Election erection

[Yubiquitoyama 4]

Maybe the evil plan is to set up an ichimon of really thin oyakata, who will win out by their superior health and lack of obesity related diseases.

Joke's on them, the retirement age limit will still apply. ;-)

You underestimate the power of the dark side, young padawan. When Takanohana is rijicho, he will of course abolish such nonsense for oyakatas with a BMI below 25... :-O

[Chiyozakura 163]

Any news on today's rijikai meeting? Can't wait to see what departments Takanohana got.

[madorosumaru 7]

Any news on today's rijikai meeting? Can't wait to see what departments Takanohana got.

Musashigawa Rijicho has a sense of humor. Taka's new job. Headmaster of Sumo Clinic and Chairman of Committee for Oversight and Ozumo Reform. He can devote his time to furthering the inculcation of sumodo and stymieing the spread of "spiritless sumo."

[Chiyozakura 163]

Musashigawa Rijicho has a sense of humor. Taka's new job. Headmaster of Sumo Clinic and Chairman of Committee for Oversight and Ozumo Reform. He can devote his time to furthering the inculcation of sumodo and stymieing the spread of "spiritless sumo."

Maybe there is a job opportunity for his brainwashing masseur in the sumo clinic... Is there a more useless job than headmaster of Sumo Clinic? Chairman of committee for Ozumo Reform fits perfectly to his election campaign, though.

[ilovesumo 12]

Musashigawa Rijicho has a sense of humor. Taka's new job. Headmaster of Sumo Clinic and Chairman of Committee for Oversight and Ozumo Reform. He can devote his time to furthering the inculcation of sumodo and stymieing the spread of "spiritless sumo."

Maybe there is a job opportunity for his brainwashing masseur in the sumo clinic... Is there a more useless job than headmaster of Sumo Clinic? Chairman of committee for Ozumo Reform fits perfectly to his election campaign, though.

(I am going off-topic...) headmaster of the Sumo clinic? Telling the doc what to do? :-P

[Asashosakari 20,297]

Pretty sure that by "clinic" madorosumaru means the shindeshi kyoshujo, not the medical wing. Basically Taka is taking over Tomozuna's old job description - except that they didn't make him head of security, hmm. :-P

[Asashosakari 20,297]

Full department changes (with significant probability of my screwing something up here), resorted a bit to make the domino effects more obvious:

Operations Department: Isenoumi -> Dewanoumi

Kyushu Basho Department: Dewanoumi -> Kagamiyama

Jungyo Department: Oshima -> Hanaregoma

Judging Department: Hanaregoma -> Kokonoe & Tomozuna*

Information Department: Kokonoe -> Michinoku

Training School & Competition Inspection: Tomozuna -> Takanohana

* Or am I misunderstanding this? 審判部長は九重親方（元横綱・千代の富士）と友綱親方（元関脇・魁輝）の２人が務める。

[madorosumaru 7]

Taka's new job. Headmaster of Sumo Clinic and Chairman of Committee for Oversight and Ozumo Reform. He can devote his time to furthering the inculcation of sumodo and stymieing the spread of "spiritless sumo."

Pretty sure that by "clinic" madorosumaru means the shindeshi kyoshujo, not the medical wing. Basically Taka is taking over Tomozuna's old job description - except that they didn't make him head of security, hmm. :-P

Asashosakari is correct.

Headmaster = a man heading the staff of a private school. a principal.

Clinic = an intensive session of group instruction in a specific skill, field of knowledge, etc. such as, a basketball clinic.

Inculcation = to teach and impress by frequent repetitions or admonitions.

Shindeshi Instructional Clinic is where the new recruits are taught by frequent repetitions and admonitions the specific skills and knowledge of sumo.

* Or am I misunderstanding this? 審判部長は九重親方（元横綱・千代の富士）と友綱親方（元関脇・魁輝）の２人が務める。

Asashosakari is correct again. The two oyakata are sharing the post.

[ilovesumo 12]

So, who is Mr. PR? Michinoku?

Edited February 4, 2010 by ilovesumo

[Asashosakari 20,297]

So, who is Mr. PR? Michinoku?

Yep. And speaking of whom...

