Photo/Illutration Hoshoryu receives a kiss and blessing from his family members upon his promotion to yokozuna at the Tatsunami stable in Tokyo’s Taito Ward on Jan. 29. (Tatsuya Shimada)

Less than two weeks after the sole yokozuna retired from the sport, the Japan Sumo Association on Jan. 29 filled the void by promoting Hoshoryu, 25, to be the 74th yokozuna.

The JSA decision came at a ranking meeting for the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament, scheduled to start on March 9 in Osaka, and a special board of directors meeting at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo.

After his promotion was formally delivered by the JSA, Hoshoryu said at his Tatsunami stable in Tokyo’s Taito Ward, “I will devote myself with the spirit of ‘kihaku issen’ (mental strength to stand strong and instant inspiration) so as not to disgrace the name of yokozuna.”

Hoshoryu used the same kihaku issen phrase at the ceremony when he was promoted to ozeki, saying that he used it to express his desire to “be strong no matter what happens.”

Born Sugarragchaa Byambasuren in Mongolia in 1999, Hoshoryu is a nephew of Asashoryu, the first Mongolian yokozuna, one of the greatest rikishi from the country. 

Asashoryu, the 68th yokozuna, dominated the sport in the mid-2000s, picking up 25 Emperor's Cups before retiring in 2010.

This is the first time the JSA has named a new yokozuna in three and a half years since Terunofuji earned promotion. 

Terunofuji was promoted to the grand champion rank after the 2021 Nagoya tournament, but nagging injuries forced him to retire during the tournament held earlier this month.

At that point, sumo fans feared that for the first time in 32 years there would be no yokozuna in the next tournament.

But with the promotion of Hoshoryu, the crisis was averted.

Hoshoryu came to Japan to study wrestling at Nippon Sport Science University Kahiwa High School in Chiba Prefecture in 2015.

There, he switched to the sumo team and made his professional debut at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament in 2018.

He was promoted to ozeki after the Nagoya tournament in 2023 and won his first championship at the sport's second-highest rank at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament this month.