Wakasegawa Yoshimitsu

Wakasegawa Yoshimitsu - 若瀬川 剛充 (born July 28, 1962 - October 8, 2011) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Sakata, Yamagata. He made his debut in March 1978 and wrestled for Isegahama stable. He reached the makuuchi division in January 1983 and has one kinboshi. His highest rank was maegashira 1 and he retired in July 1992.

## **Career**

### **Early Career**

After graduating from Sakata Shiritsu Daisan Junior High School, he was recruited by former ozeki Kiyokuni in 1978, who had taken over Isegahama stable the previous year. He made his first appearance on the dohyo in March 1978, and he rose through the lower ranks fairly quickly. In is first tournament he posted a strong 6-1 record, but missed out on the jonokuchi yusho after losing to Naruyama in a playoff. Nevertheless, he continued to excel and in July 1980 he won the makushita yusho with a perfect 7-0 record at the rank of makushita 8. As a result he was promoted to juryo in the following tournament after recently turning 18.

### **Juryo Career**

At the time of his sekitori debut in September 1990, Wakasegawa had just turned 18 and only produced one losing record at the time. He was seen as a new hope and compared to the ozeki Hokutenyu. However, he struggled and only managed 5 wins. As a result, he was demoted back down to makushita and he did not return back to juryo until March 1982. He won the juryo yusho in July 1982 and followed with two more winning records which earned him a promotion to makuuchi in January 1983.

### **Makuuchi Career**

He reached the top division for the first time in January 1983 at the age of just 20. To make the occasion he changed the second part of his shikona or fighting name from his own given name of Wataru to Taiji. Wakasegawa was regarded as a wrestler with great promise. However, after reaching what proved to be his highest ever rank of maegashira 1 in July 1983, he fell back to the juryo division in November 1983 after withdrawing from the tournament with a dislocated shoulder. After developing diabetes his performances suffered and he remained in juryo for most of the next four years. In 1986 he visited the Yokota Air Base with his colleagues from Isegahama stable to take part in exhibition bouts with American schoolchildren. He reappeared in makuuchi in July 1987 (changing part of his shikona again, from Taiji to Yoshimitsu) but only for one tournament. After winning his third juryo championship in March 1988 with a 13-2 record he earned promotion to makuuchi for the fourth time, finally establishing himself as a top division regular. He never won a sansho or special prize, but did defeat yokozuna Onokuni in November 1988 to earn a kinboshi. He also defeated ozeki Konishiki in this tournament. He injured his back during the March 1989 tournament after taking part in a strenuous training session with junior wrestler Akebono, later to become a yokozuna. Upon the demotion of Ozutsu in January 1992 he became the man with the earliest top division experience left in makuuchi (although his service was not continuous). He was to lose top division status himself in May of that year after suffering from gastroenteritis, and retired just one tournament after that.

## **Retirement from Sumo**

Although Wakasegawa was qualified to become an oyakata or coach, he was unable to purchase the necessary elder stock and so left the sumo world upon retirement in July 1992. He ran a ramen restaurant before having to give it up due to poor health.

### **Death**

Having suffered from diabetes for many years, he died on October 8, 2011, at the age of 49 in Fukuoka city.

## **Fighting Style**

Wakasegawa was a straightforward yotsu-sumo wrestler, preferring to use grappling techniques to pushing or thrusting. He won most of his bouts with a simple yorikiri, or force out, but he also liked tsukiotoshi (thrust over), tsukidashi (thrust out), hiki-ostoshi (pull down) and various nage or throws. His skill on the mawashi was noted by experts.

## **Record**

### **Division Results**

* **Total:** 546-519-26/1063 (87 basho)
* **Makuuchi:** 216-267-12/481 (33 basho)
* **Juryo:** 227-208/435 (30 basho)
* **Makushita:** 66-25-14/91 (15 basho)
* **Sandanme:** 22-13/35 (5 basho)
* **Jonidan:** 9-5/14 (2 basho)
* **Jonokuchi:** 6-1/7 (1 basho)

### **Championships**

* 3 **Juryo** Championships
	+ 1st (July 1982)
	+ 2nd (November 1985)
	+ 3rd (March 1988)
* 2 **Makushita** Championships
	+ 1st (July 1980)
	+ 2nd (May 1982)

## **Shikona History**

* Wakasegawa Wataru (1978.03 - 1982.11)
* Wakasegawa Taiji (1983.01 - 1987.05)
* Wakasegawa Yoshimitsu (1987.07 - 1982.07)

## **Gallery**

Wakasegawa during an exhibition bout in Yokota Airbase (c. 1986)Wakasegawa defeats Yokozuna Onokuni (c. 1988)Wakasegawa's wedding (c. 1989)Wakasegawa (c. 1991)Wakasegawa poses with his kesho-mawashi (c. 1992)Wakasegawa's tegata
## **Sources**

* Wakasegawa Yoshimitsu Japanese Wikipedia Article
* Wakasegawa Yoshimitsu Rikishi Information