Basically Taka is taking over Tomozuna's old job description - except that they didn't make him head of security, hmm. :-P

Michinoku got the security department, too. (How come I never knew about this page until an hour ago?!) Well, while I'm perusing the page already:

The double-headed shimpan-cho means that Takasago is out of his deputy position, while Mihogaseki continues.

The yakuin taigu iin ranks are temporarily very crowded (although Magaki is no longer one, ditto Takanohana of course):

- Sendagawa (incumbent, retires next month)

- Oshima (down from riji)

- Takasago (incumbent) (See further down in the thread.)

- Isenoumi (down from riji, retires Sep 2011)

- Yamashina (new, former komusubi big size color print [blame Honyaku!] Onishiki)

- Hakkaku (new, yokozuna Hokutoumi)

Oguruma, demoted to toshiyori status after the Wakakirin affair, has been promoted back to iin. Also regular iin again are Magaki and Minato (was deputy riji).

In addition, the five previous shunin are all new iin as well:

- Kabutoyama (former maegashira Oikari)

- Otake (former sekiwake Takatoriki)

- Sadogatake (former sekiwake Kotonowaka)

- Wakamatsu (former maegashira Asanowaka)

- Yamawake (former komusubi Wakanoyama)

Their spots at shunin were taken by the six longest-serving toshiyori:

- Miyagino (former juryo Kanechika)

- Hamakaze (former maegashira Gojoro)

- Tokitsukaze (former maegashira Tokitsuumi)

- Hatachiyama (former komusubi Tochinohana)

- Oshiogawa (former maegashira Wakatoba)

- Kataonami (former sekiwake Tamakasuga, fresh off the kabu switch with his shisho)

Edited February 5, 2010 by Asashosakari

[Asashosakari 20,297]

And after that previous post that nobody cares about, here's some stuff people might actually be interested to read: changes in the judging department.

At the top there are the obvious changes - Hanaregoma and Takasago out, Kokonoe and Tomozuna (back) in. And among the 20 regular members:

Out:

Nakamura (to deputy riji)

Kiriyama

Onomatsu

Kagamiyama (to riji)

Michinoku (to riji)

Fujishima

Still in:

Kimigahama

Matsugane

Shikihide

Jinmaku

Hanakago

Izutsu

Oitekaze

Kasugayama

Tatsunami

Kasugano

Kumegawa

Tagonoura

Takasaki

Nishikido

New:

Tatsutagawa (former maegashira Minatofuji)

Shikoroyama (former sekiwake Terao)

Tamagaki (former komusubi Tomonohana)

Wakamatsu (former maegashira Asanowaka)

Yamawake (former komusubi Wakanoyama)

Sadogatake (former sekiwake Kotonowaka)

[Manekineko 200]

New:

Tatsutagawa (former maegashira Minatofuji)

Shikoroyama (former sekiwake Terao)

Tamagaki (former komusubi Tomonohana)

Wakamatsu (former maegashira Asanowaka)

Yamawake (former komusubi Wakanoyama)

Sadogatake (former sekiwake Kotonowaka)

Yay! So many loved faces! Now I have extra incentive to get back to Japan for a honbasho and take some shimpan photos. Drooool... (Fay, we shimpan fans are counting on you!)

[ryafuji 825]

Hanaregoma was one of the fussiest about supposed matta, wasn't he? There might be fewer hold ups at the next basho!

[Fay 1,677]

New:

Tatsutagawa (former maegashira Minatofuji)

Shikoroyama (former sekiwake Terao)

Tamagaki (former komusubi Tomonohana)

Wakamatsu (former maegashira Asanowaka)

Yamawake (former komusubi Wakanoyama)

Sadogatake (former sekiwake Kotonowaka)

Yay! So many loved faces! Now I have extra incentive to get back to Japan for a honbasho and take some shimpan photos. Drooool... (Fay, we shimpan fans are counting on you!)

Poor Sadogatake Oyakata, he will feel the camera focussed on him all the time (Neener, neener...) . Too bad Onomatsu Oyakata isn't there anymore (Yusho winner...)

[ilovesumo 12]

Woah, I am so happy about the "still in" list!!!

But sad to see Nakamura go...

