Latest stock exchange news - kabu, Oyakata transfers, etc.

[Asashosakari 18,644]

Other job changes:

Competition inspection (8 members): Kokonoe was previously in charge of this committee and stays as a regular member; this is now his only special responsibility. (Well, he does know about yaocho...) New head Takanohana is completely new to the committee, and Tamagaki (ex-Tomonohana) also joins; they take spots freed up by new director Dekiyama and new yakuin taigu Michinoku.

Shimpan (23 members): New deputy shimpan director Izutsu was previously a regular member, however this means he's no longer counted as a representative for Tokitsukaze-ichimon. That same ichimon also sees another member end his tenure in Edagawa (ex-Aogiyama) - these two spots are newly filled by Tatekawa (ex-Tosanoumi) and Urakaze (ex-Shikishima). One more change is taking place in the Isegahama contingent: Tamagaki (ex-Tomonohana) out, Asakayama (ex-Kaio) in. The old notion that shimpan must be full iin oyakata appears to be completely dead - incumbent Azumazeki (ex-Ushiomaru) is joined by Tatekawa and Urakaze as non-iin shimpan now.

Jungyo department (12/11 members) - new vice director Shibatayama was previously a regular member of the department, and in turn his vice predecessor Oyama stays on in a regular role. Matsugane leaves; the additional deputy post held by him has simply lapsed, as already mentioned in the previous post. Two more lineup changes did take place here: Tatekawa (see above) has moved to the shimpan section and Takekuma (ex-Zaonishiki) has also left the department. (Takekuma is now 61 years old and hasn't been added to any other department, so this may have been an age-related resignation.) Newly part of the jungyo group are Edagawa (basically trading spots with Tatekawa, it seems) and the freshly renamed Takasaki (ex-Kinkaiyama).

Basho departments: Not many changes here; the Osaka department increases from 5 to 6 oyakata with the addition of Isenoumi (ex-Kitakachidoki), and the Fukuoka department drops from 6 to 5 due to Asakayama's switch to the shimpan section. Nagoya maintains its 5 department members.

[Asashosakari 18,644]

And the ranking changes:

The big news first, the Kyokai have decided to cancel several promotion penalties handed out a few years ago:

Onomatsu (ex-Masurao) - nominal promotion stop until July 2020 for his stable being the baseball betting hub

Onoe (ex-Hamanoshima) - until April 2021 for having yaocho rikishi and his drunk-driving incident

Tokitsukaze (ex-Tokitsuumi) - until July 2018 for his own baseball betting and having yaocho rikishi

In addition, the penalties for Kise (ex-Higonoumi; yaocho and yakuza ticket sales) and Sadogatake (ex-Kotonowaka; yaocho and Kotomitsuki's baseball betting) have expired naturally this month. This leaves only Kumagatani's indefinite ban in place (for being caught on tape ranting about yaocho and general idiocy).

All in all, the following oyakata promotions have been made official:

iin taigu -> iin: Asakayama (ex-Kaio) - his time-based seniority has now caught up with his status as a former ozeki

toshiyori -> iin (two classes): Onomatsu, Sadogatake [this jump is only possible because of their revoked penalties]

shunin -> iin: Yamawake (ex-Buyuzan)

toshiyori -> shunin: Kise, Onoe, Tokitsukaze, Sekinoto (ex-Iwakiyama), Tatekawa (ex-Tosanoumi), Inagawa (ex-Futeno), Tanigawa (ex-Hokutoriki), Tagonoura (ex-Takanotsuru), Sendagawa (ex-Toki), Urakaze (ex-Shikishima), Musashigawa (ex-Musashimaru), Katsunoura (ex-Kirinishiki), Takekuma (ex-Zaonishiki)

That leaves them with 15 shunin-ranked oyakata now, by far the greatest number I've ever seen; it's usually somewhere around 5 or 6, and in the last cycle there were only 3 (now-promoted Yamawake, and the only two continuing shunin, Wakafuji/ex-Otsukasa and Azumazeki/ex-Ushiomaru).

