Wakanoho - Weekly Shukan Gendai Magazine Interview

[Sasanishiki 57]

Since his interview is already up to the Nagoya, I wonder what else for him to talk about

How the shame of giving up bouts to those ranked above him but which he was certain to win caused him to seek solace in illegal drugs.

[Arslan 0]

Thank you, Jonosuke. (In love...)

[Barang 0]

It all appears all likely that he has given up on returning to the Kyokai, so he will have to find something else to do if he wants to stay in Japan (and I think he will want to stay). For that he needs a new business sponsor. To me the only alternative for him to do is join a pro-resu as he won't be able to cut it in K-1 as he is pretty well known for his dislike of hard training.

I am not sure if he is really thinking ahead but I suppose he can always join a monastery.

I

[Peterao 3]

Wakanoho's lawyer (possibly former lawyer by now) indicated Wakanoho hardly had any money left in his bank account. This is rather surprising as if he received the yaocho money from three ozeki plus his salary plus basho pay then he would have had around $50,000 shortly after Nagoya. I wonder how this money disappeared so quickly.

He didn't say Wakanoho has no money; he said he has almost no money left in his bank account.

Anyone experienced in smuggling drugs into Japan would probably know enough to smuggle money safely as well.

[Sasanishiki 57]

I guess that female wrestlers are allowed to use burqa in matches.

I would think that they will adopt something similar to what one of the competitors from a Muslim country did for teh sprints at the Olympics: Wear a full body leotard that went up the neck and over the hair as a tight hood.

[Jonosuke 28]

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Wakanoho Interview - Third Installment

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On the night of June 20 this year I went out to Roppongi district to have a bit of fun having 2 Million Yen cash in my wallet, the latest Louis Vuitton wallet. It's a pretty big and long wallet that has a zipper around it to open. Just getting my one month salary and Chusha money (reward for losing in yaocho bouts) from Kotooshu, I was feeling pretty big then.

At a disco in Roppongi, I had quite a few vodka and got pretty drunk. I was hardly able to walk straight. It was this time when I got marijuana which resulted in my arrest later on.

This time I will be disclosing all of what I have experienced relating to the marijuana incident. Furthermore I will be talking about a story I heard in a dressing room during a jungyo tour about a seedy conduct of a certain well known rikishi and young oyakata.

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As a result of this magazine's article by Wakanoho, 20, in the last week's issue, the Sumo Kyokai summoned two ozeki, Chiyotaikai and Kaio to their head office to conduct their review on October 14. Even though both ozeki maintained their innocence, Chiyotaikai said to reporters waiting for them in front of the Kokugikan the following:

"In a way it's not surprising that I'd be suspected as I have been having such dreadful records".

In addition Chiyotaikai made it clear that he would not be suing Wakanoho over this latest disclosures.

---------

Chiyotaikai reportedly said, "I have not had too many conversations with him (Wakanoho)". I know we were not exactly friends but we have been seen talking to each other in dressing rooms. It's rather strange to me that he needs to lie about even such a little thing. About the time when I got up to Maegashira 4 (this year's March Basho), he often asked me, "How's going?"

Once he even asked me, "I heard Georgia and Russia went into a war. Is everything OK there?" What I would like to say to both Chiyotaikai and Kaio is to "tell the whole truth".

Regarding someone who was arrested for marijuana possession and accusing Yaocho, I understand there are people who criticize by saying, "how can we trust a man who got arrested for marijuana in the first place". But let me make it clear what I told about Yaocho is all true. Prior to my arrest, being 19 years old and getting 1 Million Yen per month and more Chusha money, I went crazy. Once I even pleaded to a supporter to get me a Frank Muller watch (expensive Swiss made watch).

For a rikishi becoming a sekitor it means your world changes upside down. Until you become a sekitori you are so busy doing training in morning but once you become a sekitori, your "night training sessions" would become busier. You will repeatedly go out to places like Roppongi and you often go out for fun lots more times. You get your salary and you get invited to parties by supporters.

