerous
sport would impede the Ozumo world’s efforts to recruit future rikishi. The
Panel urges that JASA consider implementing a set of comprehensive
measures — including the enhancement of capabilities of the Sumo Clinic andrelated departments within the Association — to further ensure the healthand safety of rikishi, rather than leaving the matter to each Sumo-beya.
The Panel discussed a wide range of issues to come up with effective
measures to preserve and develop Ozumo — with the utmost purpose of
ensuring the “perfection of the dohyo ring” — amidst the progress of themultinationalization of the Ozumo world.
Ring scenes in which male rikishi with different weights andphysiques agilely move and fiercely clash in open-weight bouts remind us of
Sumo-related scenes dating back about 170 years to the late Edo period.
Also back in those days — on February 26, 1854 (Ansei 1) — a
Japanese rikishi, with a bale of rice (weighing about 57 kilograms) in his arms,
agilely did a somersault in front of members of a U.S. delegation headed by
Commodore Matthew C. Perry — whose mission was to have Japan, then aself-isolated country, open itself to the United States. One of them is said tohave likened what he saw to an illusion — the rikishi looked like a mayfly
and the bale of rice like a bundle of downy feathers.
The somersault was followed by fierce bouts between male rikishi ina holy ring. One American noted that during their pre-bout practice, eachtime the “very stout and immensely muscular” rikishi clashed head-on,
striking each other with force that might make “even a bull faint and collapse,”34

they remained in an almost normal state afterward. When the rikishi began
their actual bouts, grappling much more fiercely with each other, theAmericans found almost everything to be beyond description. Those “burly
fellows” kept fighting even as their faces became swollen and red — as if blood
would start spurting out “in a twinkling.” The U.S. delegation left behind an
elaborate report — “The East India Squadron of the United States Japan
Expedition” — about what its members observed in Japan, including Sumo
wrestlers.
Perry is known to have observed a group of rikishi engaging in a seriesof moshiai-keiko, or practices with opponents of their own choice. After seeing
rikishi after rikishi fully absorb one powerful offensive after another andremain undaunted even when bleeding from their foreheads due to injuries,
the commodore might have had an impression about Sumo that would be
different from that of the Japanese people.
Yet, there is no difference between what rikishi of the late Edo period
exhibited to Perry and what we see during Sumo-beya practices and Grand
Sumo Tournament performances by rikishi of today. In the ring, rikishi
confront each other like solid rock, and use their intensely muscular arms tothrow their opponents down or push them out. This is the way rikishi
contribute to the perfection of the holy dohyo ring — their timeless utmost
goal of pursuing Sumodo.

35

Appendices: Members’ opinions (summaries/excerpts)

The following are summaries/excerpts of opinions expressed bymembers of the Expert Panel and an interview with Mr. Watanabe Daigoro,
who is better known as the former Takamiyama:

Taste of Sumo culture, art of mutual understanding
YAMAUCHI Masayuki, chair:Ozumo of Japan preserves traditional culture and, in that sense, hasmuch in common with some of the nation’s traditional performing arts. Like
Kabuki and other classical forms of theater or music, Ozumo has a long
history of entertaining.
Ozumo is different from many overseas martial arts because it is nota setting in which rikishi may freely do anything they like after beating an
opponent in the dohyo ring – even if the victory was a fair one. For example,
a scene in which a winner raises his fists is alien to Ozumo. A majority ofOzumo fans are unhappy to see a yokozuna, who holds the highest rikishi
position, choosing a fighting tactic that is void of dignity in a bout with alower-ranked opponent even when he is mindful to avoid technically violating
the rules.
Sumodo is the way of making rikishi capable of judging things flexibly
and with dignity rather than making simplistic thumbs-up and thumbs-down
decisions. In other words, rikishi shouldn’t mechanically choose between
whether one “may do this” or “may not.” They should judge whether one“should not” do something or “had better not.” This is the intrinsic taste of
Sumo culture that comes with the art of mutual understanding. Comparedwith other sports, Ozumo remains more respectful of a longstanding — andlong-cultivated — code of behavior, which obliges rikishi to behave in a way
becoming of their role of preserving and developing the traditions of Ozumo,
including the morals and manners that must be observed by winners.
Such qualities can be internalized only through months and years ofpracticing under the leadership of a shisho (stablemaster) and with eachrikishi’s accumulation of Grand Sumo Tournament experience. The continuityof painful practice is identical to the classical Budo way of relentlessly
practicing to seek truth and purity. The endurance gained in the course of
hard practicing helps rikishi cultivate discernment — discernment onwhether rikishi “should not” do something or “had better not” — and builds
and enhances each rikishi’s character. The Ozumo world has traditionally
shied away from a “might makes right” attitude among rikishi because such
behavior is contradictory to the traditional beauty of Ozumo.
36

