Inflation-hit sumo wrestlers demand pay raise

read in Japan Today that the silly hypocrite owns a Hummer.

He might own it, but he can't drive it. Sumo Association regulations prohibit sumotori from operating motor vehicles.

Nice headline.

“We want a raise,” thundered Mongolian yokozuna (grand champion) Asashoryu

Asashoryu’s annual salary and allowances from the Association are estimated at 60 million yen

If with 60Million Yen a year, he can not manage his expenses, he needs a money adviser, not a raise.

"Such food items as cheese, margarine, cooking oils, mayonnaise, eggs and others, consumed in vast quantities"

Good grief! No wonder so many of these guys are such porkers!

"margarine"

Guess they can't get butter.

Increased costs aside, I think there is clearly grounds for demanding a 10% wage increase whether you are a sumo or a schoolteacher if you have had one 3% raise over the past 7 years.

I don't think he is saying "I" want a raise. He is saying "we" want a raise. He doesn't need the extra money, but lower wrestlers, and perhaps sumo stables, do. I'm sure the Japanese press is making him out to be money hungry, recently they always put him in a bad light. I see it differently. He is the ranking Yokozuna, so he is trying to use his position to help the other guys.

I wonder how much the bulgrian kid gets paid? he gets a lot of advertising jobs. he may also have a side job servicing lustful female sumo junkies.

Asashoryu makes the news for the wrong reasons a lot, but this is not his fault. As the yokozuna with longest tenure he has to speak up for the wrestlers.

Here's the most telling statement... "...in the manner in which they are accustomed"

Hey bub... The ENTIRE world is changing the manner in which they live due to prices, etc... What makes your pork-pushing tush any different from anyone else? What, EXACTLY, do you bring to the economic table of the "everyman" except entertainment? Which, I feel the need to tell you, is usually one of the FIRST things to ger reduced/eliminated by those making adjustments to their finances.

Here, here Loki520. Everyone is facing rising costs. Just buy a smaller car (or walk), use your air con less etc etc.

If sumo wrestlers get a pay rise that means ticket prices will rise and normal people pay. That's yet another cost for the average guy in the street.

We have an economic system based on oil and the oil is running out. We can't expect to be given handouts based on this for the obvious reason that handouts come from somewhere, namely ourselves, and our tax money. Everyone getting a payrise or tax break is meaningless.

we don't want a sumo sized riot, but it would make for a great video game.

As anyone can clearly see these people are on hard times (food-wise). Either Tokyo gets a few more buffets, raises the 100Y menu offerings or Sumo will need to move to the U.S. (where they will blend in quite nicely but put the all-you-can-eats put of business)

I say just pay them = easiest choice and I don't like hungry angry fat people.

I knew they were greedy sods but thought it was just for the grub. even the wage for a low ranking sumo, 1 million a month, is 3 times more than many whole families have to live on.

support themselves in the manner in which they are accustomed

no, try a little taste of reality instead.

I'm not sure Sumo wrestler's salary is that high considering you have to destroy your health to get there. Diabetes and pulmonary afflictions waiting of you upon retirement. I read that Konishiki had a gastric bypass to lose weight...

I agree don't think that they are all that well paid, compared to other pro-athletes.

Also they retire earlier than other pro-athletes.

compare the rest of the world's professional athletes or entertainers, as some have suggested, & you will see they are well underpaid. they have 6- 15 day tournaments a year. not to mention all the exhibitions throughout the year & strenuous workouts daily. only a 3% pay increase in 7 years? come on!! this guys may look fat & lazy, but they work their butts off. when sumo is in your area next time, go to a stable & watch a practice session. then see how you feel.

Well, those boys chose their careers, they can always change if they feel underpaid. The natural economic pressures will solve the situation. The stable owners will exert as much pressure as possible to keep their costs down, however their fat wallets are filled on the back of the rikishi so in the end, they will cave.

only a 3% pay increase in 7 years? since a very large percentage of Japan have been taking pay cuts over the past 7 years they should think themselves very lucky

yeah - it must cost them a small fortune every day to fill those obese stomachs . .

a boy's gotta have his chanko nabe and eat it

Maybe before demanding a pay raise they should show the public they deserve one by cracking down on the cruel behavior that goes on in the stables (like that one guy being beaten to death a while ago).

Terebiko,

I don't think he is saying "I" want a raise. He is saying "we" want a raise. He doesn't need the extra money, but lower wrestlers, and perhaps sumo stables, do. I'm sure the Japanese press is making him out to be money hungry, recently they always put him in a bad light. I see it differently. He is the ranking Yokozuna, so he is trying to use his position to help the other guys.

EXACTLY. It's incumbent on the guys at the top to use their influence to help those down the line. People come to the matches to see the Sumo-Ka, no one pays to see a bunch of accountants who wouldn't have those jobs without the athletes.

2.8M yen is 26K USD for the yokozunas. 1M yen is 9.5K USD for the Juryo division. This is per month according to the article. That's big money! Do they contribute to their stables upkeep? Or are the stables subsidized by the sumo association. And the 1B yen of the profit of the association last year is kinda crazy!