Sumo articles by journalists who are Forum members/or not

[Kintamayama 44,646]

king for another source that wrote this but couldn't find one-the other sources all stopped at "Aren't the shinpan ex-rikishi?" This is even weirder. I'm sure he said all that since there probably are a lot of videos and recordings, but the "skin" part was whitewashed for whatever reason in updates and articles.

The first day only the "kids can see" part was published, the next day most papers had the skin part as well, Sponichi even in the title.

http://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2015/01/27/kiji/K20150127009702100.html

the interview in detail

http://www.nikkansports.com/sports/sumo/news/p-sp-tp3-20150127-1426852.html

some others

http://www.hochi.co.jp/sports/sumo/20150126-OHT1T50210.html

http://www.sanspo.com/sports/news/20150127/sum15012705050002-n1.html

http://www.sanspo.com/sports/news/20150127/sum15012705050005-n1.html

As I said, these are all the initial ones the day after. In all later articles where there were quotes, the quotes stopped with what I said. I missed the 27th papers altogether, so I missed that part. What I'm trying to say is that it surprises me that they are focusing on the "children" thing instead of the "race" thing..

[Akinomaki 40,053]

What I'm trying to say is that it surprises me that they are focusing on the "children" thing instead of the "race" thing..

Hakuho indicated feeling discriminated as a foreigner, but he might have even been declared the loser by the shimpan - then he had reason to complain.

I didn't comment on that further because all was clearly the ranting of a drunkard. Translating that as color of the skin sounds even more odd in English, since hardly anybody can see a difference in color between the skin of Hakuho and most Japanese rikishi (they apparently gave him the white Haku Kanji instead of the Kashiwa Haku also because of his white skin). In Japanese that phrase is common to just indicate discrimination because being not a Japanese.

Complaining about that he has reason, remembering the banzai wave when he lost to Kisenosato once. It is much more severe to call the shimpan idiots than racist.

Edited January 31, 2015 by Akinomaki

[I am the Yokozuna 188]

In Mainichi there is an article with reference to the skin color and the question of whether the video referee was not himself a rikishi - his whole behaviour, for me, is a threat to retire if he does not get some preferential treatment. His skin color remark, for me, is a veiled request to get oya kata status without giving up on his Mongolian nationality.

[Gurowake 4,016]

While Japan requires you to renounce your citizenship in order to gain theirs, such renunciation of US citizenship does not actually renounce it unless you were to intentionally invite the requisite embassy staff to the time and place where you make the official renunciation for the Japanese. From what I understand, Japan doesn't care as long as you make the renunciation to them, meaning that you can keep US citizenship while obtaining Japanese citizenship by just not going through the process required to officially renounce US citizenship. Mongolia's procedures may be different though.

[Asashosakari 18,968]

Mongolian law doesn't recognize dual citizenship, and Hakuho is far too well-known to get away with skirting any grey area that may or may not exist. He'd have to renounce his Mongolian citizenship if he were to naturalize in Japan.

[Kintamayama 44,646]

Yomiuri -Hakohou's day after comments

[CT3* 331]

Hakuho Holds Yusho Press Conference

Yokozuna Hakuho met with reporters the Monday after clinching his record setting 34th career yusho. After being maligned in the press the last two months following his criticism of the judges' efforts in January, both the Yokozuna and the reporters on hand took a cautious approach as they worked through the presser conference. Hakuho was first asked how he felt one day removed from his championship to which he replied, "In some ways it was fast but in other ways it felt slow. This basho just felt different from the others. It felt hard to get up for it and to feel fired up, but on day 3 when Harumafuji was beaten right before my eyes, I realized that I need to get things going because Kakuryu was already kyujo."

