Ozumo magazine translation

[James H]

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/sports/20070809TDY20004.htm

[Washuyama]

Maybe I'm selfish, but I'd rather see a banzuke with 600 foreigners than no banzuke at all... When I first started watching sumo Takamiyama (Jesse) was the only foreign sekitori (Except maybe Kaneshiro who was Korean but had already changed his citizenship), it was a novelty. Now, good or bad, its commonplace. And with Japan and other "industrial" nations youth getting physically spoiled with PCs and video games, it's only natural that budding sumotori are coming from poorer backgrounds or at least from hard-working backgrounds. This just makes it more obvious that the NSK needs to change the rule of only one gaijin per heya.

[James H]

Maybe I'm selfish, but I'd rather see a banzuke with 600 foreigners than no banzuke at all... When I first started watching sumo Takamiyama (Jesse) was the only foreign sekitori (Except maybe Kaneshiro who was Korean but had already changed his citizenship), it was a novelty. Now, good or bad, its commonplace. And with Japan and other "industrial" nations youth getting physically spoiled with PCs and video games, it's only natural that budding sumotori are coming from poorer backgrounds or at least from hard-working backgrounds. This just makes it more obvious that the NSK needs to change the rule of only one gaijin per heya.

Of course, the widening income gap in Japan and the growth in the "new poor" means there will be the kind of recruiting ground the article says is needed. It is just a bit sad that they seem to think sumo seems to need economic depression and the option of no other means of entertainment to be attractive to kids.

Rugby involves just as much physical trauma and also isn't the most financially secure sport in the world, but it doesn't seem to have any trouble attracting talent in the UK... Maybe the sumo association should try and get sumo back on the list of school sports if it really wants to improve the situation.

Grassroots amateur sumo is the only way they are going to keep the ranks filled with Japanese recruits, I'd reckon.

[Itachi]

I think participation in sumo should be a matter of national pride.

How could sumo not be on the list of school sports?

Last time I was in Japan, the nation was proud of having accomplished something in terms of being competitive on the world stage in soccer. Also, Japanese baseball players were enjoying success in the American professional leagues so these two sports were overtaking sumo in popularity.

There should be an effort made to romanticize sumo as a uniquely Japanese sport that is appreciated around the world. If only there were a professional sumo league outside Japan - then you would see some serious competition to get into a heya amongst Japanese kids.

[Kotonosato]

There should be an effort made to romanticize sumo as a uniquely Japanese sport that is appreciated around the world. If only there were a professional sumo league outside Japan - then you would see some serious competition to get into a heya amongst Japanese kids.

Outside of this forum's members, I don't think sumo will ever really gain ground worldwide.

It is very difficult to make obesity appealing. And that's true within and outside of Japan.

Imagine that you're a 15 year old Japanese athlete. You're the star player on your school's baseball team, you're always at the top of your class in PE, and you are the best judoist at your weekend club. You now have a choice of lifestyle to make. "Hmmm... Let me see, I can continue to play baseball throughout highschool where cute cheerleaders will continue to like me. I can do full time judo so that I will gain the respect of my grandfather. Or I can move to Tokyo away from my friends and family and scrub fat guys' asses."

Tough decision.

[James H]

Rugby involves just as much physical trauma and also isn't the most financially secure sport in the world, but it doesn't seem to have any trouble attracting talent in the UK

Maybe in the game itself but Rugby doesn't have the slave system that sumo does.

That's a fact. But there is the punishment of hanging out with other rugby players. And in England, at least, that's as bad as it gets (Sign of approval...)