Kotokantetsu Daisuke

Kotokantetsu Daisuke - 琴貫鐵 大将 (born February 28, 1998) is a former Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Otsu, Shiga. He made his debut in March 2013 and wrestled for Sadogatake stable. His highest rank was sandanme 37 and he retired in January 2021.

## **Career**

Daisuke Yanagihara joined Sadogatake stable and made his professional debut in March 2013 under the shikona "Kotomiyakura" (琴宮倉). Hew withdrew on the fourth day of the January 2016 tournament and continued to sit out and fell off the banzuke completely by May 2016. He returned to action in July 2016 and had to redo maezumo (pre-sumo). He was promoted to sandanme in March 2017 and reached a career-best sandanme 37 in May 2019. He was given the new shikona "Kotokantetsu" (琴貫鐵) in March 2020.

## **Retirement from Sumo**

Kotokantetsu, who had previously undergone heart surgery, retired from sumo in January 2021 after the Sumo Association told him that fear of getting infected with COVID-19 while competing was not sufficient grounds for withdrawal from a tournament. Shobushi, another at-risk sumo wrestler, had died a couple months before in May 2020 due to COVID-19.

After retiring, he publicly criticized Sadogatake-oyakata (former sekiwake Kotonowaka) for not supporting him during his sumo career and not allowing him to sit out that month's honbasho despite his fears of contracting COVID-19 after undergoing cardiac surgery. Kotokantetsu subsequently filed a lawsuit against the Japan Sumo Association and Sadogatake in March 2023 for ¥4.1 million in monetary damages over claims of being forced to retire from professional sumo and for violations of his human rights, while also alleging that lower division wrestlers in the stable were mistreated. In a statement to the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan in July 2023, Yanagihara said that he wanted to reveal the actual state of the sumo world "which has been shrouded in mystery in the name of traditional culture," adding his concern that the Japanese media was not accurately covering the issue and that there was a possibility it could be covered up. He alleged that in 2011 he was repeatedly slapped by a senior wrestler with traditional footwear that contained metal. He also told reporters that lower-division wrestlers at the stable were often forced to eat rotten meat during their training. Kotokantetsu showed reporters a picture he took in July 2017 and sent to his mother using the communications app Line of a package of rib roast allegedly served at the stable that had been expired for five and a half years. When asked by Agence France-Presse about the lawsuit in July 2023, the Sumo Association declined to comment.

## **Fighting Style**

Kotokantetsu was an oshi-sumo wrestler who prefers pushing and thrusting techniques to fighting on the mawashi. His most common kimarite used was a straightforward oshidashi, or push out.

## **Record**

### **Division Results**

* **Total:** 131-141-36/270 (46 basho)
* **Sandanme:** 37-54/91 (13 basho)
* **Jonidan:** 73-72-23/143 (24 basho)
* **Jonokuchi:** 21-15-13/36 (7 basho)

## **Shikona History**

* Kotomiyakura Daisuke (2013.03 - 2020.01)
* Kotokantetsu Daisuke (2020.03 - 2021.01)

## **Gallery**

Kotokantetsu defeats Yamenosato (c. 2020)Kotokantetsu prepares for his upcoming match (c. 2020)Kotokantetsu speaks out on his lawsuit against the JSA (c. 2023)
## **Sources**

* Kotokantetsu Daisuke Rikishi Information
* Japan Times Article on Kotokantetsu's Lawsuit