2009 in sumo

The following are the events in professional sumo during 2009.

Tournaments

• Hatsu
  Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo
  , 11 – 25 January
• Haru basho, Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, Osaka, 15 – 29 March
• Natsu basho, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 10 – 24 May
• Nagoya basho, Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium, Nagoya, 12 – 26 July
• Aki basho, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 13 – 27 September
• Kyushu basho,
  Fukuoka International Centre, Kyushu
  , 15 – 29 November

• 11–25: At the Hatsu-basho,
  juryo division championship and promotion to the top makuuchi division. Former maegashira Katayama
  announces his retirement, and leaves the sumo world.
• 29:
  dohyo
  in the aftermath of his playoff win.
• 30: Juryo and former maegashira wrestler
  Hakurozan, to be caught up in a drug scandal, but the first Japanese. At the drug tests in September 2008 that led to the dismissals of Roho and Hakurozan, Wakakirin's sample was borderline before eventually being declared negative.^[2]
• 31: The retirement ceremonies of
  Tochinohana
  take place at the Kokugikan.

• 1: At a meeting of the
  Oguruma
  , who had already submitted Wakakirin's retirement papers, is given a pay cut for three months and demoted.
• 8: Hakuho wins the one-day Japan Ozumo Tournament held at the Kokugikan in Tokyo. Although unofficial, the tournament is sponsored by
  Kotoōshū
  .
• 12: Junichi Yamamoto, the former head of the Tokitsukaze stable, goes on trial at the District Court in Nagoya for his involvement in the death in June 2007 of one of his junior wrestlers, Takashi Saito. He denies ordering three of his wrestlers to beat Saito.^[4]

March

• 2: The
  Okinoumi
  , previously known as Fukuoka, makes his debut in the juryo division halfway up the ranks at no.7 after a 7–0 yusho at makushita 1 the previous tourney.
• 5: The
  Shukan Gendai
  , who alleged that he threw a bout for the championship in 1975.
• 17:
  Hakurozan
  's lawsuit against the Sumo Association claiming unfair dismissal is rejected.
• 26: A second ruling by the court awards Asashoryu and 29 other wrestlers representing the Association 42.9 million yen for another article in the Shukan Gendai alleging that Asashoryu had thrown bouts in November 2006.^[5]
• 29: At the Haru basho in Osaka, Hakuho wins his tenth championship with an unbeaten 15–0 score. Asashoryu finishes four wins behind on 11–4. Homasho also wins eleven and is rewarded with his second successive Fighting Spirit Prize.
  Otsukasa, who at 38 years is the oldest active sekitori
  , announces his retirement. He will stay in the sumo world as Wakafuji Oyakata.

• 5: The Spring tour begins with a ceremonial tournament in the
  Ise Shrine, Mie Prefecture
  .
• 10: A ceremonial tournament is held at the Yasukuni Shrine in Chiyoda, Tokyo.
• 11: The tour visits Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture.
• 13: The former Wakakirin appears at the Yokohama District Court and pleads guilty to cannabis possession.
• 18: The regional tour goes to
  Nagano, Nagano Prefecture
  .
• 19: The tour concludes at
  Tochigi, Tochigi Prefecture
  .
• 22: Wakakirin is sentenced to ten months in prison, but suspended for three years.^[6]
• 22: The Sumo Association carries out random drug tests on 104 wrestlers and coaches from the Musashigawa, Tokitsukaze, Ōshima, Ōnomatsu and Takasago stables at the Kokugikan. The tests (for recreational drugs only) were conducted by the WADA-certified Mitsubishi Chemical Medience Corp.^[7] All test negative.
• 27: The banzuke for the May tournament is released, showing
  komusubi
  for the first time. There are no wrestlers making their makuuchi or juryo debuts for the first time since July 2003.
• 29: The
  Kotoōshū, while Asashoryu goes undefeated in eight bouts against Kakuryu and other maegashira.^[8]