And one of the eternal questions has received new fodder as it appears that some oyakata who were on kabu-borrowing arrangements for a while have received some credit for the time spent as borrowers: Toki, Shikishima, Musashimaru, Kirinishiki and Zaonishiki have all jumped past some other toshiyori-ranked oyakata who haven't been promoted at this time.

[Asashosakari 18,644]

The biggest surprise (for me anyway) in the yakuin taigu ranks is that deposed director Kokonoe isn't one of them - it's highly unusual that a former director immediately becomes a mere rank-and-file oyakata, especially one who didn't exit for age reasons.

Sports Hochi has run several articles on the new assignments today, and has also found this worthy of note. Their reporter goes on to point out that, as executives, yakuin taigu are eligible to participate in meetings of the board of directors, a privilege that has now disappeared for Kokonoe - for the first time since 1996 (!) if I'm not mistaken.

All that should mean that any notion of Kokonoe becoming rijicho is now dead and buried - in the event of a scandal deposing Kitanoumi in the next two years he won't be in position to be picked as a replacement, at the next regular elections in two years he'll be extremely unlikely to be picked as he'd be merely a new riji (if he even makes it back on at all), and in 2018 when Kitanoumi is set to retire Kokonoe will have only two years left himself and they'll go with somebody younger.

In other news: The toshiyori-kai, the assembly of all oyakata below the executive ranks, is now chaired by Nishikido (ex-Mitoizumi), succeeding Izutsu who moved up to deputy riji. Interestingly it appears to be commonly accepted now that Takanohana's group is an ichimon of its own, as the Hochi reporter simply writes that "Nishikido's five deputies were chosen as representatives of each ichimon", and this list of deputies includes Otowayama (ex-Takanonami) from Takanohana-beya. The other deputies are Tamagaki (ex-Tomonohana, Isegahama), Takadagawa (ex-Akinoshima, Nishonoseki), Irumagawa (ex-Tochitsukasa, Dewanoumi) and Isenoumi (ex-Kitakachidoki, Tokitsukaze). Nishikido is of course considered the Takasago representative, so no deputy post for that ichimon.

Edited April 3, 2014 by Asashosakari

[Tsubame 354]

Is there a special reason about the stuff happend to Kokonoe ?

[kuroimori 1,634]

koko - no way!

[Naganoyama 5,806]

Otake isn't on the oyakata list as of yesterday at http://www.sumo.or.jp/en/sumo_data/kyokai_member/oyakata. I assume this is just an oversight.

[Asashosakari 18,644]

That's because of the new councillor status Otake, Minatogawa and Yamahibiki hold since February; they're not considered active as oyakata right now. Looks like the Kyokai only now got around to acknowledging that on that particular page.

Edited April 25, 2014 by Asashosakari

[Akinomaki 39,476]

Tokitenku has acquired the Magaki myoseki as of May 29th, becoming the first Mongolian born (he became Japanese in January) to own a kabu.

http://www.sanspo.com/sports/news/20140617/sum14061718400001-n1.html

Kyokutenho is sure to inherit Oshima as the adopted son of the holder, but he doesn't have it yet, so Tokitenku beat him to that - and maybe also will at becoming the first Mongolian shusshin oyakata.

Edited June 17, 2014 by Akinomaki

[Asashosakari 18,644]

Tokitenku has acquired the Magaki myoseki as of May 29th, becoming the first Mongolian born (he became Japanese in January) to own a kabu.

Good to see that kabu obfuscation is alive and well even under the new rules...

From half a year ago:

Magaki-oyakata has handed in the papers to retire from the kyokai yesterday. He is the one to have given the myoseki to an active rikishi, the 2 have not come to an agreement about how to handle the myoseki exchange.

Magaki-oyakata has given the certificate to a Tokitsukaze-ichimon rikishi.

Don't think it was mentioned on the forum at the time, but it was widely rumoured that the recipient was a Mongolian rikishi, which only left Kakuryu and Tokitenku as possible candidates.

Edit: Oh, I was searching in the wrong thread; I did allude to it a few weeks later.

