Man tells police he was assaulted by Asashoryu in car

Wednesday 10th February, 07:00 AM JST

TOKYO —

A 38-year-old man told police during voluntary questioning on Tuesday that recently retired sumo grand champion Asashoryu had assaulted him in a car, investigative sources said.

The Metropolitan Police Department may consider whether to question the Mongolian himself about the incident, the sources said.

The police questioned the man at the Azabu police station in Tokyo, where Asashoryu’s lawyer had informed officers that a settlement had been reached between the two men.

A weekly magazine reported late last month that Asashoryu inflicted injuries on the man including a broken nose in a drunken fit during a January tournament won by the 29-year-old.

The victim of the alleged booze-fueled late night violence said in a written settlement that he ‘‘forgives’’ Asashoryu over the incident, according to people familiar with the matter.

Azabu police station officials quoted the man as saying that he ran into trouble with Asashoryu in front of a nightclub where he works in Tokyo’s Roppongi district in the small hours of Jan 16.

The man then got into a car with Asashoryu but got out on a street about one kilometer from the nightclub and told a nearby policeman engaged in traffic control that he had been assaulted by the yokozuna.

On Jan 25, the man visited the police station and spoke about the incident. At the time he had a medical certificate saying his injuries, including a broken nose, needed a month to heal.

Asashoryu, the first Mongolian to reach the highest rank of yokozuna in the Japanese sport, announced his retirement last week shortly after being summoned by the Japan Sumo Association for questioning about the reported incident. He secured 25 tournament victories, third on the all-time list.

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Latest 15 of 26 Total Comments Show All

memyselfI at 10:24 PM JST - 9th February

The police is alittle bit late for charging anything on this guy.
Anyways, he's chillin in Hawaii. He's old news, Japanese sumo fans do not like like him, he pumps his fist in the air after he wins, that's a no no in sumo wrestling whatever !!!! Let the man go !!!!! Let him go back to his home country. Whatever !!!! Japan move on !!! You banded this guy from wrestling move on !!!!!
Tahoochi at 10:37 PM JST - 9th February

hmmmm... here's a ridiculous thought that just crossed my mind, but hear me out: The JSA/Sumo "Stables" or Oyakatas have been accused of some pretty bad things in the past (ie. fixed matches and hazing). Well, what if a higher power within the JSA or Oyakata hired this guy to p*ss Asa off (knowing that Asa is a bad drunk) on purpose to agitate and instigate Asa's assault, and eventual forced resignation? Man, I should work for Jesse Ventura... what's that show? Conspiracy theories?
Sarge at 10:38 PM JST - 9th February

"Tokyo police will decide if they need to question Asashoryu"

They may have to go to Hawaii to do that, ha ha ha!
Beelzebub at 10:43 PM JST - 9th February

They may have to go to Hawaii to do that, ha ha ha!

I suppose they'll welcome him at the Narita arrival terminal with handcuffs. And a coat to drape over his face, if he wants to conceal it.
BurakuminDes at 11:05 PM JST - 9th February

Just leave private citizen Asa alone, already, keystone cops. If other people can pay off "victims" legally here, why can't Asa? Also, I'd love to know what this supposedly innocent bloke said to provoke Asa, I guess we will never know now - but I'm sure he wasn't just smiling and minding his own business.
timeon at 11:53 PM JST - 9th February

burakumin as I said a few posts above, the guy apparently said something about Mongolia. a Chinese guy
BurakuminDes at 12:13 AM JST - 10th February

burakumin as I said a few posts above, the guy apparently said something about Mongolia. a Chinese guy

Thats interesting timeon. While I don't condone anyone popping a guy on the nose - violence is not on - if this is true, I can't say this bloke did not deserve it.
Beelzebub at 12:13 AM JST - 10th February

the guy apparently said something about Mongolia. a Chinese guy

Sorry, timeone, but if you're a professional fighter and you hit someone outside of an officially sanctioned match, you may be prosecuted for aggravated assault. If Asashoryu had been offended by this man's remarks, he should have retorted verbally, not whacked him. There can be no justification at all for his behaviour.
AsaFan at 02:29 AM JST - 10th February

If Asa whacked this man, the bloke would be in intensive care for 4 weeks. This whole incident is just ridicoulus.

Asa was framed. Hope the Japanese are happy now that he can`t break their record.

For me: Not a single yen for this racists. No trip to Japan and they can sell their crappy cars to someone else.
bdiego at 04:20 AM JST - 10th February

Asa broke his nose for a month. That's exactly what a smack from a Sumo wrestler does. And AsaFan, you're obviously the racist here - somehow being Mongolian alone means you're the perpetual victim of mass conspiracies by other races.
my2sense at 08:05 AM JST - 10th February

agreed.
Gurukun at 08:10 AM JST - 10th February

Drunk man #1 + Drunk man #2=fight. Happens all the time. Japanese police need to drop it.
Beelzebub at 09:03 AM JST - 10th February

Most of the posters in here completely overlook the fact that the 'alleged' incident occurred midway during a tournament, which although not quite banned would be viewed going against JSA guidelines.
goddog at 12:35 PM JST - 10th February

I would love to see a copy of that letter! "I am very sorry I called you a big fat pimple butt, so I deserved to be hit in the shnozz, so please forgive me!"
tmarie at 08:51 PM JST - 10th February

Why are you guys defending him? He's known to have beaten his wife, beat this guy... It is about time he's charged for all the damage he's done. I don't care if he's a foreigner or not, he needs to be charged. It is a shame that more people aren't charged here for such behaviour.