Sumo showdown: Will this be Miyagino's last stand?

On February 23, the Japan Sumo Association announced that Hokuseiho, a 22-year-old wrestler from Mongolia belonging to the Miyagino stable, would retire from the sport due to numerous allegations of mistreatment of lower-ranked members at his stable.

Hokuseiho joined the rolls of high-ranked Mongolian grapplers forced out of sumo due to violent or otherwise unacceptable behavior. These included two grand champions -- Asashoryu (in 2010) and Harumafuji (in 2017) -- plus Ichinojo last year.

To take responsibility for not disciplining Hokuseiho, his stablemaster Miyagino, 39, was slapped with a demotion of two ranks in the association hierarchy and a 20% cut in pay for three months. He was also made to sit out the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament in Osaka. And it now appears increasingly likely that the Miyagino stable will be shuttered and its wrestlers taken under the wing of the Isegahama ichimon (group), which includes five other stables. 

Miyagino, son of Mongolia's top wrestling champion, fought under the name Hakuho until retiring in 2021. He holds sumo's all-time record of 45 tournament victories and by having naturalized as a Japanese became eligible to obtain sumo elder status following retirement. He took control of the Miyagino stable in 2022. 

Recently more troubles have come to light. Flash (March 19) reports that following Miyagino's fall from grace, plans have been shelved for construction of a new stable costing ¥2 billion in Tokyo's Nihombashi district.

Miyagino had first considered relocating from Sumida Ward to the Ginza area, in snazzy new digs that would feature picture windows, making it something of a local tourist attraction. Ginza land being too costly, however, he set his sights on Nihombashi.

"Last December Miyagino purchased a 150-tsubo (about 500 square meters) lot in the Koami-cho area of Nihombashi, about 20 minutes on foot from Tokyo Central Station," a source in the real estate business told Flash. "At the going rate of ¥9 million per tsubo, I suppose he paid ¥1.3 to ¥1.4 billion in total. On February 7, a fixed collateral of ¥1.6 billion was set."

The underwriter of the transaction was identified as Hideyuki Busujima, chairman of Sankyo, a manufacturer of pachinko machines. Busujima is said to be a "top patron" of Miyagino stable.

"Sankyo also sponsored the annual 'Children's Sumo Tournament' held for many years, which presented winners with the 'Hakuho Cup,'" said a sumo insider. "Sankyo also sponsored a TV program when Miyagino was still an active wrestler. Busujima expended huge efforts into raising the ¥2 billion earmarked for the stable in Nihombashi."

A Miyagino stable insider said "I knew about the plans for the Nihombashi stable. But once the sumo association announced the disciplinary measures, all talk about the new stable ended."

Neither Miyagino nor Busujima responded to inquiries by Flash's reporter. At present, the property in Nihombashi is being used as a parking lot that charges customers ¥3,000 per day.

"Right now Miyagino is completely isolated within the sumo association," said a sports reporter. "If the stable somehow manages to continue its existence, it will be kept under close supervision. Miyagino might just run out of patience and explode, saying 'To hell with it!'"

Hokuseiho's malicious bullying notwithstanding, the revelations may have provided sumo's bigwigs with a handy pretext to expel Miyagino, who has a record of annoying the powers that be.

"Once, on the final day of a tournament, he exhorted the audience to engage in a sanbon-jime (ceremoniously clapping the hands at the conclusion of an activity), which was completely out of line," a sports reporter told Shukan Shincho (March 14), adding, "And while grand champion, he also engaged in dirty tactics like elbow smashes against opponents. He was seriously lacking in hinkaku (dignity or decorum)."

Compared with other infractions of sumo rules, the punishment being meted out to Miyagino does seem a bit extreme. The stable may not accept visitors, including sports reporters, and except for essential shopping or visits to the hospital, personnel are confined to quarters. The stable is also effectively banned from recruiting new apprentice wrestlers.

In Shincho's view, the association's treatment of Miyagino is the modern-day equivalent of hyorozeme (a military word meaning to starve one's enemy into submission). The public is now wondering whether the besieged Miyagino will surrender and leave the sport for good, or continue fighting a lonely one-man battle.

© Japan Today