Zuikaku

Yeh, it could actually be seen quite negatively, especially by people from nations that have "complicated" history with Russia. I can understand why Asa could had been pissed for being called Chinese. As ROC (Taiwan) claims to be only legitimate China they hold territorial claims lots of stuff that Qing empire once controlled. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/comm..._and_Claims.png It feels a bit silly but I guess that due worldwide "one china" policy they dont have much motivation to change it either.

If asa somehow actually lost in amasumo then media reaction would be probably hilarious.

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?

It is sad to see him go, although I guess the ending of his career could had been worse so maybe it is even good that it went like that, with 25th Yusho standing as result of final basho. On other hand, ironically his retirement did come right after Uchidate's.

Would be quite ironic if Asashoryu is forced to retire pretty much at same time as Uchidate.