New sumo chief vows reform / Settling gambling scandal, breaking with gangs top priorities

Futoshi Mukai and Kuniyuki Kamimura / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers

The Japan Sumo Association's new chairman, Hanaregoma, will prioritize the eradication of illegal betting on professional baseball by sumo wrestlers and stablemasters and severing ties with criminal gangs, and hopes the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament will start as scheduled on Sept. 12.

In an exclusive interview with The Yomiuri Shimbun on Tuesday, he vowed to reform the JSA so it can obtain government approval to become a public-interest corporation.

The following are excerpts of the interview with Hanaregoma, 62, former ozeki Kaiketsu.

Yomiuri: Nearly two weeks have passed since you assumed the JSA chairmanship on Aug. 12.

Hanaregoma: Time passes so quickly. There are several problems we should tackle, but resolving the baseball gambling issue will be the first. We'll take drastic action so we can confidently say, "This is the end of it. We can now make a fresh start."

Q: Is the sumo world's pledge to sever ties with criminal gangs the same as your vow to resolve the gambling issue?

A: I think they'll become that way. We have to draw a line somewhere. What we should do if these problems pop up now is one thing, but it'd be much more serious if they emerged again later. After we've checked with the special third-party panel investigating the gambling scandal and with the police, when we're confident everything is OK, we'll make our declaration.

Q: What is the root cause of the recent scandals in the sumo world?

A: It's a problem of consciousness on the part of each and every sumo wrestler and stablemaster, or to put it more broadly, every JSA member. Sumo wrestlers aren't special, they need to think about how they should behave as members of society. It's not that they can do whatever they want because they're celebrities, but rather that they can't act that way because they're well known. This is what today's society is like. I want every wrestler to become more aware that the public eye is on them.

Q: What are your thoughts on holding the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament scheduled to begin Sept. 12?

A: Just as we held the Nagoya tournament, we'll surely hold the autumn basho. During the Nagoya meet, however, the association didn't accept any awards from outside organizations, including the Emperor's Cup and the Prime Minister's Cup. We need to decide soon if we should do this in the autumn tournament.

Q: How about the resumption of live broadcasts by NHK?

A: Of course we hope NHK will resume live broadcasts, but that's up to them to decide. We're hoping to get back to normal, which of course includes live TV broadcasts. I'd like to meet with NHK Chairman Shigeo Fukuchi to make this request.

Q: The move to become a new public-interest corporation is due at the end of November 2013.

A: The gambling scandal will be a major hurdle for getting government recognition as a public-interest corporation. During the stablemasters general meeting on Monday, we agreed that if the toshiyori myoseki system and the stable system become problematic, we'll discuss them and not let them be decided arbitrarily.

[The toshiyori myoseki system stipulates that a retired sumo wrestler must acquire one of 105 toshiyori myoseki--elder names--or a JSA trusteeship to become a JSA board member or a stablemaster.]

Q: The proposal to reform the toshiyori system so toshiyori myoseki status would be placed under JSA management was advocated by former JSA Chairman Sakaigawa (former yokozuna Sadanoyama) in 1996. But the proposal didn't go anywhere due to opposition from the stablemasters. At the time, you were deputy manager of the business division at the association.

A: We were unable to win agreement from the stablemasters. I think we should have explained the proposal in more detail. With everyone having their own views, it's difficult [to find a consensus].

Q: You believe there should be more dialogue both internally and with outside entities.

A: Honestly, we former sumo wrestlers have had little contact with those outside the sumo world. We want to consult with Hiroyoshi Murayama [a former prosecutor] and the new vice chairman. I also suggested to JSA staff that we should create a more open atmosphere in the association and share more information.

We have both an "independent committee concerning the improvement of governance" [a committee of 11 third-party members tasked with reforming the JSA], and the special third-party panel investigating the gambling issue working earnestly on improving the association. These groups aren't trying to take over JSA's management, as some trustees have claimed. I'm strongly in favor of their efforts.