On June 20 this year I went with a friend to Kinshi-cho (in Tokyo close to Ryogoku) for BBQ meal and had some beer. I wanted to go have some fun in Roppongi but my invitation was declined by the friend so I went back to the Heya once. As it was just prior to Nagoya Basho, the oyakata and other rikishi have all gone to Nagoya and there wasn't anyone else at the heya. I changed from a jersey to Yukata and called a cab to go to Roppongi by myself.

I have been to Roppongi quite often. I have gone to a Russian restaurant with supporters. I also have been to a disco where many Russians go to quite a few times. I was told by many people, "Roppongi is a dangerous place for you so don't go there", but I thought, "Why I can't go there as it's such a fun place". Now I finally understand what they meant.

Wearing a Mage and kimono, sumo rikishi tend to stand out. I heard women around me causing a commotion. When I got to the intersection of Roppongi, it was around 9:30 PM and there were a lot of people still around.

A black man came over to me and asked me in English, "Where are you from?"

I told him, "Russia". I don't speak English well. Then the man asked in a rather bad Japanese, "I know this place where a lot of foreigners are. You wanna go?"

He was well built and about 180 cm tall. His name was "T". He wore a few size larger clothes and was wearing a baseball cap with NY logo. I remember him wearing a rather large pair of combat boots.

I followed him and walked south from the intersection to go to a disco called "O". I walked down steps as the place was in the first basement level. As I walked in, I saw many Russians sitting on sofa.

"Wow you are big," they all screamed. I sat on the sofa with "T". The next to me was a Russian man about 25 years old and there were many Russian female models. They all looked stunning.

The Russian male said his name was Ivan. He had mustache and beard and was wearing T-shirts and jeans. He had brownish cropped hair. Ivan and T were speaking in English fluently.

They asked me, "Where are you from? Are you a sumo wrestler?" I ordered a glass of vodka right away and then started drinking hard liquor like absinthe and B52. I also started buying drinks for others.

I noticed a strong smell of marijuana as soon as I entered the place. I kind of noticed both smells of cigarettes and marijuana mixed together and felt weird. Back when I was in Russia, I had smoked marijuana several times. I was a student and asked by my senior. We smoked it hidden behind the school building. There were times I was asked by a friend who used to live in the same condo. Of course even in Russia, the possession of marijuana is against the law. However especially in Ossetia, my home, we had quite a few young people smoking it.

I kept buying everyone around me more drinks, telling them, "Drink, drink". I figured since I had 2 Million Yen in my wallet, I could be generous and everyone was drinking. Perhaps after two hours or so, I saw "T" lighted a small paper he had in his hand and passed it around the female models. Right away I sensed it was marijuana from the smell. The smell I noticed when I entered the place was indeed marijuana. Everyone had a toke and then passed it to the next person. It came to me as well but I said, I'd stand out wearing a Mage and Kimono.

A short time later, Ivan asked me to go to the washroom. In the washroom, "T" was waiting for me. "Listen, it's safe here. No one is around". "T" pulled out a pipe and Ivan lighted it and handed it to me. I inhaled it deeply and it felt so good.

"Japan is a 'drug-free' country so where do you get it?" I asked.

Ivan replied, "T can get it for you. That's his business. If you want it, it's pretty simple to get it. We can get it for you right now. We can give to you for 8,000 Yen per pack. How many do you want?"

I can get marijuana this easy --- I could not believe it. I checked inside my wallet. I don't have anything small except 10,000 bills. So I gave "T" a couple of 10,000 Yen bills.

"T" told me, "I don't have any change. Do you have papers and stuff? if you don't, I can give you papers and a pipe instead." Then Ivan told me to leave there in 20 minutes.

I got back to my seat first but I was really drunk already so I think I left there about 15 minutes later. I believe I was in the place for three and half hours or so but since I bought everyone their drinks, I paid a sum of 140,000 Yen.

