Hoshoryu feels weight of responsibility ahead of yokozuna debut

Looking forward to this spring tournament. Good luck to all, and especially the new Yokozuna, Hoshoryu.

Among other notable changes in the rankings announced Tuesday, 20-year-old Ukrainian wrestler Aonishiki will make his elite makuuchi-division debut as a No. 15 maegashira.

The promising youngster, who fled the war in Ukraine and came to Japan in April 2022, enters the top division after nine tournaments, equaling the fastest pace of promotion from the bottom tier since 1958, when sumo adopted its current calendar of six grand tournaments per year.

Gambatte Aonishiki! The new blood!