alpineviolet

I'm wondering this, too. How is this going to work? (In a state of confusion...)

I like this one. :)

I was under the impression that they are compensating them for losses in currently existing produce that can no longer be shipped, not for fields that can't be used any longer. "Edano also said that every effort should be made to provide appropriate compensation for the losses incurred by farmers because of the shipping restrictions." It's NHK, so either you believe them or you don't. *shrug* It will probably take some time to find out what the long-term effects on the farmland will be, if any.

Maybe I'm mistaken, but I think that foreigners (whether rikishi or otherwise) aren't a burden in a situation like this; I think stability is the most important thing, and a bunch of people leaving the country right now may cause more problems than it solves (economically, for instance, or spreading fear among people who don't have the option to leave). I do feel sympathy for those who want to go home, I just don't think it's the right choice in this instance. Of course, everybody has to do as they think best.

Jonosuke and Viki, you took the words right out of my mouth. I don't live in Japan (yet) but it feels weird as I've been continuing to plan my budget for moving over there (hopefully for long-term, but I'm starting with a few months) while others are fleeing the country. This hasn't discouraged me in the least, because I've wanted to live in Japan for years, and right now it hurts to be in California, watching all this and being able to do nothing to help those in need, except donate what I can. I don't understand how a person can move somewhere and call it home, and then abandon that home as soon as it becomes uncomfortable. How can anybody be part of a community that way? I don't expect everyone to agree with me, of course. But bad things can happen to you anywhere. I think it's important to be committed to the place where you live and your community, and it makes me kind of sad to find out that some rikishi were just in Japan to make money. Even if only the elderly feel this way (but I don't believe it's only them), I think it matters that rikishi represent something to Japanese society. It shouldn't be treated like a company job (which is also why I don't think Baruto should be going around in a tee-shirt right now, since it might make people happy to see an ozeki in in proper dress, but that's a nitpick). I've read of many people asking for a charity jungyo, and when the time is right, I think it would be a great idea to hold one *outside* of the affected areas. Also, it might be cool if Hakuho visited shrines or other sites in the affected areas to ritually stomp away the bad stuff. This would be along with more practical help when the time is right (i.e. when they won't be in the way).

I couldn't see another thread to put this in, so I figured I'd put it in here since it's related to the earthquake (I don't think the yaocho thread is the best spot for earthquake-related sumo news, but anyway...) Tsunami washes away sumo training complex in Fukushima Also, this one, which I unfortunately am not skilled enough to translate. Maybe someone else can help? Michinoku-beya rikishi help some children evacuate? And I think this one is saying Michinoku-beya's associated chanko restaurant helped feed 150 people who were stranded. Sorry if I misunderstood anything, but I thought these might be of interest. Now I'm going to work on my Japanese lessons (seriously).

Isn't gambling on both of these sports legal in Japan? In that case, restrictions like these would make sense in a way, to make sure that everything is tightly controlled and fair.

Maybe they should just threaten the rikishi with that article. "This is what will happen to you if you don't behave..." Yikes. (Flying a plane...)

Uhm, this guy has been a sekitori for the past 8 years, don't tell me there is danger that his family is going to starve now? Probably he has money saved. But I think for a lot of people, and this is very common though perhaps unwise, you get used to living a certain lifestyle, you don't expect it to end, and then it suddenly changes (I'm still new to sumo but his fall out of Juryo looked pretty quick to me). You have to rebudget, and things can look very scary. So I don't think his family will starve, but living in Tokyo is expensive (as I'm finding out, just trying to budget an extended stay...) and they are going to be missing a salary for quite a bit longer than expected. I think the point isn't really whether his family will be out on the street, but that his comeback attempt is going to take longer, and cause him a lot more trouble, because of some cheaters (who will be receiving their salaries). Being in Makushita, will he have to go back to living in the heya, away from his family, for all that time? :-(

Sounds like required watching for me then! I'm still only familiar with a few kimarite. Thanks for the details. :)

But still, they could have decided to cancel appearances like these with everything that's going on, and Takanohana's solo appearance indicates some misgivings. I'm honestly a little surprised, and glad, that they're still getting out there, and also glad that the teachers and such still wanted them to visit.

Thanks for posting these, and for starting this thread. :-) I knew some stuff was going on because I would run into news articles, but my Japanese is very poor and Google translator is sometimes worse (or at least more frustrating) than no translator at all. (Yusho winner...)

Believe it or not, Aminishiki was listed as one of the minority of gachinko rikishi in Shukan Gendai's 2007 series of stories. I was going to mention this, but I figured I'd sound totally biased. *points at userpic*

I kinda like it. (Shaking head...)