When I struggled walking up the stairs, "T" came close to me and gave me a black bag. When I briefly looked inside the bag, there was a large tissue box. I got a cab and by the time I got back to Magaki Beya was around 2 AM.

When I took out about half of tissues from the box, I found two packs of marijuana, a pipe and papers, smoking head. There were three heads of differing sizes.

Actually I drank so much that day that I threw up several times but then I slept through till the next day's evening.

Since getting the marijuana, I smoked it about seven times in the room in the Heya as well as my apartment. But while I was playing with a dog on June 24, I dropped my wallet and it was picked up by a housewife near my place. The rest is the story you all know.

----

At the time on June 20 when Wakanoho was living it up in Roppongi and bought marijuana, he was still 19 years old. As a minor, he was drinking heavily in a disco in Roppongi and buying marijuana, The National Police Agency had in their possession the wallet reported in by a pedestrian and confirmed the substance inside was marijuana but they waited to arrest him after the end of Nagoya Basho on August 18, after Wakanoho became an "adult" after his 20th birthday on July 8.

--------

A prosecutor told me, "I believe you were followed all through for two months". I think they were trying to find out if there were others who were using it or a place I have been regularly purchasing it. But since they could not find any other information, I was arrested on August 18. Around 10 AM, when I left my apartment, a detective stopped me and they went in to search my apartment where they found my pipe.

What I remember now is when we were in a dressing room during one jungyo tour, another rikishi was talking about marijuana. At a summer jungyo last year, I believe it was in Sendai (on August 4), I had my Akeni (clotheing box for sekitori) next to a veteran Japanese rikishi A. "A" has been in Makuuchi for quite a few years and is well known among fans and is a very popular rikishi.

While I was sitting in the dressing room, I heard "A" talking to someone and saying, "Leaf, leaf". I naturally realized he was talking about marijuana.

"I had about 1 kg of Leaf you know. I put it in tea and drank it. I poured over rice and ate it. I was staggering all around for 24 hours."

I remember it so well "A" was talking like that at the time. During the conversation I could not look towards "A" so I just pretended I could not hear anything and looked to the other way. So I don't know whom "A" was talking to. Besides having 1 kg of marijuana is quite large amount so he may have been exaggerating the story. But even then I was really surprised to know even in Japan and even a rikishi was smoking marijuana.

A young oyakata "B" was quite close to this rikishi "A". "B" was a tall popular rikishi while he was active and many fans know him well. But from what I can see, the conduct of this "B" oyakata was always nothing less than mysterious. His mobile phone has a strap of marijuana and his eyes were always bloodshot. He always acted strange.

In Russia I have seen the eyes of many habitual marijuana users and I immediately sensed, "this guy is suspicious". He has been in and out of dressing rooms constantly and as soon as he comes in he starts talking to many rikishi. But "B" was especially friendly to the "A" rikishi

When he came close to "A", he often whispered into his ear. They have a close relationship based on being in the same Ichimon but on a personal level they looked to be far closer. Among rikishi there were rumors of marijuana use by "B" oyakata. I heard a place "B" oyakata frequented, often several other rikishi were seen going in and out. If you've been to the place, I heard there were smoking apparatus. I once heard "B" oyakata saying to "A", "I'd be waiting for you at the place". I saw "A" simply nodded affirmatively.

Of course I myself had committed a crime of smoking and possessing marijuana. However if we have other suspicious rikishi, I'd like to have the Kyokai investigate and respond to the problems fully. On the screening test held on September 2, both Roho and Hakurozan were tested positive and dismissed from the Kyokai. I myself have a serious doubt about the validity of the testing.

As reported already, Kokonoe Beya's Makuuchi rikishi Chiyohakuho did not take the test, excusing himself by saying, "I slept over" and "I had a fever". This is unthinkable when all sekitori were mandated to take the test and he could skip it offering only such a flimsy excuse. It would be outrageous if indeed he acquired some information about the test before it was conducted and avoided taking it.