When asked about the content of his sumo he replied, "The content this basho was completely different from last basho. Last basho I was battling so much pressure that you couldn't necessarily see physically, but this tournament I felt as if I had taken things up to a higher level. I realized yet again that a hon-basho is special because it's where a person grows and becomes polished." When asked about the Osaka faithful, the Yokozuna stated, "Osaka is an exciting tournament, and it was big that I was able to deliver the yusho speech here again after two years. Then add to that the anniversary of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami disaster, and I wanted to convey my personal thoughts to everyone through my sumo as well. No matter how many dozens of time you yusho, it always has the power to move people."

After the obligatory questions, a brave reporter finally asked Hakuho about his thoughts on his comments made the day after the Hatsu basho in January to which the Yokozuna said, "My oyakata has already discussed the matter with the commissioner, and the case is closed. My only focus this basho was my sumo, and everyone can see the results of that focus through my sumo." Not to be outdone, another reporter asked if Hakuho refused to speak to the media in the dressing room so he could focus more, the Yokozuna said, "You could say that. I had a lot of thoughts going through my head that were never conveyed. I endured quite a bit up until now, and I think that is tied directly to my favorable results."

When asked about the possibility of his breaking Futabayama's consecutive bout winning streak of 69, Hakuho replied, "Well, I am the sport's 69th Yokozuna, so there is that coincidence working for me. As for he goes from here, Hakuho replied, "There are a lot of fans who cheer for sumo and a lot of Hakuho fans within that group who support me and enable me to get up on that dohyo. Moving forward I hope to continue to build upon my own legacy."

[CT3* 331]

Rising Mongolian Terunofuji emerges to shock sumo circles

Who was the big hero at the recent Spring Grand Sumo Tournament? Many would point to yokozuna Hakuho, who extended his record of basho titles to 34. But there is another candidate, one who helped generate excitement at a tournament that enjoyed sellout crowds at every one of its 15 days — a feat achieved for the first time in 14 years in Osaka.

Sekiwake Terunofuji reflected on Sunday's closing day of the spring tournament by saying he was ready to take on the challenge. "If I had a chance to go one more match, I would have done my utmost," Terunofuji said. "My feeling?" he said in response to a question. "The same as usual". A final-day loss by Hakuho would have given Terunofuji a chance at the title in a winner-take-all playoff against the mighty yokozuna.

Instead, Terunofuji was right behind the champion, collecting 13 wins en route to his runner-up finish at the tournament. The spring basho was his first at the sanyaku level — the three ranks below yokozuna — and it was the first time a wrestler making his sanyaku debut posted 13 wins since Annenyama did so in 1957.

In fact, he delivered himself the chance to win his first title when he handed Hakuho his only loss of the tournament on the 13th day. Spectators at the Bodymaker Colosseum witnessed the yokozuna being put on the defensive throughout the bout.

Terunofuji opened up with a slap to Hakuho's face, and after exchanging thrusts, he succeeded in grabbing his opponent's belt with his left hand. The 23-year-old stayed on the attack, first trying an overarm throw, then moved forward to eventually force the yokozuna out.

Moments after the struggle, the worn-down yokozuna was forced to step out of the ring — seemingly resigning himself to the fact that he would lose.

"It was good to see him keep attacking from start to finish," said Isegahama, former yokozuna Asahifuji and the stablemaster in charge of Terunofuji.

On the final day, the 1.91-meter Terunofuji defeated ozeki Goeido with a powerful armlock throw, and waited for a chance of a playoff.

The extra match, however, did not materialize as Hakuho outlasted fellow Mongolian yokozuna Harumafuji for his 14th win. The 13 wins, though, were enough for Terunofuji to earn two of the three special prizes given to top-division wrestlers, the Outstanding Performance award and the Fighting Spirit award.

Ichinojo, friend and rival

Terunofuji traveled to Japan from Mongolia along with Ichinojo, another up-and-coming wrestler two years his junior. He pined to become a wrestler similar to Kaio, a former ozeki who was known for his Herculean strength before he retired in 2011. The two entered Tottori Johoku High School, where many promising sumo wrestlers have gone.