Edited June 23, 2014 by Asashosakari

[Yubinhaad 11,496]

Inagawa-oyakata (former Komusubi Futeno) has moved from Dewanoumi-beya to Chiganoura-beya, it was announced today.

[Akinomaki 39,476]

Inagawa-oyakata (former Komusubi Futeno) has moved from Dewanoumi-beya to Chiganoura-beya, it was announced today.

As planned successor of the heya, the present Chiganoura-oyakata is 63.

http://www.sanspo.com/sports/news/20140626/sum14062605000002-n1.html

[Yubinhaad 11,496]

Former Maegashira Tochisakae switched from his borrowed Kiyomigata myoseki and has acquired the Mihogaseki myoseki, as of August 29th.

[Pikenoyama 27]

Just for completeness: as was stated elsewhere, Wakakoyu has retired on September 26th to become Shiranui oyakata.

[Akinomaki 39,476]

The Hyogi-in-kai on the 22nd approved of the re-employment of oyakata who retire at 65, till the age of 70, but it was declared that this is internal kyokai business and not to be decided by them.

The definite decision with details, esp. in respect of handling the toshiyori-myoseki is to be made by the regular Kyushu-basho riji-kai on November, 16th.

Younger oyakata speak of "oyakata close to retirement just want to retain their revenues", kabu may become scarce again.

http://www.asahi.com/articles/ASGBQ5K1VGBQUTQP01T.html

Since it concerns the kabu I post the follow-up here.

The riji-kai today approved of it. The oyakata may - not must - be re-employed till 70 at 70% of their wages and without having a heya or being a kyokai executive, but with their kabu and toshiyori-name.

http://www.sanspo.com/sports/news/20141116/sum14111616560004-n1.html

[Asashosakari 18,644]

Since it concerns the kabu I post the follow-up here.

The riji-kai today approved of it. The oyakata may - not must - be re-employed till 70 at 70% of their wages and without having a heya or being a kyokai executive, but with their kabu and toshiyori-name.

http://www.sanspo.com/sports/news/20141116/sum14111616560004-n1.html

The press calls the unretirees' future role 参与, which I guess means advisor or something like that.

In the same session they also decided that rikishi and oyakata salaries will remain static again, for the 14th year in a row.

Edited November 17, 2014 by Asashosakari

[Asashosakari 18,644]

Tateyama-oyakata (ex-Tamanofuji, former shisho of Kataonami-beya) turns 65 on Monday and will retire from the Kyokai - however, it appears he'll be the first beneficiary of the re-employment policy they just introduced.

[Raishu 202]

The Hyogi-in-kai on the 22nd approved of the re-employment of oyakata who retire at 65, till the age of 70, but it was declared that this is internal kyokai business and not to be decided by them.

The definite decision with details, esp. in respect of handling the toshiyori-myoseki is to be made by the regular Kyushu-basho riji-kai on November, 16th.

Younger oyakata speak of "oyakata close to retirement just want to retain their revenues", kabu may become scarce again.

http://www.asahi.com/articles/ASGBQ5K1VGBQUTQP01T.html

Just checked the current banzuke: As per November 2014, we have 15 kabu eligible active rikishi without a share (officially of course). Should many of the oyakata near age 65 take advantage of the new rule, many of these rikishi probably won't have a post-retirement job within the Kyokai. Maybe they should allow loans again? Seems crucial to me.

I'm kinda surprised that we haven't heard anything from the rikishi kai yet.

[Asameshimae 220]

In the tiny world that is sumo, I can't see the logic in letting people work beyond 65. There are so many people that have little else that need employment when they retire. Why keep people on longer? I suspect they can have comfortable retirements; do they need this? I would like to know the average age of the group of men that voted for this re-employment policy.

If there are factors I don't know about or am not considering, please enlighten me.

[Asashosakari 18,644]

For thread completeness, a link to the recent Matsugane/Nishonoseki developments.

In the tiny world that is sumo, I can't see the logic in letting people work beyond 65. There are so many people that have little else that need employment when they retire. Why keep people on longer? I suspect they can have comfortable retirements; do they need this? I would like to know the average age of the group of men that voted for this re-employment policy.

