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Asashoryu suspended from autumn, Kyushu sumo tourneys

TOKYO, Japan - Japan Sumo Association Chairman Toshimitsu Kitanoumi walks into a room to attend an emergency meeting of the board of directors at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan on Aug. 1. The meeting decided later to suspend Mongolian yokozuna Asashoryu from the next two grand sumo tournaments in September and November for playing in a charity soccer event in his home country after opting to sit out the summer regional training tour citing injuries. The JSA also decided to slap a 30 percent cut in the 26-year-old grand champion's pay for four months.

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Sumo Association restarts as public-interest foundation

TOKYO, Japan - Former Yokozuna Kitanoumi, head of the Japan Sumo Association, meets reporters at the Ryogoku Kokugikan sumo hall in Tokyo on Jan. 30, 2014, following the conversion of the association's status to a public-interest foundation.

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Ex-sumo stablemaster Tokitsukaze arrested

TOKYO, Japan - Japan Sumo Association Chairman Kitanoumi speaks at a news conference in Tokyo on Feb. 7 after police arrested former stablemaster Tokitsukaze and three senior wrestlers from the stable for their suspected involvement in the death of 17-year-old wrestler Tokitaizan during training last June after two days of alleged hazing.

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Yokozuna Asashoryu to return to Mongolia for treatment

TOKYO, Japan - Kitanoumi, chairman of the Japan Sumo Association, heads for an emergency meeting of JSA executives at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan on Aug. 28. The meeting approved Ashashoryu's return to his homeland for treatment of a mental disorder.

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Emperor Akihito, Empress Michiko watch New Year sumo

TOKYO, Japan - Japan's Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko are guided by Japan Sumo Association Chairman Kitanoumi on Jan. 18, 2015, as the imperial couple arrive at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan to watch the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament for the first time since January 2011. (Pool photo by Sankei Shimbun)

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Japan pro sumo leader reviews activities in 2014

TOKYO, Japan - Japan Sumo Association head Kitanoumi summarizes last year's activities in the professional sumo world during an interview in Tokyo on Dec. 15, 2014.

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Hakuho matches Taiho's record of 32 career c'ships

FUKUOKA, Japan - Yokozuna (grand champion) Hakuho of Mongolia (L) receives the Emperor's Cup from Kitanoumi, chairman of the Japan Sumo Association, after winning the 15-day Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament in Fukuoka, western Japan, on Nov. 23, 2014. Hakuho won the event with a 14-1 record, matching the all-time record of 32 career championships set by Taiho.

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Yokozuna Hakuho clinches 31st title at autumn sumo

TOKYO, Japan - Yokozuna (grand champion) Hakuho of Mogolia (L) receives the Emperor's Cup from Kitanoumi, chairman of the Japan Sumo Association, at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan on Sept. 28, 2014, after winning the 15-day Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament with a 14-1 record.

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Yokozuna Hakuho clinches 31st title at autumn sumo

TOKYO, Japan - Yokozuna (grand champion) Hakuho of Mogolia (L) receives the Emperor's Cup from Kitanoumi, chairman of the Japan Sumo Association, at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan on Sept. 28, 2014, after winning the 15-day Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament with a 14-1 record.

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Goeido to be promoted to ozeki rank

NAGOYA, Japan - Sekiwake Goeido holds his trophy for Shukun sho (outstanding performance prize) at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium on July 27, 2014. Goeido has all but gained promotion to the ozeki rank after getting his 12th win in a victory over ozeki Kotoshogiku the same day, the final day of the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament, Japan Sumo Association Chairman Kitanoumi said.

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Professional sumo's summer tournament begins

TOKYO, Japan - Chairman Kitanoumi (C) of the Japan Sumo Association, flanked by yokozuna and other high-ranked wresters, gives a word of greeting to spectators on the opening day of the 15-day Summer Grand Sumo Tournament at the Ryogoku Kokugikan arena on May 11, 2014.

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Kitanoumi reelected as JSA chairman

TOKYO, Japan - Sumo elder Kitanoumi gives a press conference at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo after being reelected as chairman of the Japan Sumo Association on March 24, 2014.

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Hakuho wins 25th career title

TOKYO, Japan - Yokozuna Hakuho (L) receives the Emperor's Cup from Japan Sumo Association Chairman Kitanoumi after winning the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on May 26, 2013. Hakuho won his 25th career title with a perfect 15-0 record.