Terunofuji entered the Magaki stable and made his debut in May 2011. When that stable was shut down, he moved to the Isegahama stable in 2013.

His ring name reflects the lofty expectations that surround him — it is the product of combining the names of yokozuna Terukuni and Asahifuji, now his stablemaster. He reached the top makuuchi division at the spring tournament last year. Ichinojo moved up to the sanyaku rank earlier than Terunofuji, earning promotion to sekiwake at the Kyushu Grand Tournament in November last year.

Terunofuji talked about his intense rivalry with Ichinojo before the Osaka tournament, saying, "What matters is who will make it to the ozeki rank first."

And now Terunofuji is clearly leading that race. Stablemaster and chief of ringside judges Izutsu said it is his own personal opinion that Terunofuji might have the chance to become ozeki if he wins the summer tournament.

Terunofuji laughed at the statement, saying, "That's impossible." However, he later added, "My goal for this year is earn promotion to ozeki."

http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0002027046

Edited March 26, 2015 by CT3*

[Asashosakari 18,968]

Could you include a link to the original if you're posting full articles, please?

[shumitto 418]

http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0002027046

[CT3* 331]

Could you include a link to the original if you're posting full articles, please?

Done.

[Shitamachi 21]

Rare to see sumo in the Economist.

http://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2015/03/economist-explains-13?sort=3#sort-comments

[Jakusotsu 5,874]

http://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2015/03/economist-explains-13?sort=3#sort-comments

Very well researched. Nice.

[Asashosakari 18,968]

Very well researched. Nice.

I dunno, looking at the comments it seems like the article originally got the number of stables vastly wrong, and made the whopper of a claim that no foreign rikishi had been ousted through any scandals. (Wakanoho, Roho, Hakurozan, Sokokurai, Hoshikaze, Mokonami, and I'm probably forgetting somebody...heck, Asashoryu arguably, too.) And the notion that the Kyokai's legal status was changed because of "crisis" is also nonsense, it happened because of a deadline in a 5-year-old law that applied to all non-profit organizations. Edited March 27, 2015 by Asashosakari

[shumitto 418]

The best part of any article is normally found in the comment session:

"Surprised it hasn't taken off in the US. It seems just like the NFL. 5 seconds of action followed by 20 minutes where the game's not being played"

There are some more, but they are clearly of a worse taste.

This article is rather good but I think it misses an important point. Have you seen a Japanese rikishi of Hakuho's size ? and Terunofuji's ? We know that sumo is not only about size and that other things factor in like the background the Mongolian rikishi tend to have, however it is very important to consider what size a Japanese can have and still be strong and nimble (the tallest Japanese rikishi who happen to be tallest overall are Yoshiazuma (198cm), Kyokuhikari (198cm) and Oazuma (197cm)).

[Kintamayama 44,646]

A new bi-weekly sumo article about sumo and its traditions will be posted on Japan News.

Today's article- the topknot

Edited April 16, 2015 by Kintamayama

[Kintamayama 44,646]

Mark Buckton

[Kintamayama 44,646]

Honor thy father

[Kintamayama 44,646]

Terunofuji?

[kuroimori 1,634]

Jim Armstrong on Brodik over at Japantoday - including some quotes from John Gunning

[Gurowake 4,016]

Very interesting how timely the article is, using examples not only from this basho but from, like, yesterday, depending on how you define things.

[orandashoho 720]

A good article to show to the many people who do not understand my interest in sumo.

[shumitto 418]

I've bumped into this article. I know this thread is dedicated to texts in English, but I thought the best place for it was here. It is about struggling veterans Kyokutenho and Wakanosato.

SPOILER: it mentions facts and events of the current basho.

http://www.asahi.com/articles/ASH7K46YTH7KUTQP015.html

Edited July 22, 2015 by shumitto

[Kintamayama 44,646]

Terunofuji

[Kintamayama 44,646]

Mark Buckton