No matter how multinationalized the Ozumo world may become, it isabsolutely inconceivable that Ozumo, a national sport of Japan, would everimport waza (techniques) and behavior that run counter to Sumodo.
The development of excellent rikishi begins with unearthing
diamonds in the rough. It is the inherent quality and joy of Ozumo to foster
young men — even those with no amateur Sumo experience — from scratch
to greatness. Foreign-born young people who are drawn to sumo usually havebetter physiques and athletic abilities. Yet, the Ozumo world has trained
foreign-born newcomers on an equal footing with new Japanese-born disciples,
motivating them to work hard to become good at Sumo techniques and build
character. Indeed, in its devotion to educating rikishi, the Ozumo world has
not avoided multinationalization.
Apart from those who are qualified for the Makushita Tsukedashi
system, all new disciples, be they Japanese or otherwise, have been — andare — given an equal opportunity to begin their professional Sumo careers
from the very bottom of the Ozumo ladder. The Makushita Tsukedashi gradeskipping system is applied to those with experience of winning or being highplace finishers in amateur Sumo championships. Those rikishi start theirOzumo careers from the third highest division of makushita.
In the Ozumo world, all rikishi must live and practice together at
Sumo-beya. For each of them, the Sumo-beya to which they belong is a quasifamily with its shisho being their de facto father and the okamisan (his wife)
their de facto mother. Ozumo of Japan thus provides a unique environment
in which rikishi continue pursuing Sumodo without separating everyday lifeand Sumo practice. All new disciples have to attend Sumo Kyoshujo, the
JASA-managed Sumo academy, for six to 12 months, receiving both practicaltraining and classroom lessons. Those lessons are intended to make themconscious of the significance of being an Ozumo athlete who has much incommon with athletes in those modern sports that originated in the West.
The Ozumo dohyo ring’s diameter must be 15 shaku (4.55 meters).
With such technical meticulousness and ingenuity, Ozumo stands out as atruly Japanese martial art, differentiating itself from martial arts that exist
in foreign countries and territories.
When Ozumo fans say, for instance, “That’s not Sumo” or “That isdifferent from the traditions of Japan,” what they have in mind is Ozumo as
it embodies the history and traditions of Japan. For those Ozumo fans andJapanese people at large, Ozumo is basically a great martial art that is closely
linked to Shinto rituals and the history and traditions of Japan. Ozumo fans’reactions, like “This is exactly what Sumo is about” and “This is perfectly
becoming of Sumo,” are indivisible from the origins of Ozumo.
The Japanese expressions “Sumo no kata” (forms of Sumo) and “Sumono hinkaku” (dignity of Sumo) implicitly express what we see as thedomestically and globally unique value of Ozumo.
I am of the opinion that it is important for the Expert Panel to reaffirm
the aspects of Ozumo that embody Japan’s culture, history and traditions.
Ozumo is a martial art that has no weight-based divisions, offering amazing
ring scenes of lightweight rikishi overwhelming heavyweight opponents.
Those scenes represent the dignity and qualities unique to Ozumo. Therefore,Ozumo should not choose to “de-Japanize” itself.
Thus far, Ozumo has refrained from “de-Japanization” and, instead,attracted people by remaining as a sport conduit for foreign-born athletes whoare inspired to willingly enter Japanese culture. I am confident that Ozumo
will continue paving that way in the future.
37

Establish a framework sustainable for 100 years
IMAI Takashi, special advisor
Ozumo has a long history dating back to the 17th century, when Sumodeveloped as a professional spectator sport known as kanjin-zumo, a series ofSumo bouts played to solicit contributions to temples and shrines. Today,
Ozumo remains loved so widely by Japanese people for two main reasons.
First, the Ozumo world has maintained a tradition of staging Grand Sumo
Tournaments (honbasho) in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka every year
and making regional tours across Japan. Second, NHK (Nippon Hoso Kyokai),Japan’s only public broadcaster, has been broadcasting honbasho live since
1928 by radio and since 1953 on television. Thanks to those efforts, almost
every Japanese has an interest in Ozumo. In other words, Ozumo can stay as
it is because the Japanese population supports it.
But why do Japanese people really support Ozumo? In my view, they
do not necessarily support Ozumo because it is a national sport. I think thatthey do so because it is a competitive sport.
What matters in any competition is, first of all, whether rikishi havea sense of respect for their opponents. We Japanese traditionally use thephrase “sokuin no jo,” which literally means “hidden feelings” but actuallymeans sympathetic pity and concern for the misfortunes or suffering of others.
We also use the phrase “yokusei no bi” or the beauty of restraint. We respect
those who emerge as winners but still embody what those phrases mean byrefraining from indulging in triumphant raptures.
Ozumo is an integral part of traditional Japanese culture. In fact, it
is so great a part of traditional culture that it is now acclaimed internationally.
For instance, Mr. Jacques Chirac, who was president of France from 1995 to
2007, was known as a Japanophile who loved Ozumo very much. He often
watched Ozumo on television. On many occasions when I met him, the firstthing he customarily mentioned to me was how exciting he had found recent
Ozumo bouts. For example, he said to me one day, “Wakanohana just won!”
Even nowadays, there are many foreign spectators at the Kokugikan.
As such, I want to emphasize that Ozumo of Japan really is a part of Japaneseculture we should be proud of.
On the other hand, it is true that Ozumo cannot continue to thrive if
people stop coming to the Kokugikan and other venues to see competition in
the ring. As long as the Ozumo world depends only on the historical fact that
Ozumo has been a national sport, it will be destined for decline. Consideringthat Ozumo is a spectator sport, it will inevitably go under — even as a
traditional sport — if it stops accepting foreign-born rikishi. What is more,
the world changes as time goes by. For its part, Ozumo also has to adequatelychange in accord with changes in the circumstances surrounding it.
Now it is very important for the Ozumo world to find a solution toreconcile two needs — to make Ozumo more attractive as a spectator sport inline with the changing times and also to uphold traditional Japanese culture.
The “do” in Sumodo means a “way,” a key Japanese term that clearly
indicates the ethnic aspect of Ozumo. Shisho (stablemasters) are the ones
primarily responsible for ensuring the sustainability of Ozumo. In the Ozumo
world, groups of shisho form ichimon (clans) and JASA exists as the supreme
entity bearing overall responsibility for the preservation and development of
Ozumo. The Ozumo world now needs to clarify the shisho-ichimon-JASA
relationship with a view to specifying who is responsible for which areas of38

