Ex-yokozuna Hakuho to Retire from Sumo Association
Yomiuri Shimbun file photo
Stablemaster Miyagino
TOKYO (Jiji Press) — Former yokozuna professional sumo grand champion Hakuho, now stablemaster Miyagino, will retire from the Japan Sumo Association, it was learned Monday.
The move comes as there is no prospect that the Miyagino stable of the 40-year-old, the most successful sumo wrestler ever with 45 grand tournament victories, would be reopened.
The former Hakuho, who was born in Mongolia and acquired Japanese citizenship in 2019, was demoted by two ranks from 'iin' to 'toshiyori' in the association in February last year, in the wake of a scandal involving violence by Hokuseiho, a wrestler who belonged to the stable at the time.
The Miyagino stable halted operations after last year's spring grand tournament in March.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Mainichi
22 minutes ago
- The Mainichi
Tributes to Shigeo Nagashima pour in from Japanese sports world
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japanese baseball luminaries and other sporting figures have paid tribute to Yomiuri Giants icon Shigeo Nagashima, who died of pneumonia at 89 on Tuesday. Among them was former Giants teammate and fellow Japanese Baseball Hall of Famer Sadaharu Oh, who visited Nagashima's house to see his body laid out. "He was always forward-thinking and someone who pulled us in with his character, before we knew it. He was just a special presence," Oh said. "Shigeo Nagashima was still there like before and I was relieved to see his face. These days will eventually arrive for everyone, but it came to the last person I wanted it to." While the pair, known by the nickname "O-N," helped the Giants forge a dynasty with nine straight Central League and Japan Series titles from 1965 to 1973, the 85-year-old Oh, whose 868 home runs are the most in Nippon Professional Baseball history, said he was always looking up to his older teammate. "I couldn't match him at all in terms of presence, so I had to show it with my bat. I could only compete with him with my numbers," Oh said. "Shigeo Nagashima was the man inside the head of every pro baseball player." Japan's 2009 World Baseball Classic-winning skipper Tatsunori Hara, who hit 382 homers for the Giants before managing them for 17 seasons, winning nine CL pennants and three Japan Series titles, said Nagashima was "rigorous when it came to winning and losing." "But he was nice to people and loved by everyone," said the 66-year-old Hara, who played and coached under Nagashima, known as "Mr. Giants," before succeeding him as skipper in 2002. "He was my idol, the symbol of the sport and a god-like figure. He was always shining brightly and influenced me the most as a player, coach and manager." Two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers offered his "sincere condolences" in an Instagram post featuring three photos of him and Nagashima together. Ohtani, who hit his MLB lead-tying 23rd home run of the season after the news of Nagashima's death broke, met Nagashima at Tokyo Dome in March when the Dodgers played their two-game season-opening series against the Chicago Cubs. The San Diego Padres' Yu Darvish wrote on social media site X, "It's been a sad day," as he sent his prayers to Nagashima, while Kodai Senga of the New York Mets called him "a legend among legends." Nagashima's 59-year-old son Kazushige, who played for the Yakult Swallows and the Giants, said, "Baseball was his life and what he loved most." "I feel he had the happiest 89 years, more than anyone, in his baseball life," he said in a statement. "He has returned to the planet of baseball. I'm sure he'd wish that much of the passion he left in the ballpark will help develop Japanese pro baseball, even if only slightly." Saburo Kawabuchi, the inaugural chairman of both football's J-League and basketball's B-League, who was born in 1936 like Nagashima, said he was "grateful for his distinguished service that kept providing Japan with energy, courage and hope." Japan Sports Agency Commissioner Koji Murofushi, who won the men's hammer gold at the 2004 Athens Olympics, said Nagashima's "each word and action was made with the fans in mind." "He was a star who provided the public with positive news," the 50-year-old said. "He really supported me when I was competing and I thought he was so broadminded. I send my condolences." Yokozuna Onosato, sumo's new 24-year-old grand champion, said he recalled Nagashima receiving the People's Honor Award in 2013 along with the wrestler's fellow Ishikawa Prefecture native and former New York Yankee Hideki Matsui. "He's a legendary, historic figure with great records. It's sad news," he said.
