Yaocho by mobile scandal-

[Peterao 3]

Mainichi, the only organization in the world that knows anything about Ozumo, reports that Hanaregoma rijicho has little of worth to say about the claim that Takenawa oyakata may have slept with done yaocho with up to 40 other men.

"There's been no such report from the committee, so I don't know. We have no plans to question him directly. If there's a need for question, the committee will call him, right?"

After discussing the matter with Takenawa's shisho Kasugano oyakata (rather than getting first hand information from the source), he said "The shisho was surprised at the news report. He said 'He said he's said no such thing at all' is what he said."

When one of the Investigation Committee members was asked about Takenawa's reported statement, he replied "At this point in time, we have no plan to report in detail on any of the details of the interviews we've done."

EDIT: Happy 500th reply to the "Yaocho by mobile scandal" thread! Long may you grace the top page of Ozumo Discussions!

Edited March 2, 2011 by Peterao

[Asashosakari 18,657]

Ambivalent. "Geneki sanyaku" means active Sanyaku- as in "a rikishi who is currently active", and not necessarily currently sanyaku, which leads me to believe he was sanyaku then, just a gut feeling.. I personally think it was a then-sanyaku- the feeling of what is written (his tsukebito came by etc..) is we're dealing with quite a higher ranked rikishi. And there is no importance if Kasuganishiki won or lost because he himself says he didn't go along with it. I could be wrong, but just a gut feeling.

Thanks for the clarification. FWIW, here's a Zakzak article that goes with my interpretation, but it's clear they're simply reading the Mainichi tea leaves as well and don't have any new information of their own.

Edited March 2, 2011 by Asashosakari

[Asashosakari 18,657]

there seem to be different levels of being thrown out of sumo.

can anyone please explain?

Think this wasn't answered before - if you're still interested, here's a short overview of the various punishments available to the Kyokai brass.

[Asashosakari 18,657]

Masumedia Chun'ichi:

[Peterao 3]

When one of the Investigation Committee members was asked about Takenawa's reported statement, he replied "At this point in time, we have no plan to report in detail on any of the details of the interviews we've done."

Apparently they now plan on releasing some sort of "midway report" sometime around the ides of March.

[Peterao 3]

Chunichi is reporting that one of the rikishi being questioned by the Investigation Committee has claimed he was offered 800,000 yen for yaocho by a current sanyaku rikishi. And also that the committee has confirmed that Takenawa oyakata has named names outside of the Fab Fourteen, and that those names appear to include current heya-leading oyakata as well.

Let's see if this investigation will actually end in less than two week's time...

[Kintamayama 44,214]

Ex-Kasuganishiki (current Takenawa Oyakata) is not going down alone. Today he spoke about the yaocho, claiming no less than 40 rikishi were involved.

No, he didn't. So sez Kasugano oyakata, who today mentioned that, when he asked Takenawa Oyakata to confirm this, his reply was "that was written even though I said nothing like that. I've said nothing like that to anyone."

"Lately, I haven't sms'ed anyone or spoken to the outside committee.," said Takenawa Oyakata. "I really don't know what is going on, but I can only hope it isn't true," reiterated Kasugano Oyakata.

"I dunno. I done nuttin'.." Takenawa:

[ilovesumo 12]

Chunichi is reporting that one of the rikishi being questioned by the Investigation Committee has claimed he was offered 800,000 yen for yaocho by a current sanyaku rikishi. And also that the committee has confirmed that Takenawa oyakata has named names outside of the Fab Fourteen, and that those names appear to include current heya-leading oyakata as well.

Oh dear... :-D

Well, some say there are too many Heya...

[Peterao 3]

Meanwhile, it's being reported that, in addition to the 4 admitted-or-assumed-guilty rikishi (Takenawa-Oyakata, Kisenoumi Kiyoseumi, Chiyohakuho, and Enatsukasa), the Investigation Committee has added "3 or 4" other members of the Fab 14 to that list of most likely kaiko/jomei'd. No word yet on when those names will be released.

Edited March 3, 2011 by Peterao

[Kintamayama 44,214]

Meanwhile, it's being reported that, in addition to the 4 admitted-or-assumed-guilty rikishi (Takenawa-Oyakata, Kisenoumi, Chiyohakuho, and Enatsukasa),

Kiyoseumi. Kisenoumi has yet to be charged. Or to be born, probably. I know-I shouldn't throw stones from inside a glassnost, but there you have it.

Blue box.

[Peterao 3]

Meanwhile, it's being reported that, in addition to the 4 admitted-or-assumed-guilty rikishi (Takenawa-Oyakata, Kisenoumi, Chiyohakuho, and Enatsukasa),

Kiyoseumi. Kisenoumi has yet to be charged. Or to be born, probably. I know-I shouldn't throw stones from inside a glassnost, but there you have it.