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Hakuho caps title at 15-0 for record 9th time

OSAKA, Japan - Yokozuna Hakuho (L) receives the Emperor's Cup from Japan Sumo Association chairman Kitanoumi after winning the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament at Bodymaker Colosseum in Osaka on March 24, 2013. Hakuho won his 24th career Emperor's Cup at 15-0 for a record ninth time.

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Rankings announced for New Year basho

TOKYO, Japan - Mongolian grand champion Hakuho holds a press conference in Tokyo on Dec. 24, 2012, when the Japan Sumo Association released its rankings for the Jan. 13-27 New Year Grand Sumo Tournament. Hakuho, the east yokozuna, is looking for his 24th tournament championship, which would tie him for fourth on the all-time list with Kitanoumi.

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Kyushu Grand Sumo

FUKUOKA, Japan - Mongolian yokozuna Hakuho (L) receives the Emperor's Cup from Japan Sumo Association Chairman Kitanoumi after winning the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament in Fukuoka on Nov. 25, 2012.

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Harumafuji wins autumn sumo championship

TOKYO, Japan - Mongolian ozeki Harumafuji (L) receives the emperor's cup from Japan Sumo Association Chairman Kitanoumi after winning the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament in Tokyo on Sept. 23, 2012. The victory virtually guarantees Harumafuji's promotion to the sport's top rank of grand champion.

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Harumafuji defeats Hakuho to win Nagoya basho

NAGOYA, Japan - Ozeki Harumafuji (L) receives the Emperor's Cup from Japan Sumo Association chairman Kitanoumi for winning the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium in Aichi Prefecture on July 22, 2012. Harumafuji won the tournament and his third career Emperor's Cup with a perfect 15-0 record, having defeated grand champion Hakuho in the day's last bout.

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Kyokutenho wins summer basho

TOKYO, Japan - Mongolian-born No. 7 maegashira Kyokutenho (L) receives the Emperor's Cup from Japan Sumo Association chairman Kitanoumi for winning the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on May 20, 2012.

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Kyokutenho wins summer basho

TOKYO, Japan - Mongolian-born No. 7 maegashira Kyokutenho (L) receives the Emperor's Cup from Japan Sumo Association chairman Kitanoumi for winning the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on May 20, 2012.

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Kitanoumi returns as sumo body chief

TOKYO, Japan - Former yokozuna Kitanoumi holds a press conference in Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan on Jan. 30, 2012, after being elected chairman of the Japan Sumo Association. The 58-year-old Kitanoumi, who resigned from the post in disgrace in 2008 in the wake of a scandal, became the first in the history of the sport to return to the governing body's top spot.

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3 sumo executives to resign for proteges' match fixing

TOKYO, Japan - Combined photo shows (from L) stablemasters Kitanoumi, Kokonoe and Michinoku who will step down from the Japan Sumo Association board as a special investigative panel ruled that their proteges have been involved in match fixing. Kitanoumi is former yokozuna Kitanoumi, Kokonoe is former yokozuna Chiyonofuji and Michinoku is former ozeki Kirishima.

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Sumo apology

OSAKA, Japan - Kitanoumi, the Japan Sumo Association's director in charge of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament, visits the Naniwa Ward office in Osaka on Feb. 15, 2011, to apologize following the cancellation of the tournament amid a match-fixing scandal.

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Sumo apology

OSAKA, Japan - Kitanoumi, the Japan Sumo Association's director in charge of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament, bows in apology to Hiroko Asano, the mayor of Osaka's Naniwa Ward, at the ward office on Feb. 15, 2011, following the cancellation of the tournament amid a match-fixing scandal.

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New sumo chief urges young wrestlers to be 'self-aware and behave'

TOKYO, Japan - Musashigawa (R), the former yokozuna Mienoumi, watches morning drills by sumo wrestlers at his Musashigawa sumo stable in Tokyo on Sept. 9, a day after he took over the chairmanship of the Japan Sumo Association from Kitanoumi, who was forced to resign in the wake of alleged use of marijuana by two Russian sumo wrestlers. Musashigawa summoned all the wrestlers in his stable after the morning drills and, apparently referring to the marijuana scandal, told them to be ''self-aware and behave.''

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JSA chief Kitanoumi resigns, succeeded by Musashigawa

TOKYO, Japan - Outgoing Japan Sumo Association Chairman Kitanoumi (L), who stepped down Sept. 8 over recent marijuana scandals involving sumo wrestlers, and sumo elder Musashigawa, who has been named as his successor, attend a news conference at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on Sept. 8.

