THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
November 23, 2019 at 18:30 JST
Yokozuna Hakuho, left, uses a leg move on sekiwake Mitakeumi during their bout Nov. 23 on the 14th day of the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament. (Soichiro Yamamoto)
FUKUOKA--Yokozuna Hakuho defeated sekiwake Mitakeumi on Nov. 23 to capture his 43rd Emperor's Cup at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament.
It was also the first championship for the Mongolian native since he obtained Japanese citizenship in September.
Winning his match on the 14th day of the tournament being held at Fukuoka Kokusai Center gave the yokozuna a 13-1 record. His closest rival, komusubi Asanoyama, has a 11-3 record so he has no chance of catching Hakuho on the final day of the tournament.
The 34-year-old Hakuho has been plagued by injury of late and could not fully compete in three tournaments this year. But he still becomes the only sumo wrestler to win two Emperor's Cup this year, following his perfect record achievement at the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament. His championship here also gives Hakuho his first trophy in the Reiwa Era that began on May 1.
Stories about memories of cherry blossoms solicited from readers
Cooking experts, chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life.
A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry
A series on the death of a Japanese woman that sparked a debate about criminal justice policy in the United States
A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II
Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors.