Blue box.

He changed his shikona last week in an attempt to sneak away from punishment. But you caught him, so he just now changed it back.

[Peterao 3]

Yaocho is doing its best to reclaim the title of the most pressing problem in sumo. Tonight, Chairman Ito of the Investigation Committee announced that "we have a lot of rikishi in the 'gray' area of involvement. Tens of them. By 'tens' I mean from 10 to 50." This is just my supposition, but I'm guessing that Takenawa-oyakata gave those roughly 40 names on the condition of remaining anonymous, and despite the Mainichi leak, the committee is still trying its best to honor that agreement.

Chairman Ito also mentioned that several phones have been turned over to their makers, and a request for information contained on them has been made. "The hard data available from these phones is huge, so of course we'd like to push through with the analysis, but we have no idea how long it will take..."

Between the phones and the additional questioning that appears necessary, it's looking more and more likely that they will not meet their self imposed deadline of mid-March for wrapping up the investigation.

[Kintamayama 44,214]

Every day, Mainichi gives us more. Today, a former rikishi "from the Nineties" has come forward and told everything he knows to the reporter. "Roughly half of the Makuuchi rikishi were doing yaocho back then," he admitted. As a tsukebito to a Makuuchi rikishi, he was the one doing all the negotiating with various tsukebito of opposing rikishi. "The Kyokai should admit to the existence of yaocho retroactively and clean up its mess and start from scratch," said the ex-rikishi.

The ex-tsukebito maintains that his Makuuchi otibekust (there simply isn't a word for the tsukebito's boss, so I use that..) did yaocho in half of his bouts. After the next day's torikumi was announced , he would very politely ask him to very politely ask his opponent to very politely oblige to lose. Since there were no mobile phones back then, all arrangements were made in the toilet or in some remote places where no one saw anything, with the opposing rikishi's tsukebito. Sometimes, the opposition would decline to agree as he would "need" the win himself, so they would agree to go "gachinko".

"Would you take the fall? There's 500,000 yen in it for you..""Sorry, no can do. My guy can't afford to lose either.." was how the conversation went. Much running about between shitakubeyas would ensue and when an impasse was reached, both sides would agree on a "clean" match.

The going price was 500,000, although losing to a Yokozuna could fetch you 700,000 yen, and losing to a sanyaku even 1,000,000 yen. Sometimes, even more than that as well. Money spent would then come back indirectly from supporters who were happy with the "good results" a rikishi had, so buying a win would soon be covered. "The ones able to do yaocho were usually the ones capable of winning cleanly. No weak rikishi..," added the ex-rikishi. Strong rikishi who were on the verge of breaking records were "buying" a lot of wins from lower rankers as "insurance" for a win. "The weak guys were thinking they couldn't win anyway, so why not make some easy money on the way??", he added. The ones keeping tabs on the various debts were the tsukebito. Nothing was ever written, everything was being memorized and there were never any problems. Money would then change hands during jungyos and special events.

"Since sumo is a hierarchy, I had no choice but to go when I was told to go by my superiors. When I made it to Juryo, I dabbled in it as well, but once you start doing it it's hard to stop and doing all that hard keiko became quite pointless, " he pointed out. "The existence of yaocho was and still is an open secret. There are young men out there joining sumo honestly, so I truly hope sumo will now distance itself from it.. , he said, attempting to explain why he has come forward with this now. "I would like to remain anonymous as I do not want to cause any bother to my family and friends..," he explained. "If people get the impression that everyone in Sumo is cheating, it would be grossly unfair to those that are going about it in an honest manner. The Kyokai from the rijicho downwards should do its utmost to distance itself from all this and start anew," summed the ex-rikishi.

Hmmmm.....

Edited March 4, 2011 by Kintamayama

[Peterao 3]

One of the darkest of the "grey" rikishi appears to be Asofuji. In an interview at his heya, he revealed that he has been interviewed twice by the committee, which, in the course of their "questioning" has told him things such as "You've done yaocho, haven't you?" and "Please just admit it already!"

"I haven't done it, so I just keep telling them that I haven't done it!" sez the dark grey one.

The "full" interview:

Regarding what the investigator said: "I was told 'You're doing yaocho, aren't you? Please admit it.' without giving me a chance to explain. I don't understand what he's talking about."

Regarding whether there was talk of becoming jomei by not admitting guilt, or getting retirement pay by confessing: "I'm not allowed to talk about the details of the questioning, but there's no point in telling that since I didn't do it..."