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Japan Sumo Association head Kitanoumi resigns

TOKYO, Japan - Former Japan Sumo Association Chairman Kitanoumi speaks at a news conference at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on Sept. 8 after sumo's governing body accepted his resignation over the alleged use of marijuana by two Russian wrestlers. At Kitanoumi's right is the new JSA chairman, Musashigawa, the former yokozuna Mienoumi.

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Japan Sumo Association Chairman Kitanoumi resigns

TOKYO, Japan - Japan Sumo Association Chairman Kitanoumi emerges during a break of a board meeting of sumo's governing body at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on Sept. 8. Kitanoumi, who has been under fire over alleged use of marijuana by Russian sumo wrestlers, tendered his resignation during the meeting, according to sources familiar with the matter.

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Sumo stables searched after wrestlers fail marijuana tests

TOKYO, Japan - Russian sumo wrestler Hakurozan speaks to reporters in front of the Kitanoumi stable in Tokyo headed by Japan Sumo Association Chairman Kitanoumi to which he belongs on Sept. 3. Police searched three locations Sept. 2 through Sept. 3 after he and his brother wrestler Roho tested positive for marijuana in the wake of the arrest of another Russian grappler on suspicion of possessing the drug.

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Sumo association decides to dismiss arrested Russian wrestler

TOKYO, Japan - Kitanoumi, chairman of the Japan Sumo Association, speaks at a news conference at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan on Aug. 21 after the JSA's decision at an emergency executive board meeting to boot out top-division Russian wrestler Wakanoho, who was arrested on Aug. 18 on suspicion of possessing marijuana. Wakanoho is the first active wrester to be dismissed in sumo's long history.

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Kotooshu wins 1st Emperor's Cup with 14-1 record

TOKYO, Japan - Bulgarian ozeki Kotooshu (L) receives the Emperor's Cup from Japan Sumo Association chairman Kitanoumi at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on May 25, after he won the title of the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament with a 14-1 record.

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Kotooshu wins 1st Emperor's Cup with 14-1 record

TOKYO, Japan - Bulgarian ozeki Kotooshu (L) receives the Emperor's Cup from Japan Sumo Association chairman Kitanoumi at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on May 25, after he won the title of the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament with a 14-1 record.

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JSA suspends 3 wrestlers indicted over death of junior wrestler

OSAKA, Japan - Japan Sumo Association Chairman Kitanoumi speaks at a news conference in Osaka on March 6 after the end of an extraordinary meeting of JSA executives. The JSA decided to suspend from competition three wrestlers indicted for the assault and subsequent death of a 17-year-old junior wrestler last June.

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JSA suspends 3 wrestlers indicted over death of junior wrestler

OSAKA, Japan - Japan Sumo Association Chairman Kitanoumi (R) speaks at a news conference in Osaka on March 6 after the end of an extraordinary meeting of JSA executives. The JSA decided to suspend from competition three wrestlers indicted for the assault and subsequent death of a 17-year-old junior wrestler last June. At left is stablemaster Tokitsukaze, whose predecessor allegedly instructed the wrestlers to beat Takashi Saito.

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Hakuho downs Asashoryu to win New Year sumo

TOKYO, Japan - Mongolian grand champion Hakuho receives the Emperor's Cup from Japan Sumo Association Chairman Kitanoumi after winning his third straight title at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on Jan. 27.

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JSA head Kitanoumi apologizes to parents of dead wrestler

NIIGATA, Japan - Japan Sumo Association Chairman Kitanoumi (R) looks grim-faced as he leaves the home in Niigata on Oct. 12 of the parents of Tokitaizan, a junior wrestler who died in June from injuries sustained apparently from hazing during sumo practice. Accompanied by Isenoumi (L), a member of the Japan Sumo Association's governing board, he met Tokitaizan's parents for one hour and apologized for the incident.

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JSA head Kitanoumi apologizes to parents of dead wrestler

NIIGATA, Japan - Japan Sumo Association Chairman Kitanoumi visits Oct. 12 the home in Niigata of the family of a junior wrestler who died as a result of injuries sustained apparently from hazing at the Tokitsukaze stable in June, apologizing to the family for the incident.

