Japan Sumo Association
Information about Japan Sumo Association
The Japan Sumo Association (日本相撲協会 or Nihon Sumo Kyokai) is the body that operates and controls professional sumo wrestling in Japan.
Membership is by purchasing, or inheriting a share in the Association, of which there are 105. The value of these shares is extremely high and rules only permit them to be purchased by former sumo wrestlers who either reached at least a sanyaku rank (komusubi and higher) or been ranked for a significant number of tournaments as a sekitori. Each share is associated with a particular name and in the sumo world the former wrestler will be known by that name, usually with the suffix oyakata. The members are also often called elders in English.
An exception to the purchase requirement is made for the most successful former yokozuna who may be offered a one-time membership of the Association. Three former wrestlers, Taihō, Kitanoumi and Takanohana obtained this status. A fourth, Chiyonofuji, was offered this status but preferred a normal share. These four all achieved more than twenty tournament championships in their active career.
The members of the Association receive a salary and are expected to assist in the running of the Association, from selling tickets at the most junior level, to taking charge of one of the Association Departments as a director.
The members are also the only persons able to train new sumo wrestlers. They do this by opening a training stable, or heya (changed to beya as a suffix) which will go by the membership name they own. Thus Dewanoumi-oyakata will be the owner of Dewanoumi-beya. Typically about 50% of the Association members have their own stable, while the rest are affiliated to one and assist the principal owner. It is common for the most senior members of the Association to concentrate on their Association responsibilities and pass the day-to-day management of a stable to another. If a senior oyakata wishes to do this, the two may elect to swap names so that the stable can keep the more prestigious name.
The Association Members are also split into various ranks. A new retiree will have oyakata rank, except for former Ozeki and Yokozuna who are automatically granted Committee Member rank. Most experienced Association members are Committee Members. At the top are a group of elected riji or directors, who form the Association Board. The public face of sumo is presented by chairman of the directors, called the rijicho. He is effectively President of the Association.
All members are required to retire when they reach the age of sixty five, after which they can sell or pass their stock to another, provided that person meets the Association's eligibility requirements. In the case of a one-time membership the name merely lapses.
Sumo (相撲)
A Sumo match between Ozeki Kaio and Tamanoshima in May 2005. Notice the referee (gyoji) at right.
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Membership is by purchasing, or inheriting a share in the Association, of which there are 105. The value of these shares is extremely high and rules only permit them to be purchased by former sumo wrestlers who either reached at least a sanyaku rank (komusubi and higher) or been ranked for a significant number of tournaments as a sekitori. Each share is associated with a particular name and in the sumo world the former wrestler will be known by that name, usually with the suffix oyakata. The members are also often called elders in English.
An exception to the purchase requirement is made for the most successful former yokozuna who may be offered a one-time membership of the Association. Three former wrestlers, Taihō, Kitanoumi and Takanohana obtained this status. A fourth, Chiyonofuji, was offered this status but preferred a normal share. These four all achieved more than twenty tournament championships in their active career.
The members of the Association receive a salary and are expected to assist in the running of the Association, from selling tickets at the most junior level, to taking charge of one of the Association Departments as a director.
The members are also the only persons able to train new sumo wrestlers. They do this by opening a training stable, or heya (changed to beya as a suffix) which will go by the membership name they own. Thus Dewanoumi-oyakata will be the owner of Dewanoumi-beya. Typically about 50% of the Association members have their own stable, while the rest are affiliated to one and assist the principal owner. It is common for the most senior members of the Association to concentrate on their Association responsibilities and pass the day-to-day management of a stable to another. If a senior oyakata wishes to do this, the two may elect to swap names so that the stable can keep the more prestigious name.
The Association Members are also split into various ranks. A new retiree will have oyakata rank, except for former Ozeki and Yokozuna who are automatically granted Committee Member rank. Most experienced Association members are Committee Members. At the top are a group of elected riji or directors, who form the Association Board. The public face of sumo is presented by chairman of the directors, called the rijicho. He is effectively President of the Association.
All members are required to retire when they reach the age of sixty five, after which they can sell or pass their stock to another, provided that person meets the Association's eligibility requirements. In the case of a one-time membership the name merely lapses.
Current Association Board
Chairman
- Kitanoumi (the 55th Yokozuna Kitanoumi)
Directors
- Oshima (former ozeki Asahikuni)
- Magaki (the 56th Yokozuna Wakanohana II)
- Takasago (former ozeki Asashio)
- Musashigawa (the 57th Yokozuna Mienoumi)
- Isenoumi (former sekiwake Fujinokawa)
- Dewanoumi (former sekiwake Washuyama)
- Hidenoyama (former sekiwake Hasegawa)
- Hanaregoma (former ozeki Kaiketsu)
- Tomozuna (former sekiwake Kaiki)
Supervisors
- Mihogaseki (former ozeki Masuiyama)
- Minato (former komusubi Yutakayama)
- Shiranui (former sekiwake Aobajo)
Special Executive
- Takadagawa (former ozeki Maenoyama)
- Kokonoe (the 58th Yokozuna Chiyonofuji)
- Tamanoi (former sekiwake Tochiazuma)
Rijicho since WWII
- Dewanoumi (the 31st Yokozuna Tsunenohana) 1944-1957
- Tokitsukaze (the 35th Yokozuna Futabayama) 1957-1968
- Musashigawa (ex maegashira Dewanohana) 1968-1974
- Kasugano (the 44th Yokozuna Tochinishiki) 1974-1988
- Futagoyama (the 45th Yokozuna Wakanohana Kanji I) 1988-1992
- Sakaigawa (the 50th Yokozuna Sadanoyama) 1992-1998
- Tokitsukaze (ex ozeki Yutakayama) 1998-2002
- Kitanoumi (the 55th Yokzuna Kitanoumi) 2002-present
External links
citation, footnoting or external linking.