I think - or rather I hope - they're only going to use it with oyakata who actually fill important roles on the administrative side, not any random guy who's sitting around a practice dohyo. In any case, we're in a phase with relatively few scheduled retirements right now (just three in two years - ex-Washuyama last April, ex-Tamanofuji recently, ex-Daiju/Asahiyama in March, then nobody until April 2016), so we probably won't find out the extent of the new policy for a while. I wouldn't be surprised to see Asahiyama get re-employed, as well as the first one after the lull (ex-Masudayama/Chiganoura), but right after that we're going to get a couple of oyakata who aren't doing anything above shimpan duty, and their treatment should demonstrate just how far-reaching it's going to be. Edited December 7, 2014 by Asashosakari

[Raishu 202]

I think - or rather I hope - they're only going to use it with oyakata who actually fill important roles on the administrative side, not any random guy who's sitting around a practice dohyo. In any case, we're in a phase with relatively few scheduled retirements right now (just three in two years - ex-Washuyama last April, ex-Tamanofuji recently, ex-Daiju/Asahiyama in March, then nobody until April 2016), so we probably won't find out the extent of the new policy for a while. I wouldn't be surprised to see Asahiyama get re-employed, as well as the first one after the lull (ex-Masudayama/Chiganoura), but right after that we're going to get a couple of oyakata who aren't doing anything above shimpan duty, and their treatment should demonstrate just how far-reaching it's going to be.

Definetely interesting to follow. I also hope they will chose wisely and employ only those with administrative experience.

Basic question here: Can every retired oyakata apply for a post-retirement job, with the NSK deciding "Yes or "No", or is it up to the NSK to approach the person and offer him a new contract?

Edited December 7, 2014 by Raishu

[Yubinhaad 11,496]

Former Maegashira Kobo has switched from the Tatsutagawa myoseki and is now borrowing the Nishiiwa myoseki, which is owned by Wakanosato.

Tatsutagawa is ostensibly still owned by the retired former Komusubi Yutakayama, although this move suggests to me that it may change hands soon.

[Asashosakari 18,644]

Tatsutagawa is ostensibly still owned by the retired former Komusubi Yutakayama, although this move suggests to me that it may change hands soon.

For what it's worth, as of this basho Tosayutaka has completed the required 30 sekitori tournaments. Presuming the 3-year rule still exists, there's only 9 months left until a permanent successor to the share needs to be named.

[Raishu 202]

Tatsutagawa is ostensibly still owned by the retired former Komusubi Yutakayama, although this move suggests to me that it may change hands soon.

For what it's worth, as of this basho Tosayutaka has completed the required 30 sekitori tournaments. Presuming the 3-year rule still exists, there's only 9 months left until a permanent successor to the share needs to be named.

I have to nitpick here :-) : http://www.sumoforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=32185&hl=hochiyama

I know they need the shisho and the former holder as guarantors, but that should not be much of a problem.

So actually, he has become eligible last September.

I'd also like to throw in Homasho as the possible next Tatsutagawa. Serious injury, age and the drop to Makushita might be too much for him to handle.

[Asashosakari 18,644]

I have to nitpick here :-) : http://www.sumoforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=32185&hl=hochiyama

I know they need the shisho and the former holder as guarantors, but that should not be much of a problem.

So actually, he has become eligible last September.

I know, but I'm of the mindset that as long as we haven't actually seen this ruling applied a second time (Sagatsukasa comes to mind as an immediate candidate), I don't trust it to hold the same kind of universal power as the standard rule.

[Akinomaki 39,476]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Asahiyama get re-employed, as well as the first one after the lull (ex-Masudayama/Chiganoura), but right after that we're going to get a couple of oyakata who aren't doing anything above shimpan duty, and their treatment should demonstrate just how far-reaching it's going to be.

Asahiyama-oyakata chooses to not get re-employed

http://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2015/01/29/kiji/K20150129009715650.html

Edited January 29, 2015 by Akinomaki