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Holy salkow, Batman, Miki’s back! Yes, Japan’s very own Babe on Ice, Miki Ando, roared back to form in the opening event of the Grand Prix figure skating series, not only winning October’s Skate America competition in Connecticut, but overshadowing younger teen star Mao Asada, everybody’s current tip for greatness. Ando, of course, was panned after finishing a disappointing 15th at the Turin Olympics, but she’s lost a bit of chunkiness and taken her skating to a higher level; maybe now she will start to fulfill her promise. Next up on the calendar is the NHK Trophy from November 30 to December 3 in Nagano. Japan’s women skaters are hot right now. Catch them while you can. FV See sports listings for details.
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By
Fred Varcoe
Sumo spreads its wings
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| Mongolian Yokozuna Asashoryu |
If Japanese baseball
appears paranoid about losing its brightest stars to the major
leagues, that’s nothing compared with how sumo feels
about an invasion of foreigners. It was only a few years ago
that a de facto ban was in place on the recruitment of foreign
wrestlers, but now it seems like the gaijin are taking over.
Already this year, one of Japan’s all-time greats, Takanohana,
has hung up his mawashi, and Asashoryu, a Mongol, has forced
his way into the ranks of yokozuna, the highest level of sumodom.
He’ll make his debut as a grand champion at the Haru
Basho (Spring Tournament) in Osaka (March 9-23).
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Musashimaru
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There was a hint that sumo’s promotion council would
use the “Konishiki get-out clause” to deny promotion
to Asashoryu by claiming he did not possess the required hinkaku
(translated as “dignity’’). One member of the
council admitted that they thought the wrestler was not “elegant’’
enough to be a yokozuna—in sumospeak, this means he’s
just a foreigner—but the Mongolian’s unprecedented
burst of form made it impossible for sumo’s elders to
deny the feisty fighter his elevation to top-dog status. To
purists, this probably didn’t go down too well, but at
the New Year Basho in January the writing was on the wall.
Five of the six divisions contested were won by foreign rikishi,
an unheard of figure. What’s more, Asashoryu’s rise
to yokozuna, means that both top-division wrestlers are now
foreigners—the other being an American, Musashimaru.
Dignity and disgrace
So, the end of sumo as we know it? Definitely not. While Konishiki
may have had an attitude problem (which made him all the more
endearing to his foreign fans), it was probably his inconsistency
and lack of technique that prevented him from rising to sumo’s
highest rank. The two Americans who have made it to yokozuna
(Akebono and Musashimaru) were proud of their rank and did
it proud. Let us not forget that the last sumo wrestler to
disgrace his sport and the rank of yokozuna was Japanese:
Futahaguro, a short-tempered lout who attacked the ageing
head of his support group and his wife. Perhaps Konishiki
suffered from a backlash to this outrage, but the truth is
that both foreign and Japanese rikishi have the ability to
make fools of themselves.
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Takanohana
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What the Sumo Association cannot deny is that foreign rikishi
can perform with the same talent and dignity as home-grown
wrestlers. Adapting to the rules is all part of the game and
no different to being a baseball player or soccer player over
here: If you can’t adapt to the Japanese way of doing
things, you won’t survive. If you do adapt, the fans
will love and support you. Most sumo fans know the struggle
that all wrestlers have to undergo to even reach the lower
professional ranks. The title of yokozuna is as much recognition
of overcoming the hardships involved in sumo as it is a rank
of sporting achievement (strictly speaking, it’s not
actually a rank but an honorary title).
Of course, there will always be dissenting voices. At the
Osaka tournament in March, there may be those who aren’t
happy with having two foreign yokozuna, but more likely than
not, sumo’s Kansai supporters will be judging the wrestlers
on their attitude and technique rather than the color of their
passports. With sumo hoping one day to achieve Olympic recognition,
the assimilation of foreigners into the ranks is all the more
important. Sumo’s foreign stars serve as ambassadors
to their country. In February, Asashoryu was honored by Mongolia’s
prime minister and feted by his compatriots. To them, the
honor bestowed on their rising son also reflects well on Japan,
making the honor a blessing for both countries. Let’s
hope that sumo’s elders recognize the value of its international
stars, as its international stars have recognized the value
of sumo.
Upcoming sumo events
Osaka Grand Sumo Tournament, March
9-23, Osaka Municipal Gymnasium. Ticket info: (06)-6645-9999.
Osaka One-day Tournament, April
6, Osaka Castle Hall. Ticket info: (06)-6947-6333.
Summer Grand Sumo Tournament, May
11-25, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo. Ticket info: (03)-3622-1100.
Terao Retirement Ceremony, May 31,
Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo. Info: (03)-3614-0262.
Takanohana retirement ceremony,
May 31, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo. Info: (03)-3385-8012.
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