We also heard about one more rikishi, Wakakirin. I heard from one active rikishi, Wakakirin tested positive in both the first and second tests but he simply went home. The reason Roho and Hakurozan are insisting that the testing was not done fairly was likely stemming from such incidents. I'd like to have the Sumo Kyokai investigate fully the real truth behind the accusations.

After my release, I returned to Magaki Beya to report myself to the oyakata.

"Wakanoho, I am really sorry but I really cannot do anything for you now," the oyakata apologized to me crying.

The oyakata resigned from his director's seat because of my case. He has been telling me, "You are my light" and "You are like my son" in the past. I felt sorry for all I have done to the oyakata

But the Heya's senior rikishi had quite a different reaction. Here were the guys who kept bowing to me and serving me before but were now no longer able to meet my eyes. All my belongings I had in my room were carelessly thrown into a bag and left at the front entrance.

When my lawyer called the heya, all he got was a message, "Wakahoho had severed his ties with the Kyokai so don't call back here again". After I made my round of apologizing to several oyakata, one oyakata said straight at me, "Don't you ever even try to sneak in from the back door!".

At the time I did not understand the meaning. But when I asked a supporter later, it meant, "Never reveal anything to anyone".

In the sumo world, once you become a sekitori, everyone will start treating you like a king but once you fall out, it will turn totally the opposite. A rikishi is not like a human being but is treated as if it's a thing. You will not only suffer "Kawaigari" sessions but also you are forced to do a massage till after midnight and get hit on your head by a bamboo stick. There are many recruits leaving because of severe hazing they received.

I think there are too many odd common senses in the sumo world. I myself entered the sumo world when I was 16 years old and right away I was drinking beer and Shochu (Japanese distilled liquor) with the heya's senior rikishi as well as smoking cigarettes. I had occasions when the oyakata poured beer for me. Since the oyakata got sick, I had no one to tell me, "Never go to Roppongi" or "Don't smoke marijuana".

Recently for the first time in the Sumo Kyokai, their board brought in new directors and controller/auditor/inspector who were not former rikishi. However I　believe they should bring in one inspector, not a former rikishi, to every heya for supervision.. Unless they take such an action, the sumo world will never be reformed.

Edited October 21, 2008 by Jonosuke

[Sasanishiki 57]

I was told by many people, "Roppongi is a dangerous place for you so don't go there", but I thought, "Why I can't go there as it's such a fun place". Now I finally understand what they meant.

Since the oyakata got sick, I had no one to tell me, "Never go to Roppongi" or "Don't smoke marijuana".

(Sign of approval...) These two passages seem to contradict each other.

[Sasanishiki 57]

Just getting my one month salary and Chusha money (reward for losing in yaocho bouts) from Kotooshu, I was feeling pretty big then.

So, he hated doing yaocho but didn't seem to mind having the money at his disposal. This doesn't seem to ring true with the dejected figure forced to do yaocho in case he got kawaigari. I think Wakanoho/the writer would have been better spinning the "I felt terrible and I just wanted to forget everything by going drinking (and taking drugs)" line to keep the consistency with the previous installments.

[Kuroyama 715]

A black man came over to me and asked me in English, "Where are you from?"

I told him, "Russia". I don't speak English well. Then the man asked in a rather bad Japanese, "I know this place where a lot of foreigners are. You wanna go?"

He was well built and about 180 cm tall. His name was "T". He wore a few size larger clothes and was wearing a baseball cap with NY logo. I remember him wearing a rather large pair of combat boots.

OK, now I'm positive he's making this up.

Edited October 21, 2008 by Kuroyama

[Asashosakari 18,968]

I was told by many people, "Roppongi is a dangerous place for you so don't go there", but I thought, "Why I can't go there as it's such a fun place". Now I finally understand what they meant.

Since the oyakata got sick, I had no one to tell me, "Never go to Roppongi" or "Don't smoke marijuana".

(Sign of approval...) These two passages seem to contradict each other.

I think by "tell" in the second passage he meant "expressly forbid me to do", not simply a piece of advice.

