Takanohana Oyakata to run for riji spot next year

[Kintamayama 47,408]

37 year old Takanohana Oyakata has decided to run for a riji post at the next elections, it was learned yesterday. He has voiced his wishes for reform in the past and is said to have a good following from his young Oyakata counterparts. "There are people who will back me, and this will be my way of 'returning the favor' to the dohyo, so I shall be seeking that road", he said. He admitted he wasn't planning on this till a while ago, when some young oyakatas approached him and asked him to run. Last time, he said he was too busy bringing up his deshi to run, but this time around he has apparently agreed. He went to visit Nishonoseki Ichimon's influential head Hanaregoma Oyakata and discussed his next steps and will work towards getting the votes needed to be elected.

Edited January 8, 2010 by Kintamayama

[Fay 1,677]

Good to hear that he finally decided to do so. Onomatsu Oyakata talked about it last time. As he is one of his supporter, I guess it can't be so bad for the sumo world.

[Gusoyama 105]

I've got a bad feeling about this, and I'm not sure why.

[Kintamayama 47,408]

Asashosakari has pointed out to me, he's running for a riji spot, not for rijicho. Apologies. I am disappointed..

[ilovesumo 12]

Not Rijicho now, but you know what?

All the guys I asked (including Oyakata) said they expect HIM to be the NEXT Rijicho. When I asked bout Kokonoe, they said he is probably not popular enough...

well, to me this is strange...I had the feeling that Kokonoe was the guy coming right after Kitanoumi...

[ryafuji 825]

Not Rijicho now, but you know what?

All the guys I asked (including Oyakata) said they expect HIM to be the NEXT Rijicho. When I asked bout Kokonoe, they said he is probably not popular enough...

well, to me this is strange...I had the feeling that Kokonoe was the guy coming right after Kitanoumi...

Kokonoe would be the logical choice. (Can they really deny a yokozuna with 31 yusho the job if it wants it? It's not like he has any health problems like Taiho did.) Odd that they would skip a generation and go directly to Taka.

[Asashosakari 20,310]

Asashosakari has pointed out to me, he's running for a riji spot

Hey, if ilovesumo can lobby for a spot on the YDC...

[Orion 431]

Asashosakari has pointed out to me, he's running for a riji spot, not for rijicho. Apologies. I am disappointed..

That certainly makes more sense. This is, after all, a man who was removed from being a shimpan-bucho. (Showing respect...)

Orion

[Fay 1,677]

Asashosakari has pointed out to me, he's running for a riji spot, not for rijicho. Apologies. I am disappointed..

That certainly makes more sense. This is, after all, a man who was removed from being a shimpan-bucho. (Hugging...)

Orion

(Showing respect...) I know a couple of shimpan who do a much worser job than Takanohana Oyakata did all the years.

[Tony 16]

Apparently, Kokonoe oyakata wouldn't be very popular among his pairs. And Musashigawa? Wouldn't he want to continue for couple of years?

[ryafuji 825]

Why is Kokonoe so unpopular then?

[James H 0]

Why is Kokonoe so unpopular then?

It might have something to do with the fact that he is widely suspected within the kyokai of having bought many of his bouts while he was a yokozuna. Whether or not it is true, he was known as the match-fixing king during his reign at the top of sumo, and that is why he took a long time to be promoted within the kyokai.

(A bit gutting for a big Chiyonofuji fan like me, but if the kyokai think you were fixing bouts, then you probably were)

[ryafuji 825]

Why is Kokonoe so unpopular then?

It might have something to do with the fact that he is widely suspected within the kyokai of having bought many of his bouts while he was a yokozuna. Whether or not it is true, he was known as the match-fixing king during his reign at the top of sumo, and that is why he took a long time to be promoted within the kyokai.

(A bit gutting for a big Chiyonofuji fan like me, but if the kyokai think you were fixing bouts, then you probably were)

I'm a big Chiyonofuji fan too. That really sucks. HOPE it's not true, but....

[Asashosakari 20,310]

It might have something to do with the fact that he is widely suspected within the kyokai of having bought many of his bouts while he was a yokozuna.

Probably also the fact that he's apparently not the most, umm, integrative leader, as seen for instance in the mass-bailing when Hakkaku branched out with his own stable in 1993, taking all three affiliated oyakata from Kokonoe-beya with him (including Chiyonofuji's own shisho moti-Kitanofuji!). Not to mention that the branchout itself came at pretty much the earliest possible opportunity.