Sumo (相撲)
A Sumo match between Ozeki Kaio and Tamanoshima in May 2005. Notice the referee (gyoji) at right.
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A sekitori (関取) is a sumo wrestler who is ranked in one of the top two professional divisions: makuuchi and juryo.
Currently there are 70 rikishi in these divisions.
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Currently there are 70 rikishi in these divisions.
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北の湖敏満
Kitanoumi Toshimitsu
Personal information
Birth name Toshimitsu Kobata
Date of birth May 16 1953
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Kitanoumi Toshimitsu
Personal information
Birth name Toshimitsu Kobata
Date of birth May 16 1953
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千代の富士 貢
Chiyonofuji Mitsugu
Personal information
Birth name Mitsugu Akimoto
Date of birth May 1 1955
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Chiyonofuji Mitsugu
Personal information
Birth name Mitsugu Akimoto
Date of birth May 1 1955
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北の湖敏満
Kitanoumi Toshimitsu
Personal information
Birth name Toshimitsu Kobata
Date of birth May 16 1953
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Kitanoumi Toshimitsu
Personal information
Birth name Toshimitsu Kobata
Date of birth May 16 1953
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Asahikuni Masuo
Personal information
Birth name Takeo Obata
Date of birth March 25 1947
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Personal information
Birth name Takeo Obata
Date of birth March 25 1947
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若乃花 幹士
Wakanohana Kanji
Personal information
Birth name Katsunori Shimoyama
Date of birth March 3 1953
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Wakanohana Kanji
Personal information
Birth name Katsunori Shimoyama
Date of birth March 3 1953
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三重ノ海 剛司
Mienoumi Tsuyoshi
Personal information
Birth name Ishiyama Goro
Date of birth January 4 1948
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Mienoumi Tsuyoshi
Personal information
Birth name Ishiyama Goro
Date of birth January 4 1948
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長谷川 勝敏 Hasegawa Katsutoshi
Personal information
Birth name Katsutoshi Hasegawa
Date of birth July 20 1944
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Personal information
Birth name Katsutoshi Hasegawa
Date of birth July 20 1944
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魁傑 將晃
Kaiketsu Masateru
Personal information
Birth name Teriyuki Nishimori
Date of birth January 16 1948
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Kaiketsu Masateru
Personal information
Birth name Teriyuki Nishimori
Date of birth January 16 1948
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増位山 大志郎 Masuiyama Daishiro
Personal information
Birth name Noburu Sadawa
Date of birth November 16 1948
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Personal information
Birth name Noburu Sadawa
Date of birth November 16 1948
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千代の富士 貢
Chiyonofuji Mitsugu
Personal information
Birth name Mitsugu Akimoto
Date of birth May 1 1955
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Chiyonofuji Mitsugu
Personal information
Birth name Mitsugu Akimoto
Date of birth May 1 1955
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栃東 知頼
Tochiazuma Tomoyori
Personal information
Birth name Hayao Shiga
Date of birth September 3 1944
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Tochiazuma Tomoyori
Personal information
Birth name Hayao Shiga
Date of birth September 3 1944
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常ノ花 寛市
Tsunenohana Kan'ichi
Personal information
Birth name Kanichi Yamanobe
Date of birth November 23 1896
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Tsunenohana Kan'ichi
Personal information
Birth name Kanichi Yamanobe
Date of birth November 23 1896
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双葉山 定次
Futabayama Sadaji
Personal information
Birth name Akiyoshi Sadaji
Date of birth January 9 1912
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Futabayama Sadaji
Personal information
Birth name Akiyoshi Sadaji
Date of birth January 9 1912
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栃錦 清隆
Tochinishiki Kiyotaka
Personal information
Birth name Kiyotaka Uchida
Date of birth January 20 1925
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Tochinishiki Kiyotaka
Personal information
Birth name Kiyotaka Uchida
Date of birth January 20 1925
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若乃花 幹士
Wakanohana Kanji
Personal information
Birth name Katsuji Hanada
Date of birth March 16 1928
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Wakanohana Kanji
Personal information
Birth name Katsuji Hanada
Date of birth March 16 1928
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Sadanoyama Shinmatsu
Personal information
Birth name Shinmatsu Sasada
Date of birth January 18 1938
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Personal information
Birth name Shinmatsu Sasada
Date of birth January 18 1938
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豊山 勝男
Yutakayama Katsuo
Personal information
Birth name Katsuo Uchida
Date of birth July 18 1937
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Yutakayama Katsuo
Personal information
Birth name Katsuo Uchida
Date of birth July 18 1937
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北の湖敏満
Kitanoumi Toshimitsu
Personal information
Birth name Toshimitsu Kobata
Date of birth May 16 1953
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Kitanoumi Toshimitsu
Personal information
Birth name Toshimitsu Kobata
Date of birth May 16 1953
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