[Jonosuke 28]

The first passage:

みんなから、「六本木は危ないところだから行くな」と言われていましたが、

「あんなに楽しいところなのになんで行っちゃいけないの？」

The second passage:

親方が病気をしてからは、「大麻を吸うな」とか、「六本木に行くな」と教えてくれる人は誰もいなかった。

And I am not even taking these out of context. I guess in the second passage, he is trying to say no one taught him the lesson once the oyakata got ill while in the first passage his "everyone" is basically his friends and acquaintances, no one of specific authority.

I think he is trying to say he didn't know better because he was left on his own and he was still young and innocent but restless.

[Asojima 2,873]

A black man came over to me and asked me in English, "Where are you from?"

I told him, "Russia". I don't speak English well. Then the man asked in a rather bad Japanese, "I know this place where a lot of foreigners are. You wanna go?"

He was well built and about 180 cm tall. His name was "T". He wore a few size larger clothes and was wearing a baseball cap with NY logo. I remember him wearing a rather large pair of combat boots.

OK, now I'm positive he's making this up.

Must be the same black dude from Los Angeles who forced the Brothers to carry a stash back to Japan. Mr. T gets around. (Sign of approval...)

[Kintamayama 44,646]

And here it comes. In the new Gendai edition out today, Wakanohou says he smoked pot with Tochinoshin. He says it happened one day before his arrest on August 17th, and that they smoked in his private room at Magaki-beya. Tochinoshin, who is currently at the jungyo, denied this. "Our relationship wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either. I've been to Magaki-beya only once, and that was to borrow a DVD. I'll do whatever it takes!", he said, hinting he will sue.

Edited October 26, 2008 by Kintamayama

[Asashosakari 18,968]

Our reporter showed Wakanoho the pictures of Kokonoe Beya rikishi, Wakanoho pointed out one rikishi by a finger. The rikishi definitely had a large mole next to his mouth. He is in mid-30s and has been already in Ozumo for over 15 years since his dohyo-debut.(note: I believe he is referring to Jonidan Rachimi).

Cough...

[kaiguma 0]

Our reporter showed Wakanoho the pictures of Kokonoe Beya rikishi, Wakanoho pointed out one rikishi by a finger. The rikishi definitely had a large mole next to his mouth. He is in mid-30s and has been already in Ozumo for over 15 years since his dohyo-debut.(note: I believe he is referring to Jonidan Rachimi).

Cough...

yeah, I raised an eyebrow at "2 million dollar man" ....

2 million yen man?

or rather, what did he do to get on Wakanoho's slander list?

[Fay 1,677]

Our reporter showed Wakanoho the pictures of Kokonoe Beya rikishi, Wakanoho pointed out one rikishi by a finger. The rikishi definitely had a large mole next to his mouth. He is in mid-30s and has been already in Ozumo for over 15 years since his dohyo-debut.(note: I believe he is referring to Jonidan Rachimi).

Cough...

yeah, I raised an eyebrow at "2 million dollar man" ....

2 million yen man?

or rather, what did he do to get on Wakanoho's slander list?

Dollar ... Yen ... Euro, isn't it all the same in these times ;-).

Sure it should be correct 2 million yen man (it's even a rhyme), I mixed it with the six million dollar man (Laughing...)

[Peeter 15]

You can buy one pound of yens for 1$ in euro zone! (Laughing...)

[Kintamayama 44,646]

In an interesting twist, Wakanohou is "worried about what is written" in the latest article. He had implicated Tochinoshin as smoking pot with him at Magaki. The problem is that in his sworn police statement, he repeatedly maintained he was smoking alone. The DNA test on the doped tobacco corroborated that. The water pipe showed that three different people used it, but there were no traces of pot there. It was one of the main reasons he was set free."It is not what he intended to say", said his lawyer.

"What is written was taken out of one of many interviews we had with him. It was read back to him and he confirmed it!", said the Gendai side.

Wakanohou's recent actions are bewildering indeed, says the reporter.