[Washuyama 662]

But sad to see Nakamura go...

Me too. I always got a kick out of him laughing at the pubescent voiced yobidashi.

[ilovesumo 12]

But sad to see Nakamura go...

Me too. I always got a kick out of him laughing at the pubescent voiced yobidashi.

EXACTLY! (Neener, neener...)

and daihagiyama's..........."show"

But I bet Asanowaka will take over ^^

Edited February 4, 2010 by ilovesumo

[Kintamayama 47,374]

Taka's new job. Headmaster of Sumo Clinic and Chairman of Committee for Oversight and Ozumo Reform. He can devote his time to furthering the inculcation of sumodo and stymieing the spread of "spiritless sumo."

And, if I got this right, museum manager committee member, together with Michinoku and Dewanoumi. Anyone know what that means exactly?

[Zuikaku 0]

Now it's Sponichi's turn to bring the anonymous Tatsunami-ichimon quote, and the newest suspect for Taka vote #2 is Kimura Shonosuke, apparently fuelled by the fact that the tate-gyoji was not present at yesterday's election post-mortem where Ajigawa came forward.

Just wondering, if it had been tate-gyoji, could he had faced any seriously negative repercussions for breaking party line, or is such position relatively safe?

[madorosumaru 7]

Just wondering, if it had been tate-gyoji, could he had faced any seriously negative repercussions for breaking party line, or is such position relatively safe?

Lot less, if any, when compared to an oyakata, who could be ostracized, banished or even have his borrowed kabu taken away. Gyoji is promoted by seniority and merit. Since Kimura Shonosuke is already the very top gyoji and at 63 years of age, within two years of retirement, he really doesn't have to worry about "future career consequences." He would be the perfect scapegoat or "designated traitor" for a possible election conspiracy.

[Chiyozakura 163]

The judging division looks strange now. There are only one Yokozuna and two Ozeki in the whole roster. I remember reading that shimpan bucho are usually former Yokozuna and that even an Ozeki used to be an exception, but now we have a Sekiwake with Tomozuna and in the rank and file shimpan a young hopeful like Fujishima has been removed.

[James H 0]

So, who is Mr. PR? Michinoku?

That's right. He's already been quite a presence in the press room and is obviously well known among the reporters. The other thing - he has that laidback I'm-a-tall-handsome-guy-who-is-used-to-being-listened-to-and-being taken-seriously aura so he'll play well on TV.

Kokonoe was just a bit too standoffish for the press - whereas Michinoku is fairly approachable, I'd say.

[Asashosakari 20,297]

To tie the previous two posts together - I wouldn't be surprised if the Kyokai is consciously trying to project a younger and more approachable image with their PR unit. The full (and almost completely new) department lineup:

Michinoku (ex-Kirishima, director)

Hakkaku (ex-Hokutoumi, vice director)

Yamashina (ex-Onishiki, vice director)

Fujishima (ex-Musoyama)

Takadagawa (ex-Akinoshima)

Tamanoi (ex-Tochiazuma)

The previous lineup was Kokonoe/Yamashina/Shikoroyama/Tamanoi.

Late edit: Oops, I overlooked Onaruto (Dejima) and Sanoyama (Chiyotaikai) who are also assigned to the PR department now, specifically the press club side.

Edited February 5, 2010 by Asashosakari

[Asashosakari 20,297]

Oh, wow. I swear he was still listed as yakuin taigu yesterday!

(from the Asashoryu intai thread)

Takasago Oyakata also failed in instructing him and should also retire! ;-)

While he didn't have to retire, he has been dropped all the way down to shunin, it's being reported today, for his lack of supervision of Asashoryu. He was already out of his shimpan-bucho position, of course, and his remaining responsibility of "guidance department vice director" has now been removed from the afore-linked Kyokai page as well. Takasago is now just a regular member of the guidance department (as is everybody else without a specific administrative job), effectively meaning he's completely out of the power structure.

Edit: As far as I'm aware that demotion corresponds to an effective pay cut of about 15% for (probably) the next two years.

Edited February 5, 2010 by Asashosakari

[Otokonoyama 2,735]

Not to mention the loss of Asashoryu's koenkai and other revenue brought to the heya by the yokozuna.