Ozumo. All of them now have to work out a new framework of Ozumo thatcan be sustainable for 100 years, from the Reiwa era onward.
Reaffirm and share the philosophy
ATODA Takashi, member
Globalization has progressed exponentially and with much fanfare.
As a result, various aspects of the world — ranging from the major areas ofpolitics, economy, science, arts and sports to numerous minor areas and evensuch terrible matters as war — now are under the influence of Westernmentalities, legends and customs. (Of course, the degree to which this is so
depends on where you are.)Even amid such circumstances, Japanese society has a certain
number of idiosyncratic things that it has cultivated, developed and preservedon its own. Those indigenous things exist at high levels of cultural
sophistication. Yet, they are not always fully appreciated by the world as they
do not meet Western standards due to language barriers, ethnic uniqueness,
racial considerations and so on.
For example, let’s take a look at literature. We have the Manyoshu(literally Ten Thousand Leaves), an anthology that was compiled in theseventh and eighth centuries; Genji Monogatari (The Tale of Genji), whichgoes back to the 11th century; Noh playwright Zeami in the 14th to 15th
centuries; haiku poet Matsuo Basho and poet and novelist Ihara Saikaku in
the Edo period; and a large number of talented authors in and ever since the
Meiji period (1868-1912).
This means that Japan, in any given period of the past 1,000 years or
so, has had talented poets, novelists and other writers of its own, with people
at large appreciating their works. I think this is unparalleled in the world. In
this regard, I think, Japan deserves recognition as a greatly distinguishedcountry, but, in reality, we are not near that point because Western standards
prevail in the world.
In other fields of culture, there are many similar cases. In other words,
although we Japanese have created a number of outstanding genres of culture,
the tide of globalization makes it increasingly difficult for them to develop
further on their own amid the visible or invisible struggles to reconcile withinternational influences.
Ozumo is one such example.
Let’s look at the circumstances surrounding Judo and Kendo. If I may
skip the fine details, I can say Judo has chosen to internationalize itself as
much as possible through the compromise of slightly diverting from its
inherent essence. Japanese Judo’s efforts to globalize the culture of Judoultimately succeeded in prompting practitioners of similar martial arts
abroad to take part in the international Judo movement, thus spreading Judoworldwide in spite of a series of complications.
On the other hand, if I may again offer a rough summary, I now wantto speak of Kendo. Kendo continues adhering to its original principles andpurpose. Japan’s Kendo society has made no compromise, saying, “If you want
to follow our path, respect our traditions.” More than a few Kendo fans exist
abroad and they generally respect the stance of Kendo of Japan. However,Kendo clearly lags behind Judo in terms of global spread. That said, it is thenatural consequence of what Kendo needs if it remains determined to be39