[Jonosuke 28]

Unfortunately I won't get this part of the interview as the Gendai relegated it to be a side article to their main yaocho article in this issue.

Their main concern is yaocho as after all they are fighting it in court. They need to prove there were yaocho bouts involving Asashoryu and a cast or more or less current active rikishi as well as another older one involving Kitanoumi and Takanohana. I don't think they care much about marijuana smoking issue as much as other than a shock value.

If you recall originally their writer Takeda wrote the majority of their Makuuchi rikishi are involved in yaocho. All they showed from Wakanoho interview was there were almost no yaocho bouts in Juryo and other than three ozeki mentioned, only Kasuganishiki was involved with no monetary transaction with him.

So even if we believe Wakanoho, only two bouts against Kotooshu and one bout each against Kaio and Chiyotaikai were yaocho with money exchanged. That's hardly rampant yaocho going on in Ozumo as they initially reported.

Wakanoho's lawyer Makoto Miyata launched a suit against the Kyokai for his reinstatement yesterday but according to him, Wakanoho is "mentally distressed" as his "performer's visa" would expire in three weeks and then he may possibly receive a deportation order.

[Fay 1,677]

looks like they already drop him like a hot potato ... The Moor has done his duty the Moor can go

[Sasanishiki 57]

smoking alone. The DNA test on the doped tobacco corroborated that. The water pipe showed that three different people used it, but there were no traces of pot there.

Actually, the article I read said it showed a third party had used it

[Kintamayama 44,646]

smoking alone. The DNA test on the doped tobacco corroborated that. The water pipe showed that three different people used it, but there were no traces of pot there.

Actually, the article I read said it showed a third party had used it

水パイプからは第３者のＤＮＡが検出された. I read it as three people, as a "second" person using it was not mentioned, so I thought, why should they mention a third person?

[Mark Buckton 1]

smoking alone. The DNA test on the doped tobacco corroborated that. The water pipe showed that three different people used it, but there were no traces of pot there.

Actually, the article I read said it showed a third party had used it

水パイプからは第３者のＤＮＡが検出された. I read it as three people, as a "second" person using it was not mentioned, so I thought, why should they mention a third person?

DNA of the 3rd person was detected from the water pipe

Moti - the above is from one of the translation sites you probably use (Babelfish?). It mentions 'the 3rd' person - not 'a' third person. How much credit you put in these sites is the question.

[Doitsuyama 1,173]

smoking alone. The DNA test on the doped tobacco corroborated that. The water pipe showed that three different people used it, but there were no traces of pot there.

Actually, the article I read said it showed a third party had used it

水パイプからは第３者のＤＮＡが検出された. I read it as three people, as a "second" person using it was not mentioned, so I thought, why should they mention a third person?

DNA of the 3rd person was detected from the water pipe

Moti - the above is from one of the translation sites you probably use (Babelfish?). It mentions 'the 3rd' person - not 'a' third person. How much credit you put in these sites is the question.

Mark - it is beyond me why you are not only assuming but stating that Moti uses a translation site (and even saying so on the SML). He doesn't which might be hard to believe for you. But here's a hint for you: it's not that difficult to understand Japanese when you grow up in Japan.

I think an apology on the SML might be a good suggestion.

[Kintamayama 44,646]

smoking alone. The DNA test on the doped tobacco corroborated that. The water pipe showed that three different people used it, but there were no traces of pot there.

Actually, the article I read said it showed a third party had used it

水パイプからは第３者のＤＮＡが検出された. I read it as three people, as a "second" person using it was not mentioned, so I thought, why should they mention a third person?

DNA of the 3rd person was detected from the water pipe

Moti - the above is from one of the translation sites you probably use (Babelfish?). It mentions 'the 3rd' person - not 'a' third person. How much credit you put in these sites is the question.

I don't use babelfish and never did and give it no credit whatsoever. That's why I don't use it.. I actually know what dai sansha means on my own. I asked who this "third person' could be. Who is the SECOND person, if the third is mentioned? And what would be your own translation, as someone who speaks excellent Japanese?