Kyodo News
40 minutes ago
- Kyodo News
Kyodo News Digest: June 4, 2025
KYODO NEWS - 3 minutes ago - 10:35 | All, Japan, World The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News. ---------- South Korean liberal Lee begins 5-year presidential term SEOUL - Lee Jae Myung of South Korea's liberal Democratic Party commenced a five-year term Wednesday after winning the country's presidential election, succeeding ousted Yoon Suk Yeol, who polarized the nation by imposing martial law. "I will fulfill it with unwavering commitment and without deviation," said Lee, 60, who narrowly lost to Yoon in 2022, after local media reported he would secure victory in South Korea's presidential election on Tuesday. ---------- China's Li seeks cooperation with Japan amid tariff war with U.S. BEIJING - Chinese Premier Li Qiang called Tuesday for deepening cooperation with Japan to counter "challenges to the world" posed by U.S. high tariffs as he met a Japanese business delegation led by former House of Representatives Speaker Yohei Kono, a group member said. Li also told the group consisting of some 100 business representatives and other members that he "attaches great importance" to a request from Tokyo to lease some more Chinese giant pandas as all the pandas currently living in Japan are set to return home by February next year, the member said. ---------- Trump signs order to double steel, aluminum tariffs to 50% WASHINGTON - U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed an order to double tariffs on steel and aluminum imports to 50 percent, reigniting concerns over supply chain disruptions and a prolonged global trade war. The additional tariffs, which will take effect at a minute past midnight, suggest that Trump has no intention of backing away from his aggressive trade strategy, even though they could result in higher prices for U.S. goods ranging from cars to canned food products. ---------- Japan mourns death of pro baseball legend Shigeo Nagashima TOKYO - Japan on Tuesday mourned the death of legendary former baseball player and manager Shigeo Nagashima, who earned the nickname "Mr. Giants" for his lifelong contributions to the sport as part of the country's most historically dominant team. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Nagashima, who died at the age of 89, was someone whom he and those in his generation "truly admired," adding that the passing of the legend "marks the end of an era." ---------- Many see continued cuts in bond buying as appropriate: BOJ chief Ueda TOKYO - Bank of Japan chief Kazuo Ueda said Tuesday that many market participants see continued reductions in government bond purchases as appropriate as the central bank moves to normalize policy after a decade of unorthodox easing. In a speech in Tokyo, Ueda said there were "only limited calls" during a mid-May meeting with market participants to revise the current reduction plan through March 2026. ---------- U.S. says S. Korea alliance "ironclad" after Lee's presidential win WASHINGTON - U.S. President Donald Trump's administration on Tuesday congratulated Lee Jae Myung on his election as president of South Korea and reaffirmed Washington's "ironclad" commitment to the bilateral alliance. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement that the administration will continue to deepen trilateral cooperation with Japan and South Korea "to bolster regional security, enhance economic resilience and defend our shared democratic principles." ---------- China's Tiananmen incident remembered in exhibit moved to California EL MONTE, California - An exhibit commemorating the victims and survivors of the military crackdown on Tiananmen Square protesters in Beijing in 1989 has opened near Los Angeles, having been relocated from its previous space in New York. The June Fourth Memorial Exhibit, which launched in El Monte on Monday ahead of the 36th anniversary of the incident, displays the names of nearly 200 people who died in the violent crackdown, alongside physical artifacts from the Tiananmen protests. Video: Whales get their teeth brushed in Wakayama
Kyodo News
2 hours ago
- Kyodo News
Tributes to Nagashima pour in from Japanese sports world
KYODO NEWS - 13 hours ago - 20:14 | Sports, All, Japan Japanese baseball luminaries and other sporting figures have paid tribute to Yomiuri Giants icon Shigeo Nagashima, who died of pneumonia at 89 on Tuesday. Among them was former Giants teammate and fellow Japanese Baseball Hall of Famer Sadaharu Oh, who visited Nagashima's house to see his body laid out. "He was always forward-thinking and someone who pulled us in with his character, before we knew it. He was just a special presence," Oh said. "Shigeo Nagashima was still there like before and I was relieved to see his face. These days will eventually arrive for everyone, but it came to the last person I wanted it to." While the pair, known by the nickname "O-N," helped the Giants forge a dynasty with nine straight Central League and Japan Series titles from 1965 to 1973, the 85-year-old Oh, whose 868 home runs are the most in Nippon Professional Baseball history, said he was always looking up to his older teammate. "I couldn't match him at all in terms of presence, so I had to show it with my bat. I could only compete with him with my numbers," Oh said. "Shigeo Nagashima was the man inside the head of every pro baseball player." Japan's 2009 World Baseball Classic-winning skipper Tatsunori Hara, who hit 382 homers for the Giants before managing them for 17 seasons, winning nine CL pennants and three Japan Series titles, said Nagashima was "rigorous when it came to winning and losing." "But he was nice to people and loved by everyone," said the 66-year-old Hara, who played and coached under Nagashima, known as "Mr. Giants," before succeeding him as skipper in 2002. "He was my idol, the symbol of the sport and a god-like figure. He was always shining brightly and influenced me the most as a player, coach and manager." Two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers offered his "sincere condolences" in an Instagram post featuring three photos of him and Nagashima together. Ohtani, who hit his MLB lead-tying 23rd home run of the season after the news of Nagashima's death broke, met Nagashima at Tokyo Dome in March when the Dodgers played their two-game season-opening series against the Chicago Cubs. The San Diego Padres' Yu Darvish wrote on social media site X, "It's been a sad day," as he sent his prayers to Nagashima, while Kodai Senga of the New York Mets called him "a legend among legends." Nagashima's 59-year-old son Kazushige, who played for the Yakult Swallows and the Giants, said, "Baseball was his life and what he loved most." "I feel he had the happiest 89 years, more than anyone, in his baseball life," he said in a statement. "He has returned to the planet of baseball. I'm sure he'd wish that much of the passion he left in the ballpark will help develop Japanese pro baseball, even if only slightly." Saburo Kawabuchi, the inaugural chairman of both football's J-League and basketball's B-League, who was born in 1936 like Nagashima, said he was "grateful for his distinguished service that kept providing Japan with energy, courage and hope." Japan Sports Agency Commissioner Koji Murofushi, who won the men's hammer gold at the 2004 Athens Olympics, said Nagashima's "each word and action was made with the fans in mind." "He was a star who provided the public with positive news," the 50-year-old said. "He really supported me when I was competing and I thought he was so broadminded. I send my condolences." Yokozuna Onosato, sumo's new 24-year-old grand champion, said he recalled Nagashima receiving the People's Honor Award in 2013 along with the wrestler's fellow Ishikawa Prefecture native and former New York Yankee Hideki Matsui. "He's a legendary, historic figure with great records. It's sad news," he said. Related coverage: Japanese baseball legend Shigeo Nagashima dead at 89