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Stablemaster Tokitsukaze fired over teen wrestler's death

TOKYO, Japan - Japan Sumo Association Chairman Kitanoumi speaks at a news conference at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan on Oct. 5 after an emergency meeting of JSA executives unanimously decided to dismiss stablemaster Tokitsukaze over the death of 17-year-old wrestler Tokitaizan in June, apparently due to hazing.

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Stablemaster fired over teen wrestler's death

TOKYO, Japan - Japan Sumo Association Chairman Kitanoumi (C), along with other JSA executives, bows in apology during a press conference after an emergency meeting of JSA executives at Tokyo's Rogoku Kokugikan on Oct. 5. The meeting unanimously decided to dismiss stablemaster Tokitsukaze over the death of 17-year-old wrestler Tokitaizan in June, apparently due to hazing.

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Stablemaster fired over teen wrestler's death

TOKYO, Japan - Japan Sumo Association Chairman Kitanoumi heads for an emergency meeting of association executives at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on Oct. 5. Later in the day, the meeting unanimously decided to dismiss stablemaster Tokitsukaze over the death of 17-year-old wrestler Tokitaizan in June, apparently due to hazing.

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Sumo association to dismiss Tokitsukaze over wrestler's death

TOKYO, Japan - Japan Sumo Association Chairman Kitanoumi suggested Oct. 2 the association plans to dismiss stablemaster Tokitsukaze (file photo) over the death of one of his junior wrestlers apparently from hazing.

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Kitanoumi called in on hazing death of teen wrestler

TOKYO, Japan - Japan Sumo Association chairman and former yokozuna Kitanoumi speaks to reporters after meeting with Kisaburo Tokai, minister of education, culture, sports, science and technology, at the education ministry in Tokyo on Sept. 28. Kitanoumi briefed Tokai on the death of 17-year-old wrestler Tokitaizan who belonged to the Tokitsukaze sumo stable.

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Kitanoumi called in on hazing death of teen wrestler

TOKYO, Japan - Japan Sumo Association chairman and former yokozuna Kitanoumi (L) meets with Kisaburo Tokai, minister of education, culture, sports, science and technology, at the education ministry in Tokyo on Sept. 28 to brief him on the death of 17-year-old wrestler Tokitaizan who belonged to the Tokitsukaze sumo stable.

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Kitanoumi meets education minister over death of wrestler

TOKYO, Japan - Japan Sumo Association Chairman Kitanoumi meets with Education Minister Kisaburo Tokai (C) and Senior Vice minister of Education Kenshiro Matsunami (R) at the education ministry on Sept. 28 to explain about the hazing death of junior sumo wrestler Tokitaizan, 17, at the practice ring of his stablemaster Tokitsukaze.

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Hakuho wins 4th career title at autumn sumo

TOKYO, Japan - Mongolian grand champion Hakuho (L) receives the Emperor's Cup from Japan Sumo Association Chairman Kitanoumi after capturing his first title since his promotion to sumo's highest rank at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan on Sept. 23.

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Crown prince, his family watch sumo matches

TOKYO, Japan - Crown Prince Naruhito (2nd from R), his wife Princess Masako (L) and their daughter, Princess Aiko (2nd from L), arrive at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo to watch sumo matches. At right (back to camera) is Japan Sumo Association Chairman Kitanoumi. (Pool photo)

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Asashoryu beats Hakuho to win 21st Emperor's Cup

NAGOYA, Japan - Mongolian yokozuna (grand champion) Asashoryu (L) receives the Emperor's Cup from Kitanoumi, chairman of the Japan Sumo Association after winning the 15-day Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium in Nagoya on July 22.

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Mongolian ozeki Hakuho wins summer grand sumo tournament

TOKYO, Japan - Ozeki Hakuho of Mongolia (L) receives the Emperor's Cup from Japan Sumo Association Chairman Kitanoumi at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan on May 27 after winning the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament with an undefeated 15-0 record.

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Hakuho stuns Asashoryu in playoff to win spring sumo

OSAKA, Japan - Mongolian ozeki Hakuho (L) receives the Emperor's Cup from Japan Sumo Association Chairman Kitanoumi after defeating his countryman, yokozuna Asashoryu, in a playoff at the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium in Osaka on March 25.

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Asashoryu wraps up New Year sumo on winning note

TOKYO, Japan - Mongolian grand champion Asashoryu (L) is awarded the trophy by Japan Sumo Association chairman Kitanoumi after winning the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament in Tokyo on Jan. 21.