accepted as it is.
Just for convenience, let me coin two words — “Judo-teki” (Judo-like)and “Kendo-teki” (Kendo-like) — to further discuss the impact of the tide ofglobalization.
Roughly speaking, Ozumo should choose a Kendo-teki solution.
Actually, Ozumo should do more than that — it may be advisable for Ozumo
to devise and develop an “Ozumo-teki” solution regarding globalization.
In short, the Ozumo-teki solution means that it is desirable for Ozumo
as a sport of Japan to basically uphold its spiritual, traditional and national
aspects that are different from the Western way of thinking and, to that end,
accept the negative consequences of such a stance relative to an “Obei-teki”(Western-like) global spread of Ozumo.
All stakeholders, including JASA, of course, and Sumo enthusiasts,should unwaveringly maintain that stance. When there may be a genuine
need for the Ozumo world to compromise that solid stance, it may indeed
consider compromising — but only a little. I think this is what the Expert
Panel should give thought to in its recommendations. I think it is importantfor us to come up with unwavering and unequivocal judgments.
The multinationalization of Ozumo is necessary to develop mighty
rikishi because Ozumo is also a sport. However, it is meaningless for Ozumo
to compromise the essence of Sumodo for the sake of having such rikishi.
Ozumo needs no rikishi who cannot be true to the essence of Sumodo, nomatter how powerful they may be.
Ozumo is run and managed by a large organization, but each rikishi
is a professional sportsman responsible on his own for his ring performance,
which is a highly individual matter. I mean that we need to consider offering
them specific measures to help them definitely learn and abide by thephilosophy of Ozumo while belonging to a large organization.
For instance, it may be worth introducing a system in which JASA
would formally commend rikishi when they are recognized for mastering theessence of Ozumo.
Overcome misconduct and practice hard
OH Sadaharu, member
I think those who do not know how painful it is for a baseball player
to be struck in the body with a horsehide ball are not qualified to speak of thebaseball world. Likewise, those who have no experience of enduring theintensity of Ozumo practice cannot speak of Ozumo.
Compared with various other professions in the world, professional
baseball is quite unique. Ozumo is still more unique — it is really unique inthat rikishi have nothing but their bodies with which to do combat.
As such, there is no room in the Ozumo ring for either sneaky tactics
or an easy win. All they need is to develop courage and overcome fear throughpractice and assiduously build up their bodies so that they become capable oftenaciously fighting.
In reality, Ozumo is a world where rikishi can survive only by winningbout after bout.
The other day, I had an opportunity to watch a keiko-soken pretournament public practice session. The young rikishi appeared to havealready become exhausted, having difficulty breathing, due to rounds of hard40practice in front of their peers and oyakata (Sumo masters). They still had tothrow themselves at ozeki (champions) and yokozuna (grand champions).
They had no choice but to do so when their senior rikishi, including ozeki andyokozuna, said to them, “Come on!”Those young rikishi really had difficulty breathing. Their seniorrikishi shouted to them to “come on” and “get through it,” offering to go
through workout after workout with them.
Rikishi have to endure days, weeks, months and even years ofpracticing to become really powerful little by little. It is a process they haveto undergo to overcome difficulty after difficulty. This means that only those
who practice hard enough can become mighty. Senior rikishi know this so wellthat they offer to work out with their junior rikishi to show the importance ofrelentless practice. I was profoundly impressed.
At first glance, those young rikishi appeared to be forced to practicebeyond their limits, but they got back to normal a few minutes later.
The real limits of practice are something that can be determined onlyby those oyakata and senior rikishi who have experienced years of hardpractice themselves.
JASA recently came under criticism for an assault incident
perpetrated by a rikishi. As Japanese society always pays attention to Ozumo,
any scandal involving an individual rikishi tends to be treated as an Ozumowide one, not as a personal affair. JASA should make every rikishi consciousof this social tendency.
That said, however, I would like to state that there is one area where
the Ozumo world should not compromise and become less rigid, even in theface of criticism from the public. By that “one area,” I mean intense practiceand intense coaching. Both of them are important for Ozumo. When sportorganizations come under criticism, they often tend to lower the level ofpractice intensity. I believe that the Ozumo world should not do so, for thesake of preserving the traditions of Ozumo.
The Ozumo world should definitely preserve the core values of Ozumo.
To do so, it should show what Ozumo — the world of rikishi — is all about.
It goes without saying that everyone in the Ozumo world should
refrain from doing what people outside of Ozumo may see as acts of violence.
Then, rikishi should be intensely coached. All members of JASA, including
oyakata and rikishi, should determine themselves to improve Sumodo further.
They should show the spirit of Ozumo to the full extent so that people outsideof the Ozumo world would find it comfortable to watch Ozumo at ease.
To preserve and develop Ozumo for the future, oyakata should
continue developing themselves as coaches. When oyakata stop doing so, it is
impossible for either Ozumo or rikishi to continuously develop.
Oyakata should study Ozumo even beyond their days as rikishi. They
should simultaneously improve their coaching methods as they learn more
about Ozumo. They also should coach rikishi by putting themselves into theshoes of their trainees. They should take good care of disciples who join the
Ozumo world of their own will and continue encouraging them tocontinuously pave the way toward the pinnacle of Ozumo. I am sure that it is
all right for such oyakata to coach rikishi intensely. As I said earlier, Ozumo
is a world where rikishi cannot survive without beating opponent after
opponent, and only intense practice leads to victories.
Mongolia, Korea, Switzerland, Turkey and some other parts of theworld have their own Sumo-like stand-up grappling sports, all with long
histories. I personally want members of JASA to be proud of the Japanesenational sport of Ozumo as the most powerful of stand-up grappling sports in41

the world. Such pride can make all of those who are involved in the Ozumo
world exert further efforts and be innovative in making Ozumo more powerful.
Kabuki and Ozumo
MATSUMOTO Hakuo, member

Artisans

Some people say Kabuki actors are “artists.” But I do not think so.
After spending many years in the Kabuki world, I now think Kabuki actors
actually are “artisans.”
The reason is that you can never become a genuine Kabuki actor if
you fail to assiduously and tirelessly practice. But the mere accumulation ofpractice is not enough; you must build up your mettle. To be called a Kabuki
actor, you need to be able to complete all the planned rehearsals — six rounds,
for example — and still have enough energy and spirit left to go through six
more rounds of rehearsal if necessary. This means that you have to improveyour practice in both quantitative and qualitative terms with each passingday.
I am sure that the same is true of the Ozumo world. Only those who
keep up enormous amounts of intensive practice can understand what
Sumodo is all about and become genuine rikishi. In other words, I think those
who fail to keep practicing that much may neither become genuine rikishi norunderstand Sumodo.
For both Kabuki actors and Ozumo rikishi to be successful in theircareers, I think they need to reach the stage of being artisans.