And let's not forget that he likely wouldn't even hold a riji position right now if it wasn't for Takasago-oyakata wearing out his welcome with his various flubs and lack of handle on Asashoryu. Whatever the reasons, his fellow oyakata have made it clear for the last 15+ years that they're not particularly interested in sponsoring him for positions of power.

IIRC we had a dedicated "Kyokai elections" thread two years ago, and since this thread is already starting to meander perhaps we can simply turn it into this year's edition. As a head-start, here's the current situation and numbers of votes per ichimon:

Dewanoumi (3 riji): 30 oyakata

Nishonoseki (2 riji, plus dibs on Magaki's still-vacant position?): 28 oyakata

Takasago (1 riji): 11 oyakata, two rikishi representatives

Tatsunami (2 riji): 17 oyakata, Kimura Shonosuke, two rikishi representatives

Tokitsukaze (1 riji): 17 oyakata, Shikimori Inosuke

[plus 2 unaffiliated oyakata, plus 2 vacant kabu]

I'm assuming that the four rikishi with voting rights will be Asashoryu, Hakuho, Kaio and Chiyotaikai (if still active). If I'm counting correctly, the only changes to the last election are that there will be four fewer electors (no vacancies last time, and additionally two temporary kabu), split 2 and 2 between Nishonoseki and Takasago. If Chiyotaikai's already out I'm guessing the fourth rikishi rep would be Kotomitsuki, shifting another vote away from ever-shrinking Takasago-ichimon. (But Taikai could then be an additional oyakata vote, of course, at least if his retirement doesn't bump Toki out of the Kyokai altogether.) Either way, the current split of the 10 riji positions will likely be maintained - unless Tokitsukaze-ichimon makes a push for the vacant position that would otherwise be destined to be Takanohana's. The fact that his candidacy has already made it into the press might be an indication that Nishonoseki-ichimon isn't counting on being "grandfathered" into that third slot they used to hold before Magaki's demotion. I wonder if unaffiliated ex-Akinoshima might end up holding a crucial vote? (Sign of approval...)

Edit: Hmm...while it may not happen just yet in the upcoming election, there looks to be a major generational change coming soon. No less than six of the current nine riji will be retired by 2014 and will thus get at most two more periods in office, and most of them probably just the next one. (Actually, now I wonder if Isenoumi will even run this time as he's retiring four months before the end of the '10/11 period...)

Edited October 8, 2009 by Asashosakari

[Otokonoyama 2,735]

It might have something to do with the fact that he is widely suspected within the kyokai of having bought many of his bouts while he was a yokozuna.

Probably also the fact that he's apparently not the most, umm, integrative leader, as seen for instance in the mass-bailing when Hakkaku branched out with his own stable in 1993, taking all three affiliated oyakata from Kokonoe-beya with him (including Chiyonofuji's own shisho moti-Kitanofuji!). Not to mention that the branchout itself came at pretty much the earliest possible opportunity.

I had no idea of Kinta's double life... (Sign of approval...)

[Orion 431]

I know a couple of shimpan who do a much worser job than Takanohana Oyakata did all the years.

I know a whnole lot more (though not bucho) -- but that doesn't make him any better.

Orion

[Orion 431]

Why is Kokonoe so unpopular then?

It might have something to do with the fact that he is widely suspected within the kyokai of having bought many of his bouts while he was a yokozuna. Whether or not it is true, he was known as the match-fixing king during his reign at the top of sumo, and that is why he took a long time to be promoted within the kyokai.

(A bit gutting for a big Chiyonofuji fan like me, but if the kyokai think you were fixing bouts, then you probably were)

Also a very bad reputation for hazing

Orion

[Kintamayama 47,408]

I'm assuming that the four rikishi with voting rights will be Asashoryu, Hakuho, Kaio and Chiyotaikai (if still active).

Isn't it three rikishi? I wasn't sure, but this article seems to agree..

[Asashosakari 20,310]

I'm assuming that the four rikishi with voting rights will be Asashoryu, Hakuho, Kaio and Chiyotaikai (if still active).

Isn't it three rikishi? I wasn't sure, but this article seems to agree..

I'm not sure. I based it on what Tamanaogijima's Oyakata Gallery says, but FWIW Tuesday's Mainichi article also said it's "typically four"...

Edit: Maybe those slots aren't filled on an ad-hoc basis? IIRC Tochiazuma used to be one of the rikishi representatives; perhaps his position wasn't filled again between his mid-2007 retirement and the January 2008 elections and there were indeed just three rikishi reps last time?

Edited October 9, 2009 by Asashosakari

[James H 0]

Of course, Hakkaku might be a dark horse for rijicho.