Innocent people are wrongly accused every day, especially in a witch hunt situation like this one. The media is entertainment; some of them are tabloids, and some others attract an audience by being "legitimate", but when it comes down to it, it's about selling papers and getting ratings, period. Nothing in Kintamayama's description of the article can be proved or disproved. We can't know Hakuho's innocence or guilt in this unless there is hard evidence or he confesses. The fact is, we will almost always believe a confession of guilt, but who will believe a plea of innocence? But sometimes innocent people do get wrongly accused. I would hate to base my decision on Hakuho on an article in a newspaper that said some matches "looked suspect". Anybody could say that. They can't even get in trouble for that, and right now, they know the Kyokai won't try to sue them. I'm not saying everybody should "trust Hakuho" or "believe in him" or anything. I'm just saying that at this point, it's best to suspend judgement, if you can't believe in his innocence. Sadly, whether he is innocent or guilty, there will now be a permanent stain on his reputation. Strongest but maybe he didn't want to run the risks.... A person can always think of more reasons for yaocho. You could argue back and forth like that forever, because it's obviously beneficial in some ways. The issue isn't whether there are reasons, but whether Hakuho is the sort of person who could feel proud of winning that way. I personally don't think so, but it's not like I can prove that.

I remember liking that idea when you mentioned it before. If there is going to be an age limit, I think that might be the best way. Thanks so much for your explanations/thoughts. I'm pretty impatient for official decisions right now, but trying my best to settle in for a long wait.

Mentioned in the same breath - re-employment strategies for those who didn't make it within the age limits, as well as "player contracts" similar to other professional sports for sekitori. Umm, okay... I'm not sure I understand. Is this an upper as well as lower age limit? What about Juryo who fall down to Makushita and who are above the age limit? (I can't help it; I'm thinking about Kaonishiki right now, whose face I would dearly miss seeing after every one of Takamisakari's matches, win or lose. ;-) ) Are they talking player contracts similar to baseball contracts, where the team (or in this case, heya) buys the player's contract and trades people around a lot? Or more like a code of conduct thingie for them to agree to? Sorry if my questions seem basic, I never was into sports before sumo, so I don't know much about them.

Did anyone ever follow-through on the threat to sue for breach of privacy? I'd be amazed if anyone had the chutzpah to do this, but I guess there are times when the best defense is a good offense, and now seems as good a time as any to throw the Kyokai under the proverbial bus... With things going on like this, and with Kotomitsuki's promised slap on the wrist turning into dismissal, is it any wonder the rikishi aren't more forthcoming with information?

I see what you're saying. I was confused because I don't think simm cards have been much in use in a long time, and it's a specific type of chip. On a lot of phones you have to deliberately save your text messages to the SD card; otherwise it's just saved in the phone's internal memory.

Why do you assume that the phone has a simm chip? Good question. Many cell phone providers (for example Verizon in the US) don't even use a sim chip, and even in the case of those that do, the text messages aren't usually stored there. It's used for storing account data, or at least that's how it is in the US. Most cell phones have their own built-in data chip, which may or may not be so easy to copy. (btw, "simm" is a different thing, "single-inline memory module"; cell phone account data is stored on "sim" ("subscriber identity module") cards. fwiw.)

Weird, I was just thinking that very thing earlier today.

But this is Kindergarten. Maybe... but it does remind me of this story about Wakakoyu.

The Kyokai intends to hand them over to the "manufacturers" who will attempt to recreate any erased messages. They have not been handed over to them yet, so we may assume this is going to take a long time. I'm still confused about the cell phones and bankbooks... I thought Bushuuyama said they declined his? Are these just the ones belonging to the original 14 suspects, or are they asking the other sekitori for them after all?

But his judgment in saying it wasn't the issue; your point was that it was an implicit admission of wrong-doing (or at least, that was my impression of your point), and I think that's very unlikely and said so. I agree that it wasn't the time for a smart remark, and will probably end up being more hassle to him than it was worth. He should have done just as you said.

"This kind of talk brings with it misunderstanding.. Not everyone may see it that way, but it can be misunderstood. I really have to ask him what he meant," said a bewildered Hanaregoma Oyakata. The reporter is saying Hakuhou may have misunderstood the question and even though his Japanese is excellent, it would not be the first time he did not fully comprehend a question (...). "Man, he was really pale- he looked worried," remarked an Oyakata who saw him on TV. I figured he was pointing out what a stupid question it was for the press to ask. Kind of like, "Why are you asking? Do you really expect me to say yes?" The press constantly ask questions like that as if they're going to get a confession or something, in public, on TV. If he had done it, would he really announce it to them first? They know he won't, but they still ask. I interpreted it as impatience with them, not a denial-hinting-at-guilt. Why would he incriminate himself in front of everyone? It doesn't make sense.