Japan Sumo Association

The is the body that operates and controls professional sumo wrestling (called ''Ōzumō'', 大相撲) in Japan under the jurisdiction of the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). ''Rikishi'' (active wrestlers), ''gyōji'' (referees), ''tokoyama'' (hairdressers), and ''yobidashi'' (ushers/handymen), are all on the Association's payroll, but the organisation is run entirely by ''toshiyori'' (elders). The organization has its headquarters in Yokoami, Sumida, Tokyo.

History

The precursor to a full-fledged organization began in the Edo period with sumo bouts that were often held to raise funds for new construction or repair of bridges, temples, shrines and other public buildings. ''Shōgun'' Tokugawa Ieyasu specifically, wanted "street" sumo prohibited and determined sumo should only be held for charitable purposes, and it was known as ''kanjin'' sumo. The wrestlers were also paid with extra revenue from these events. This is when the first organized competitions with paid wrestlers began. Written rankings, known as ''banzuke'' were introduced from 1761 and this is where the committee that organized these rankings began to emerge as an organization. In this time, sumo came to be called "Ōzumō", "the big sumo" or professional sumo.

In the 19th century, the Meiji Restoration leaders abolished the shogunate and the feudal system that supported it. In this restructuring, local rulers, or ''daimyō'' lost the control they had over sumo and financing that had previously come from it. To adapt and survive, the association introduced the change to the system of salaries and directors that is known today. In 1884, Emperor Meiji went to see a sumo tournament which helped to give sumo wrestling a reputation as a national event.

In the early 20th century, the sport had two competing associations, which had their seats in the two historic centers of sumo wrestling, Tokyo and Osaka. In the 1920s, the Tokyo Association made the offer of merging with the Osaka Association, and in 1927 the 88 "elders" of the Tokyo contingent and the 17 "elders" from the Osaka contingent merged to form the "Dai-Nihon Sumō Kyokai". In the run-up to the merger during 1925 and 1926, a series of three joint tournaments was held to assess the relative strength of the ''rikishi'' in both organizations. Confirming the prevailing opinion that Osaka sumo was inferior, the Tokyo camp largely won out and wrestlers as high as '' ōzeki'' in Osaka sumo were relegated to the third ''makushita'' division in the new merged rankings. However, the ''yokozuna'' from both sides were maintained, as there was no precedent for demoting them, allowing Osaka sumo to save face.

The first chairman of the directors was Lieutenant General Masanori Hirose, from 1928 until his death in 1938. His successor was Isamu Takeshita, an admiral in the Imperial Navy and a patron of the martial arts. In 1944, the first successor from the sumo world was chosen, the former Tsunenohana. After the war, the association was further modernized. Today, the association is ancillary to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

On August 31, 2009, the Japan Sumo Association unveiled a group of official mascots under the title . Designed to get more children interested in the sport, the characters are birds ("tori" in Japanese) who compete in sumo and are centered around main character . In August 2022, the association launched an English-language YouTube channel titled ''Sumo Prime Time'' in hopes of drawing a larger international audience to the sport.

Membership

Membership is obtained by purchasing, or inheriting a share (''toshiyori kabu'') 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 ''san'yaku'' rank (''komusubi'' or higher) or been ranked for a significant number of tournaments as a ''sekitori''. Japanese citizenship is also required. 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 (''ichidai toshiyori'') by the Association. Since this exception system has been in place, three former wrestlers, Taihō, Kitanoumi and Takanohana have 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 careers.

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.

These members are also the only persons given the authority to train new sumo wrestlers. They do this by opening or taking over a training stable, or ''heya'' (changed to ''beya'' as a suffix) which will in most cases take the same name as the member's elder name. 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 required to be affiliated with 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. A recent example was in 1996, when the Association's chairman Dewanoumi-''oyakata'' (former ''yokozuna'' Sadanoyama), swapped names with Sakaigawa-''oyakata'' (former ''sekiwake'' Washūyama) who took over the running of Dewanoumi stable. See ''heya'' for more information.

The Association Members are also split into various ranks. A new retiree will have ''oyakata'' rank, except for former '' ōzeki'' and ''yokozuna'' who are automatically granted ''Committee Member'' rank. The 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 the chairman of the directors, called the ''rijichō''. He is effectively President of the Association. See ''toshiyori'' for more information.

All members are required to retire when they reach the age of sixty-five (with a possible five year extension if approved by Association Board), after which they can pass their stock to another, provided that person meets the Association's eligibility requirements. In the case of a one-time membership mentioned above the name merely lapses.

In September 2008, at the Ministry of Education's insistence after a series of scandals hit sumo, three external Directors were appointed. One of the three, Hiroyoshi Murayama, served as acting Chairman for the July 2010 tournament while the then head, Musashigawa, was suspended.

Association Board

As of August 2022:

Chairman

*Hakkaku (the 61st ''yokozuna'' Hokutoumi)

Directors

*Michinoku (former ''ōzeki'' Kirishima)
*Sakaigawa (former ''komusubi'' Ryōgoku)
*Kasugano (former ''sekiwake'' Tochinowaka)
*Dewanoumi (former ''maegashira'' Oginohana)
*Shibatayama (the 62nd ''yokozuna'' Ōnokuni)
*Isegahama (the 63rd ''yokozuna'' Asahifuji)
*Hanakago (former ''sekiwake'' Daijuyama)
*Isenoumi (former ''maegashira'' Kitakachidoki)
*Sadogatake (former ''sekiwake'' Kotonowaka)

Deputy Directors

*Fujishima (former ''ōzeki'' Musōyama)
*Wakamatsu (former ''maegashira'' Asanowaka)
*Kumegawa (former ''komusubi'' Kotoinazuma)

Special Executives

*Kagamiyama (former ''sekiwake'' Tagaryū)
*Takashima (former ''sekiwake'' Kōbōyama)
*Irumagawa (former ''sekiwake'' Tochitsukasa)
*Nishikido (former ''sekiwake'' Mitoizumi)
*Katsunoura (former ''maegashira'' Kirinishiki)
*Shiratama (former ''maegashira'' Kototsubaki)
*Kokonoe (former ''ōzeki'' Chiyotaikai)

''Rijichō''

* Hirose Masanori 1928–1938
*Isamu Takeshita 1939–1944
*Dewanoumi (the 31st ''yokozuna'' Tsunenohana) 1944–1957
*Tokitsukaze (the 35th ''yokozuna'' Futabayama) 1957–1968
*Musashigawa (former ''maegashira'' Dewanohana) 1968–1974
*Kasugano (the 44th ''yokozuna'' Tochinishiki) 1974–1988
*Futagoyama (the 45th ''yokozuna'' Wakanohana) 1988–1992
*Dewanoumi/Sakaigawa (the 50th ''yokozuna'' Sadanoyama) 1992–1998
*Tokitsukaze (former ''ōzeki'' Yutakayama) 1998–2002
*Kitanoumi (the 55th ''yokozuna'' Kitanoumi) 2002–2008
*Musashigawa (the 57th ''yokozuna'' Mienoumi) 2008–2010
*Hiroyoshi Murayama (acting) 2010–2010
*Hanaregoma (former ''ōzeki'' Kaiketsu) 2010–2012
*Kitanoumi (the 55th ''yokozuna'') 2012–2015
*Hakkaku (the 61st ''yokozuna'' Hokutoumi) 2015–

See also

*List of sumo elders
*''Heya'', sumo stable
*''Toshiyori'', sumo elder
*International Sumo Federation

References

External links

Official WebsiteOfficial Website

{{Authority control

Sumo organizations
Sumo