Turning point
of
Japanese national sport "Sumo" <Vol.2>

Please click pictures, and you can see the enlarged one.

In Japan's economically troubled past, a sumo wrestler was the desired occupation for a young local sportsman.　In those days, young men whom the Oyakata scouted to be in the Sumo Beya, did not mind hard training because they saw it as a path to a bright future in sumo wrestling.　Also there were a number of sponsors called "Tanimachi", who did not hesitate to give financial support to a particular sumo beya.　However, when more highlighted professional sports, such as soccer and golf immerged, a large number of the younger generation flocked towards these sports. As a result, many of the young men who try to train himself under a strict and closed vertical society has been decreased.　Also due to the breakdown of the bubble era, financial support for "Tanimachi" began to cease, which forced the sumo world into a crisis.

Under these circumstances, the Oyakata started paying attention to foreign-born sumo wrestlers.　Today, there are 51 foreign-born sumo wrestlers from 11 different countries and in the first big tournament of the year, the foreign-born wrestlers won 5 of the 6 classes.　They have achieved the quickest promotion of any wrestler joining the sumo world because of their high physical performance and hungry soul, which the Japanese sumo wrestlers seem to have lost.

Once, Hawaiian Ozeki, Konishiki was disqualified to be Yokozuna even though his results were good enough because he had commented, in an interview with journalists that sumo is a "fight".　The reason why he was disqualified was that he did not exemplify dignity as a Yokozuna. Now, the Mongolian Yokozuna, Asashoryu's speech and action are a cause of trouble as well.　His behavior inside and outside of the Dohyo signaled questions about his dignity as a Yokozuna when he complained about a particular judgment made against him in a match.(you are not allowed to complain about judgments.) and created a conflict with the other Mongolian sumo wrestler outside of the dohyo.　Of course, the trouble outside of the Dohyo will be criticized as unsportsmanlike, but I think the Japanese Sumo Association has to realize that it is unreasonable for a foreign-born sumo wrestler, who has been educated as an individualist needs to follow Japanese traditiona culture which emphasizes respect & harmony.

The reason for these two sumo wrestler's fighting spirit in the Dohyo is to survive as a lone wolf in a foreign country.　If I may say without fear of misapprehension, I think their minds are much more nobler than some of Japanese sumo wrestlers who was said to exchange victory for the self-preservation among the community.

Thus, the Japanese sumo association should realize that their present way of management does not fit with the sense of values that the younger generation has today.

Therefore, I think sumo is at a turning point either to make a fresh start as an international professional sport by introducing various types of values like Judo did, or to maintain it as a cultural asset like Noh or Kabuki and keep it frombecoming global.

End