Regarding how many times he's been questioned: "Twice. The first time wasn't like that, but from the second time the tone of the questioning changed."

Regarding the timing of the second questioning: "When was that...fairly recently. I'm not doing it, so all I say is I'm not doing it."

Regarding what he has done with his cell phone and bank book: "The first time they told me to show it, and I said "OK" (and showed it to them)"

Regarding today's new stories: "I saw them this morning, and I was surprised. I've no idea why."

Regarding what he'll do tonight: "I'll go as many times as they call me. Because I didn't do it."

Edited March 5, 2011 by Peterao

[Babaryutaikai 1]

In a current Mainichi article (English side), there is now conjecture that it may not be possible to hold the May basho. Anyone see anything about that? Maybe the Japanese version has more detail?

English: http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/sports/news...0na020000c.html

Japanese: http://mainichi.jp/photo/archive/news/2011...050147000c.html

[Kintamayama 44,214]

The Jonokuchi rikishi was identified as Masumeidai. His danpatsushiki is scheduled for March 5th

"I only made it to Sandanme 89 and got such a fantastic danpatsushiki- I'd like to thank the Oyakata from the bottom of my heart, " he said at the somewhat less famous Nagoya Metropolitan Hotel.

Danpatsushiki:

Edited March 5, 2011 by Kintamayama

[Peterao 3]

Fallout: In the wake of the current yaocho scandal, Minshuto(the current ruling party in Japan politics) is looking to put together a "Fundamental Sports Bill" with the goal of passing it during the current Diet session. Among other things, the bill would set new laws for the proper running of a sports organization, and require the creation of committees made up of current athletes to get their input on issues.

If passed, the new laws would likely supersede the current bylaws of the Kyokai. But the current foreign minister just resigned over accepting payments from foreigners, so this may not end up being such a high priority...

[Peterao 3]

Mainichi is reporting that today about 35 rikishi will undergo follow-up questioning. The questioning will be split across three locations in the interest of speeding things up.

The breakdown of the to-be-questioned:

Admitted guilty: Takenawa oyakata, Chiyohakuho, Enatsukasa

Presumed guilty: Kiyoseumi

Strong suspicion of guilt: Asofuji, Masatsukasa, and about 15 others

Suspicion of guilt: About 15 others

[Peterao 3]

During today's Diet deliberations, in regards to the timing of the resumption of Hon basho, the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology stated: "The governance issues with the Kyokai must also be resolved. It is very important that they resume with no sanctuary." Some of the issues specifically singled out for fixing include rikishi education and the running of the heya, and the Rijikai being too top-heavy with former rikishi.

Getting harder to clean this all up before Natsu Basho...

Edited March 7, 2011 by Peterao

[ilovesumo 12]

Fallout: In the wake of the current yaocho scandal, Minshuto(the current ruling party in Japan politics) is looking to put together a "Fundamental Sports Bill" with the goal of passing it during the current Diet session. Among other things, the bill would set new laws for the proper running of a sports organization, and require the creation of committees made up of current athletes to get their input on issues.

If passed, the new laws would likely supersede the current bylaws of the Kyokai. But the current foreign minister just resigned over accepting payments from foreigners, so this may not end up being such a high priority...

LOL.

It's impossible to have a real anti-discrimination law, they stumble over scandals all the time etc.

Now those opportunists try THAT...

ROFL

[Kintamayama 44,214]

Questioned today: Azumazeki Oyakata (ex-Ushiomaru), Juryo Sakaizawa, Juryo Hoshikaze and others. Juryo Masatsukasa who is being accused seriously told the press : "I cannot say anything. ask the committee." He has been questioned four times so far. "I don't think there will be more," he added.

[Peterao 3]

The Yaocho Investigation Committee scheduled for yesterday was canceled due to travel issues resulting from the earthquake. A replacement date for the meeting has not yet been set.

UPDATE: The new date for the next meeting is the 15th.

Edited March 12, 2011 by Peterao

[Peterao 3]

The Yaocho Investigation Committee scheduled for yesterday was canceled due to travel issues resulting from the earthquake. A replacement date for the meeting has not yet been set.

UPDATE: The new date for the next meeting is the 15th.

This meeting was also canceled. They'll try again on the 18th.

[ilovesumo 12]

Now really *......* that topic...

[Peterao 3]

The Yaocho Investigation Committee scheduled for yesterday was canceled due to travel issues resulting from the earthquake. A replacement date for the meeting has not yet been set.

UPDATE: The new date for the next meeting is the 15th.

This meeting was also canceled. They'll try again on the 18th.

This meeting finally took place today. Nothing was decided, but they did mention that the hotline netted all of zero responses.

They'll meet again on the 23rd, where they'll again decide nothing.