Kabuki and Ozumo

In my view, society has never treated Kabuki and Ozumo better thanright now. In the latter half of the Edo period, Kabuki and Sumo got the cold
shoulder from society, which did not appreciate traditional culture. As a result,
Kabuki and Sumo fell into states of considerable distress.
Compared with those days, we now are blessed with a very goodenvironment in which many people say society needs to cherish traditional
culture. But we nevertheless must refrain from resting on such laurels. We
should not feel puffed up with the way we are favorably treated. We now needto think hard about how to preserve and develop our traditions.

MiraclesEach traditional cultural circle tends to exist in its own small world.
Yet, those traditional cultural circles should keep giving opportunities tovarious people. To do so, it is essential for each of them to have a system tohelp people who are willing to preserve the venerable culture concerned tobring about miraculous results.
My maternal grandfather, Nakamura Kichiemon I, had a traditional
background. His father was the Meiji-era Kabuki actor Nakamura Karoku III
and his mother came from a family that ran a shibaijaya restaurant attached
to a theater.
In contrast, my paternal grandfather Matsumoto Koshiro VII wasborn to a kuchi-ireya (construction company) family in Ise, now part of Mie
Prefecture. He was adopted by the Koraiya Kabuki family, eventually
becoming a great Kabuki actor.
42

I think the Ozumo world, which has its own system of drawing intalent, should enhance that system to develop rikishi who will bring about
miraculous results.