• 8: A group of Mongolian rikishi, including both yokozuna, play golf together in Chiba Prefecture two days before the start of the Natsu basho, attracting criticism from elders within the Sumo Association.^[9]
• 10–24: At the Natsu basho in Tokyo, Hakuho's 33 bout winning streak in regulation matches is brought to an end by Kotoōshū on Day 14. Hakuho and Harumafuji enter the final day tied on 13–1, Harumafuji's only loss thus far being to Hakuho. Harumafuji defeats Kotoōshū while Hakuho beats Asashoryu. The subsequent playoff is won by Harumafuji who becomes the eighth foreigner to win a top division championship.
  Ushiomaru
  retires.
• 29: Junichi Yamamoto is sentenced to six years in prison, with the judge saying his "immeasurable power" as head of the Tokitsukaze stable led to abuse which "grossly disrespected the victim's human dignity." Yamamoto appeals against the ruling.^[11]
• 30:
  danpatsu-shiki
  takes place at the Kokugikan.

June

• 5–6: The
  Heineken Music Hall, to celebrate 400 years of trade relationships between the Netherlands and Japan
  .
• 8: 103 wrestlers and other members of the Kokonoe, Miyagino, Dewanoumi, Hanaregoma and Kataonami stables are given doping tests for recreational drugs.^[12]
• 10: Testing is carried out on 111 personnel from the Sadogatake,
  Irumagawa stables.^[12]
• 16: The head of the
  Takamiyama
  , reaches the mandatory retirement age of 65 and retires. He is replaced by Ushiomaru.
• 19: 110 people from the Azumazeki, Asahiyama, Arashio, Hanakago, Kasugayama, Shikoroyama and Tagonoura stables are drug tested.^[12]
• 29: The banzuke for the Nayoga tournament is released. Kakuryu makes his debut at sekiwake. Three wrestlers make their makuuchi debuts:
  Kitazakura
  becomes, at 37, the second oldest man since World War II to return to the jūryō division.

July

• 20: Hidenoyama Oyakata, the former sekiwake Hasegawa, turns 65 and retires.
• 26: At the Nagoya basho, Hakuho defeats Asashoryu on the final day for the fourth time in a row to claim his eleventh yusho with a 14–1 record. Kotoōshū is runner-up on 13–2, one win ahead of stablemate and Nagoya native
  Wakanosato for the fourth time. Former ozeki Dejima
  announces his retirement after suffering nine losses in eleven days. He will stay in sumo as Onaruto Oyakata.

• 5: Sendagawa Oyakata, the former sekiwake
  Maenoyama, who is close to retirement age, and becomes head coach of the Takadagawa stable
  .
• The summer tour takes place at the following locations:[13]

7:

Sukagawa, Fukushima Prefecture

8: Soma, Fukushima Prefecture

9:

Hokkaido Prefecture

10: Asahikawa, Hokkaido Prefecture

12: Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture

13:

Akita, Akita Prefecture

15: Hachimantai, Iwate Prefecture. Some wrestlers come down with the H1N1 flu, and masks are distributed to spectators while the children's sumo event is cancelled.^[14]

22: Honjo, Saitama Prefecture

23: Yamanakako, Yamanashi Prefecture

• 24: Asashoryu is criticised for refusing to board a bus transporting wrestlers to training on the summer tour for fear of catching the H1N1 flu strain.^[15]
• 26: Drug tests are carried out on 104 personnel of the
  Naruto, Tatsunami, Magaki and Tamanoi stables.^[12]
• 31: The banzuke for the September tournament is issued.
  Tokushinho and Oguruma stable's Mongolian Hoshikaze [ja
  ] make their juryo debuts.