Although I don't know the ins and outs of ichimon horse trading, I've heard more than once that he is a future rijicho from people who should know. (They are people who play golf with him plenty too, so it is possible they are just campaigning for their buddy).

Of the former yokozuna, he does seem to have his head screwed on and I know he is respected by the media.

[Asashosakari 20,310]

Of course, Hakkaku might be a dark horse for rijicho.

Although I don't know the ins and outs of ichimon horse trading, I've heard more than once that he is a future rijicho from people who should know. (They are people who play golf with him plenty too, so it is possible they are just campaigning for their buddy).

Of the former yokozuna, he does seem to have his head screwed on and I know he is respected by the media.

I've always figured that he's not overly interested in the political/administrative side of the Kyokai and prefers to be a hands-on shisho instead...I don't think his name was even so much as mentioned when the time came to replace Takasago as their ichimon's riji, and with all of Chiyonofuji's baggage I interpreted his quick naming to the position as meaning that nobody else wanted the job. But yeah, Hakkaku-oyakata's definitely a guy I could get on board with in case your contacts weren't just blowing smoke. (Clapping wildly...)

In any case, it's certainly going to be Musashigawa for the next two years, but I can't even begin to speculate about the 2012 elections... I guess Takanohana's the nominal frontrunner now simply by virtue of being the only one to be talked about for the position. (Sign of approval...) I don't see it happening though, unless the next couple of years continue to be rough and he can run on an Obama-style "massive reform is needed" platform despite his relative youth. But who else? (Kitanoumi again? Tomozuna for four years?)

[Washuyama 662]

I don't really follow the NSK politics, but does anyone know if Naruto is in the talk? Seems like a decent choice... ex-yokozuna, shisho of "the next japanese hope" ...

[Tamanaogijima 778]

I'm not sure. I based it on what Tamanaogijima's Oyakata Gallery says, but FWIW Tuesday's Mainichi article also said it's "typically four"...

Edit: Maybe those slots aren't filled on an ad-hoc basis? IIRC Tochiazuma used to be one of the rikishi representatives; perhaps his position wasn't filled again between his mid-2007 retirement and the January 2008 elections and there were indeed just three rikishi reps last time?

I guess three rikishi reps might also be a very convenient number this time. There are 105 active kabu (including the two ichidai-toshiyori), two tate-gyoji and three rikishi = 110 votes or exactly 11 for every riji. No one loses his face, everyone is happy. They could need such a harmonic result after the years of mayhem (for both rijikai and Ozumo in general).

That calculation doesn't work out for the 2008 elections, though (109+2+x)... (In a state of confusion...)

I don't really follow the NSK politics, but does anyone know if Naruto is in the talk? Seems like a decent choice... ex-yokozuna, shisho of "the next japanese hope" ...

Same as for Hakkuku. He's not overly interested in Kyokai politics. (IIRC)

Edited October 14, 2009 by Tamanaogijima

[Asashosakari 20,310]

During Nishonoseki-ichimon's group meeting on Friday Takanohana reiterated his intention to run for a riji position after Hatsu basho. However, it appears he may not be a shoo-in just yet - sources out of the meeting reported that a "certain veteran oyakata" is also likely to announce his candidacy. As incumbent riji Hanaregoma and Nishonoseki are almost guaranteed to run again, only the currently vacant spot held by Magaki-oyakata until last year will be up for grabs for the stable group, so it'll bear watching which three oyakata will eventually be nominated by them, or whether there will have to be an actual election for the first time in quite a while.

I wonder how much of that is pre-emptive jockeying for the next election...both Hanaregoma and Nishonoseki were born in 1948 and wouldn't be able to serve out the 2012-14 period, so there are likely to be new faces heading the group after 2012 even independent of what happens with Takanohana and his unnamed potential challenger this time around. I don't think the group's hold on their third spot is secure at all in the long run (certainly not for 2014 when those two will be retired, and perhaps not even for the 2012 election), and Taka is all but guaranteed to be one of their representatives soon enough even if he fails this time around, so this may be a case of somebody trying to call early dibs on what might be their only other riji position in the future. Be interesting if/when we find out who the unnamed guy is, because I can't even begin to speculate...

[Asashosakari 20,310]

As threatened I'm going to turn this into a catch-all Kyokai elections thread, at least until the moderators forcefully stop me. (Eh?) Dewanoumi-ichimon had its group meeting on Day 2, and to no one's surprise they will run with an all-incumbent slate, viz. Musashigawa, Kitanoumi and Dewanoumi. Also, the "possibility" (uh, why so hesitant?) of nominating Mihogaseki again for his deputy riji position was raised.