The future of traditions

In the Edo period, when Kabuki and Ozumo came into being, thebakufu government attached importance to Confucianism as the religion tocontrol the country and its populace.
Confucianism teaches people to conform with the Wuchang (fiveconstant virtues), namely “benevolence, righteousness, courtesy, wisdom andfaith,” and to respect the Wulu (five human relationships), namely father-son,ruler-minister and husband-wife relations and those between elder brothers
and younger brothers and between friends.
It is undeniable that Kabuki and Ozumo were influenced by
Confucianism to a certain extent. However, Confucian teachings seem to have
faded away among young people with the passage of time. We no longer
should impose Confucian teachings on them.
What we now need to do is to pursue the right way to preserve thetraditions of Kabuki and Ozumo.
As a fan of Ozumo for over half a century
KONNO Misako, member“Taiho’s winning streak ends!”
The news that yokozuna Taiho was defeated on the second day of the1969 Spring Grand Sumo Tournament threw my family into an uproar. I
clearly remember that my grandmother, an ardent Sumo fan, was the most
excited of all. I became a Sumo fan, too, under her influence. When I was anelementary school student, “Taiho is a nice man” was imprinted on mysubconscious mind.
Many people often ask me, “What is the charm of Ozumo?” I love
Ozumo so viscerally that my heart flutters as I visit Ryogoku and an Osumosan (rikishi), wonderfully redolent of binzuke abura (a Japanese pomade tostyle rikishi’s hair), passes by me. Once I enter the Kokugikan, I am moved
to find myself surrounded by the Edo-period atmosphere, which gives me anotherworldly sensation. I have been fascinated by the “men’s world” that isfull of a long history and traditions. I would like the Ozumo world toperpetuate this mystique, meaning those aspects of Ozumo that are strictly
prohibited to women.
The attractiveness and values of Ozumo cannot be simply explainedby data. I am afraid that much of the appeal of Ozumo will be lost if the
Ozumo world were to become completely transparent. To me, Ozumo is
attractive as it has certain aspects that remain indescribable. No matter how
times may change, I believe that the attitude of stubbornly upholding its own
traditional culture will create rarity value, leading to the preservation anddevelopment of Ozumo.
However, I have to point out that Ozumo’s sustainability will not be
guaranteed if it cannot attract future rikishi, whose presence is indispensable
to support the future of the Ozumo world.
The Ozumo world needs to have an “Ozumo-first” perspective incarrying out its vital task to increase the number of young people who long to43become rikishi, then actually become rikishi and finally run and manage
JASA. For example, one possible “rikishi-first” solution, which I think isincreasingly necessary, would be to resurrect the “kosho seido” (public injury
system) as a way of giving consideration to the social needs of the Reiwa era.
It also is important for the Ozumo world to implement specificmeasures to increase the number of Sumo fans. JASA has the Sumo Museum
and the Sumo Kyoshujo, the JASA-managed Sumo training school for Ozumo
rookies. JASA should utilize its know-how from running these two affiliates
in planning to open a public cultural center, such as a Sumo School, for thegeneral public to learn the history and traditions of Ozumo and hold regional
Ozumo workshops for the same purpose. Such facilities are likely to help
people deepen their understanding of Ozumo, an important step toward
expanding the Ozumo fan base.
Or, it may be worth considering a multi-grade “Ozumo Kentei”(assessment) quiz to invite people at large to test — and certify — theirOzumo knowledge. The lowest grade would be named “jonokuchi” (beginning)
after the lowest Ozumo division, and anyone having a “kachikoshi” resultwith more wins than losses, would be able to climb a banzuke-style ladder.
When they reach the juryo division, they would be privileged to use ringnames of their choice and keep moving upward to be given komusubi,
sekiwake, ozeki or yokozuna titles. It may be possible to develop an Ozumorelated app to entertain both existing and future Ozumo fans.
JASA should have more opportunities for exchanges with Ozumo fansand similar events to spread Ozumo to society. Former rikishi may be asked
for cooperation in such events.
I would like to see various Ozumo systems improved and enhanced totake care of each rikishi as a practical approach to help increase the numberof young people entering the Ozumo world. I sincerely hope that Ozumo willdevelop further as Japan’s leading national sport, which has already drawn
attention from the rest of the world.
Culture of empathy and beauty of Sumo performances
TADAKI Keiichi, member
Every time I watch Ozumo bouts in a Grand Sumo Tournament, I am
impressed by the beauty of Ozumo. Rikishi with traditional topknot haircuts
and mawashi loincloths look “beautiful” when they stand up in the ring — thebeauty of Ozumo is beyond description, indeed. Rikishi are powerful anddignified when they are in the ring. I think this impressive scene we can see
in every Grand Sumo Tournament embodies the goodness and beauty ofJapan. To me, Ozumo’s intrinsic beauty is really superb.
The beauty of form of Ozumo is expressed by the way rikishi move inthe ring. In the makunouchi (makuuchi) division, there are a certain numberof bouts with kenshokin (prize money) presented by bout sponsors. Winningrikishi customarily receive it in a humble manner. But some foreign-bornrikishi show no such humility when receiving kenshokin. Every time I see
such regrettable scenes, I feel uncomfortable and think they are awkward.
Judo has been internationalized with the introduction of a penalty
category, called shido (instruction), for minor fouls. As it has become common
for judoka to rack up as many points as possible by having opponents receive
shido penalties, Judo no longer is what it used to be — a world of ippon-gachi
44competition based on straightforward offensive moves.
In contrast, Kendo remains particular about preserving its traditionof ippon-gachi competition. To do so, Kendo has used the phrase “global
spread,” not the word “internationalization.” Of the two paths, Ozumo should
follow the one toward global spread while preserving Japan’s traditions.
In that event, we need to clarify what traditions — or what aspects of
Sumodo — should be upheld. This is an important task for the Ozumo world.
We need to clearly define which of Ozumo’s traditions areindispensable for the preservation of the spirit and beauty of form inherent
in Ozumo. At the same time, we need to identify what aspects of Ozumo of
today are impeding the spirit and beauty of form of Ozumo. I think it isnecessary to review and redefine the importance of every aspect of Ozumo,
ranging, among many others, from courtesy and the choice of mawashi colors
to rikishi’s performance and behavior.
It will undoubtedly be a very difficult and time-consuming task. But
it should be carried out as a way to craft well-thought-out guidance, which,for instance, will enable the president of JASA, at any given time, to readilycall for a corrective measure in the event of an incident running counter tothe beauty of form of Ozumo. This should be part of the Ozumo world’s efforts
to preserve itself in the coming 100 years at the least.
Also, if the Ozumo world needs to continuously accept themultinationalization of Ozumo, it will have to deal with a very importantmatter — how to educate foreign-born rikishi. These days, we often encounter
an issue that is difficult to readily resolve. It is an issue that is caused bycertain yokozuna. Now [when the Expert Panel was in session] we have two
yokozuna who have been repeatedly absent. They have often skipped one
tournament due to injuries but, to my surprise, then come back and win thenext one. I suspect they think that being yokozuna gives them the privilege
to decide on absences and comebacks at their own discretion.
The Ozumo world now has to deal with an issue that had neveremerged among Japanese-born yokozuna.
Consider the case of Japanese-born rikishi Kisenosato, who clinchedhis first Grand Sumo Tournament championship in January 2017 and waspromoted to yokozuna. In March 2017, he captured the championship for thesecond successive time. However, during that Grand Sumo Tournament, he
was heavily injured, forcing him to agonize over what to do until he retired in
January 2019. The yokozuna position is a really high-profile one, but hardworking yokozuna like Kisenosato often run the risk of terminating theirrikishi careers, which turn out to be ephemeral. I think such poignant
heroism can be said to be part of the beauty of form of Ozumo.
It is regrettable that the yokozuna who is currently absent from thering shows no such poignant heroism.
Japanese people usually make up their mind on whether to stay intheir present position or leave it by tacitly taking the surrounding
circumstances into consideration. On the other hand, some foreign-bornrikishi, having grown up in a “personal-rights-come-first” culture, do not so.
How can the Ozumo world make them understand this aspect of Japaneseculture? It is a really difficult matter to deal with.
To deal better with this matter, the quality of Sumo-beyamanagement and that of shisho (stablemasters) needs to be improved.
Nevertheless, adapting the rikishi qualification criteria and the rikishi
development system to certain modern governance models is not what the
Ozumo world should do. I think JASA should give necessary instructions to
Sumo-beya to help improve the quality of both shisho and their respective
45