• 3: The head of the Tamanoi stable, the former sekiwake Tochiazuma Tomoyori, turns 65 and retires. His son, the former ozeki Tochiazuma Daisuke, takes over.
• 7: 96 personnel from the Takanohana, Michinoku, Kasugano, Mihogaseki, Takashima, and Kagamiyama stables are drug tested.
• 27: At the Aki basho, Asashoryu's run of 14 consecutive victories is ended by Hakuho, who was one win behind having surprisingly lost to Shotenro earlier in the tournament. Asashoryu wins the playoff to claim his 24th championship, bringing him level with
  Gagamaru
  wins the makushita championship.
• 27: Asashoryu and his stablemaster apologise after the yokozuna once again raises his arms in victory (the so-called "
  guts pose") while still on the dohyo after defeating Hakuho.^[17]

• 2: Harumafuji wins the 68th All Japan Rikishi 1 Day tournament held at the Kokugikan. He defeats
  Tokitenku, and Asashoryu in the second by Bushuyama.^[18]
• 7: 110 personnel from the
  Matsugane
  stables are drug tested.
• 15: Drug tests are carried out on 104 people from the
  Otake, Kise, Isenoumi, Izutsu, Minezaki, Onoe and Oitekaze
  stables.
• 17: The ninth and final batch of drug tests comprises 97 members of the
  Tomozuna
  stables.
• The autumn regional tour visits the following locations:[13]

18: Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture

23:

Hyogo Prefecture

24–25:

Uji, Kyoto Prefecture

26: Takahashi, Okayama Prefecture

29: Sukumo, Kōchi Prefecture

30–31: Hiroshima

November

• 1: The tour concludes at
  Shunan, Yamaguchi Prefecture
  .
• 2: The banzuke for the Kyushu tournament is released. Asashoryu returns to the prestigious East Yokozuna position following his playoff win, and Kaio is listed in the makuuchi division for a record 98th time. Chiyotaikai is kadoban for a record 14th time. For the first time since 2003, there are no rikishi making their sanyaku or makuuchi debuts for the second tournament in a row.
• 9:The Tokyo District Court awards Kitanoumi and the Sumo Association 3.85 million yen in damages over an article published in the Shukan Gendai in June 2007, alleging that the ex-chairman had ordered Hakuho's stablemaster Miyagino to mediate in the fixing of a bout between Hakuho and Asashoryu on the final day of the July 2006 tournament.^[19]
• 22:The Sumo association announces that all those involved in the latest rounds of drug tests are clean. This means that all those tested since the process began in April have come back negative.^[20]
• 29: At the Kyushu basho Hakuho wins his third championship of the year, with a perfect 15–0 record. He also breaks Asashoryu's record set in 2005 of most wins in a calendar year, by establishing a new mark of 86 wins out of 90 regulation bouts. Runners up on 12–3 are two maegashira,
  Kitataiki
  who wins a three-way playoff after a 10–5 score.

December

• The winter regional tour visits the following locations:^[21]
  • 6–7:
    Kumamoto, Kumamoto Prefecture
  • 9: Nogata, Fukuoka Prefecture
  • 12: Kurume, Fukuoka Prefecture
  • 13: Yamaga, Kumamoto Prefecture
  • 15–16: Urasoe, Okinawa Prefecture
• The Tokyo High Court upholds the 26 March ruling against Kodansha, but reduces the damages to 39.6 million yen from 42.9 million, with Asashoryu's original amount being reduced to 7.7 million from 11 million. The judge calls the articles "sloppy journalism."
• 21: The banzuke for the forthcoming Hatsu basho in January 2010 is released. For the first time in 66 tournaments, Chiyotaikai is listed as a sekiwake. Two wrestlers are making their juryo debuts – a Chinese citizen from
  Myogiryu
  .

Deaths

• 1 March: Former maegashira
  Onobori
  , aged 83.
• 7 June: Former maegashira
  cerebral haemorrhage
  .

See also

• Glossary of sumo terms
• List of active sumo wrestlers
• List of past sumo wrestlers
• List of years in sumo
• List of yokozuna

References