stables while preserving the traditions and liveliness of Ozumo.
Bearers and supporters of the Sumo culture
OTANI Takehiko, member
Recently, the protection of sport integrity is a global theme for theinternational sport community. Japanese society generally uses the English
term “sport integrity” in its katakana form. The equivalent Japanese words
for it are “koketsusei,” “kenzensei” and “seijitsusei,” which can be retranslated into English to mean “uprightness,” “common sense” and “honesty.”
Threats to sport integrity include doping, match-fixing, violence andharassment. In short, they are scandals. To ensure uprightness and common
sense in sports, such scandals must be prevented. The Japan Sports Agency
has adopted the Governance Code for National Sport Federation Members inJapan, which sets forth the principles and rules for protecting sport integrityby preventing scandals.
The Articles of Incorporation of JASA stipulate that the utmost
purpose of the Association is “to uphold, inherit and develop the tradition andorder of Sumodo, the inherently Japanese national sport.” To that end, theArticles of Incorporation emphasize the importance of holding Grand Sumo
Tournaments and regional tours and developing Sumo human resources.
When JASA reorganized itself as a public interest incorporated
association, it completely rewrote its Articles of Incorporation, emphasizing
its commitment to the preservation and development of the traditional
culture of Ozumo.
In Japan, there is another Sumo-related public interest incorporated
association, named Nihon Sumo Renmei, i.e. the Japan Sumo Federation,
which groups amateur Sumo wrestlers. Therefore, JASA’s role is to be
responsible for the professional Sumo world.
While the Articles of Incorporation of the Japan Sumo Federation
specify the spread of Sumo as its sole purpose, those of JASA do not limit therole of the Association purely to the spread of Sumo. JASA assigns itself, as
just mentioned, to be responsible for maintaining and developing “thetradition and order of Sumodo” as a traditional culture of Japan.
Ozumo has the characteristics of both sport and traditional culture,but it should be reaffirmed that the essential value and quality of Sumodo’s
traditions exist in its cultural characteristics. This means that the sport
integrity of Ozumo should be pursued with due consideration to the value andquality of Sumodo.
Sumo culture is cultivated by oyakata (Sumo masters) and rikishi andis supported by Ozumo patrons and spectators. Oyakata are responsible fordeveloping Sumo human resources by upholding the tradition of master-todisciple instruction. Rikishi are responsible for realizing the perfection of thedohyo ring — the zenith of Sumo culture — by assiduously and intensively
practicing day after day. Ozumo supporters appreciate such efforts by oyakata
and rikishi. When virtuous relationships between those displaying
spectacular Sumo performances and their supporters are sustainable, Sumo
culture can surely be preserved and developed.
To keep Ozumo popular among Japanese people in the future, theOzumo world should always endeavor to have a sufficient number of people
directly involved in promoting Sumo culture together with a stable supporter46

base. JASA should accordingly pursue the integrity of Ozumo and develop an
effective governance strategy.
Ten hearts
WATANABE Daigoro, a.k.a. the former Takamiyama
and former stablemaster Azumazeki
I am not of Japanese descent, but most of my senior high school
friends were Japanese sansei (third-generation Americans of Japanesedescent). All of the Japanese Americans around me liked Sumo and, during
each Grand Sumo Tournament, they were glued to the radio.
In my first year of senior high school, I was playing American football.
Our coach had his team play Sumo to strengthen their hip muscles. When I
was 18 years old, Mr. Takizawa Hisao, then the manager of Meiji University’ssumo club, invited me to join the Ozumo world of Japan. At the time, I, as a
Maui resident, wanted to become a policeman in Hawaii. Mr. Takizawa’s
invitation motivated me to see the outside world.
In the winter of 1964 (Showa 39), I left Hawaii for Japan. When I
arrived at Haneda Airport, it was snowing. That was when I saw snowfall forthe first time. Two oyakata — former yokozuna Maedayama, who at the time
was the fourth Takasago shisho, and former yokozuna Asashio, who later
became the fifth shisho of the Takasago stable — welcomed me at the airport.
At the Sumo-beya, we began practicing at 4 a.m. every day. Former
yokozuna Asashio, who at the time belonged to the Takasago stable as anoyakata named Furiwake, coached me on a one-on-one basis. I learned
Ozumo’s traditional exercises of shiko (lifting and stomping legs), suriashi(dragging feet without lifting them from the ground), teppo (pushing hands
forward) and matawari (sitting on the ground and spreading one’s legs as
wide as possible). I couldn’t do matawari because my body was stiff.
Butsukari-geiko (charging hard to collide with an opponent) was so painfulthat I wept in spite of myself. At the time, former yokozuna Azumafuji
happened to visit our Sumo-beya to watch our practice sessions. He asked me,“Did you shed tears?” I answered, “It was sweat, not tears.” This remark ofmine was then repeatedly quoted by the news media.
In 1970 (Showa 45) when I was 25 years old and three years into the
makuuchi division, my shisho — Takasago IV — said to me, “You’ve been
doing your best,” and let me know more about the Ozumo system, including
becoming an oyakata and acquiring Toshiyori-myoseki rights. I was glad
because my shisho praised me for practicing hard. At the time, I became
conscious of my future in the Ozumo world for the first time.
In 1971, my new shisho, Takasago V, told me that a new provision wasadded to the Toshiyori-myoseki name succession regulations, requiring any
candidate to have Japanese citizenship. I asked my family in Hawaii,
including my brothers, for advice. They said I should get Japanese citizenship.
I also asked the governor of Hawaii and the U.S. ambassador to Japan, Mr.
Mike Mansfield, for advice. They, too, agreed with my family.
I wanted to become an oyakata only after learning Japan’s culture,
history and life — everything about Japan. So, I remained an active rikishi
until I was very close to 40 years old.
After retirement (as a rikishi), I became a shisho and ran my own
Sumo-beya to teach my disciples about Sumo culture. I said, “It doesn’t matter47

if my disciples are American or Japanese. I want to teach them about patienceand endurance, faithfulness and humanity, and the traditions and qualities
of Ozumo society. That’s my way of returning what [Ozumo society] did forme.”
Ozumo dates back to the Edo period. In the Meiji era, rikishi were told
to stop being naked (except loincloths) and have their hair cut. The Ozumo
world overcame such difficult circumstances, and at the end of the Taisho era(1912-1926), the Shihai prize — the Prince Regent Cup, to be renamed theEmperor’s Cup the following year — was inaugurated. In 1927 (Showa 2), theTokyo and Osaka sumo associations merged to form the Japan Sumo
Association. The modern Ozumo world did not come into being all at once
after the end of World War II. It embodies the culture that was built andpreserved by Japanese people enduring years and centuries of diligent workand hardship.
The Azumazeki stable adopted its own motto, titled “Ten Hearts”(phrases that expressed certain virtues or qualities), for its disciples. They
were:(1) “Ohayo” (good morning): (affection)(2) “Hai” (yes): (straightforwardness)(3) “Sumimasen” (sorry): (remorse)(4) “Dozo” (please): (humility)(5) “Watakushi ga shimasu” (let me do it): (devotion)(6) “Arigato” (thank you): (gratitude)(7) “Okagesamade” (a modest way of returning greetings when one is
asked “How are you?” or “How is your business going?”):(modesty)(8) “Otsukaresan” (a workplace greeting with meanings that include,“See you tomorrow”): (a sense of caring)(9) “Nanikuso” (I won’t give up): (endurance)(10) “Uso o tsukuna” (Don’t lie): (honesty)Special gratitude:
The Expert Panel is grateful to the authors of the following books,
among others, to which it referred in compiling this report:
Kanazashi Motoi, with editorial supervision by the Japan Sumo
Association, Sumo Daijiten (Sumo Encyclopedia), 4th edition, Gendai Shokan,
2018
Nitta Ichiro, Sumo: Sono Rekishi to Giho (Sumo: Its History andTechniques), Nippon Budokan, 201648

Members of the Expert Panel on the Preservation and Development of Ozumo

Chair

YAMAUCHI Masayuki
Historian; University of Tokyo Professor Emeritus

Member & Special Advisor

IMAI Takashi
Honorary Chairman, Japan Business Federation (Keidanren)

MemberATODA Takashi
Author; former President of the Japan P.E.N. Club; Person of Cultural
Merit

MemberOH Sadaharu
Chairman, Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks; People’s Honor Award
recipient

Member

MATSUMOTO Hakuo
Kabuki actor; Person of Cultural Merit

MemberOTANI TakehikoFormer Supreme Court JusticeMember

KONNO Misako
Actress; United
Ambassador

Nations

Development

Member

Programme

Goodwill

TADAKI Keiichi
Lawyer; former Prosecutor General; Chairman, Committee on
Preventing the Recurrence of Violence, JASA

49

Timeline of Expert Panel discussions and agenda
Session Date
1
June 21, 2019

Agenda/speakers
・Opinions expressed by each member
・ A Sumo Museum curator: “History andtraditions of Sumo”
2
August 31, 2019
・ Yamauchi, chair: “Outline, outlook anddirection of Expert Panel discussion”
・Yamaguchi Juichi, director of JASA: “JASA
organization, ichimon (Sumo clans), Sumobeya, JASA membership, etc.”
・ Tadaki, member: “Report of the JASA
Committee on Preventing the Recurrence ofViolence”
・ JASA Secretariat: “The latest on JapanSports Agency debate on Governance Code”
3
October 10, 2019 ・JASA briefing (by Chairman of the Board
Hakkaku and others) on media reports
regarding Ozumo-related developments
・Atoda, member: “Establishing and sharing
the Sumodo philosophy”
・Opinion of Matsumoto Hakuo (introduced
by Yamaguchi, JASA director)
・ JASA Secretariat: “The Japan Sports
Agency’s introduction of Governance Code”
4
December 9, 2019 ・ Yamashita Yasuhiro, president of theJapanese
Olympic
Committee:“Theinternationalization of Judo”
・ Nakai Kenji, lawyer: “Global spread ofKendo”
5
February 6, 2020 ・JASA briefing (by Chairman of the Board
Hakkaku and others) on media reports
regarding Ozumo-related developments
・Watanabe Daigoro (former Azumazeki): “Asthe first foreign-born sekitori and shisho(toshiyori)”
・ Konno, member: “An opinion of a halfcentury female fan of Ozumo”
Sessions suspended due to COVID-19 state of emergency declaration
6
August 20, 2020
・JASA briefing (by Chairman of the Board
Hakkaku and others) on COVID-19 impact on
the March Grand Sumo Tournament andother Ozumo events and media reports
regarding Ozumo-related developments
・ Opinion of Expert Panel member Oh(introduced by Yamaguchi, JASA director)
・Otani, member: “Key points the Panel needs
to discuss from the perspective of preserving
and developing Ozumo and complying with
the JSA Governance Code”
7
September 17,
JASA’s opinions based on panel discussions so2020
far (by Chairman of the Board Hakkaku andothers)50

8November 9, 2020 Debate on what should be included in theupcoming Recommendations
9
December 23,
Ditto
2020
Sessions suspended due to COVID-19 state of emergency declaration
10
April 3, 2021
Ditto
11
April 19, 2021
Recommendations submitted to JASA

51