The Mongolian rikishi, Kyokushuzan, is often called waza no depaato, mongoru shiten (techniques department store, Mongolia branch).
Click to enlarge photo.

Whether this lack of internationalization is good or bad, however, is an entirely different matter. It is too difficult to think of sumo as a sport flourishing outside of Japan. There is indeed an international amateur sumo association, but it is neither connected to nor promoted by the Nihon Sumo Association. Unlike judo and karate schools in Japan that have built branches all over the world to promote their art, sumo is not likely to "branch out" to other countries. Professional sumo will continue to remain an "only in Japan" affair. Most, if not all, Japanese sumo fans would probably prefer to keep it that way. When Konishiki appeared in the sumo scene, his coming was likened to the "kurofune" (black ships; Perry's fleet of warships) that turned Japanese society inside out. It was also obvious, in this author's forays into the sumo fan messageboards conducted in Nihonggo, that some Japanese fans are unhappy with large foreign rikishi, who are sometimes accused of using size instead of technique to overpower their opponents, who happen to be smaller, lighter Japanese.

As the Japanese economy falls deeper and deepr into recession, there is a backlash toward foreign workers in Japan. It is not exhibited in the form of hysteria or neo Nazi-like hate crimes, but in whispered accusations of having the "balance" or wa (harmony) of Japanese society upset with the presence of foreign workers. In a Mainichi newspaper article titled "Nation in fear of foreign workers", government poll results show that more than 80 percent of Japanese support tight restrictions on allowing foreign workers into the country. Another 29.8 percent said that current rules that restrict work permits to foreigners with high-level skills should be tightened further. The majority of those who opposed looser rules on admitting foreigners cited joblessness as a concern (Mainichi Shimbun, 11 May 1999).

Such social reactions to (or more accurately, against) an internationalized workforce is also reflected in the sumo world, as discussed above. What if huge, powerful men come from all over the world to beat up the relatively small, light Japanese rikishi? There is the fear that sumo will turn into a battle determined by mere size, which understandably upsets many Japanese fans. What if one day, all the yokozuna who climb up the dohyo to greet the spectators at the beginning of each tournament are all foreigners? This scenario is not unlikely, as already two of the four yokozuna (as of this writing) are foreigners. Japanese society, which determines citizenship through bloodline and very reluctantly naturalizes only a tiny number of foreign applicants, will likely not take such "invasion" in stride. Sumo is the national sport, a uniquely Japanese art, and to be a part of this special world made up of special people, one must not only have the blood, but also have the heart and ways of the Japanese. How distressing it must be for Japanese sumo aficianados to find their ancient sport/art conquered by gaijin (outsiders). Xenophobic reactions not just to foreign workers by Japanese society as a whole but also toward foreign rikishi by the sumo world are not going to disappear overnight.

However, Japan as a nation is quite aware that in order to remain internationally competitive, they must continuously adjust and evolve and be receptive to change. The sumo world also realizes this. Given the worsening economy, which means less and less corporate and individual sponsors, sumo, like Japanese companies looking to foreign investment as a means of keeping their heads above water, might have to look for ways and means to attract more spectators, maybe even to harness the power and contributions of an international audience. As the Japanese government tries to create policies to fit a changing world, so does the sumo association have to make adjustments in order to not just survive but flourish in a world where countries are becoming more and more multicultural.

Another Mongolian rikishi, Kyokutenho (right). Unlike Kyokushuzan, he doesn't employ rare or seldom-used techniques.
Click to enlarge photo.

Perhaps a small example of such effort was the launching of a full, complete English version of the sumo association's official website. The English site is huge, extensive, updated regularly and translated for by knowledgeable English-speaking sumo fans. Ticket info and other visitors' information are also readily available. The site is obviously expensive and well-maintained, and would not have been possible had there been a lack of awareness among the sumo association elites. Also, several of the larger sumo-beya have put up an English web page or two on how to join the stable's koenkai (official fan club made up of dedicated supporters who pay an annual membership fee), clearly a means of encouraging foreign fans.

How foreigners are treated in the sumo world has never been made into a specific study, thus data is hard to come by. Whether they are being exceptionally bullied, discriminated upon, or mistreated in the sumo-beya is not even a proper question, since the sumo world maintains its own "blue wall of silence", so evidence is not easily obtainable. Interviews with the Hawaiian rikishi all hold evidence of extraordinary hardships, but suffering for a greenhorn is the rule and not the exception for every rikishi.

Tokitsukaze-rijicho (middle) does the first-day greetings during the 1999 Nagoya Basho. With him in the ring are the best of the best, the sanyaku rikishi. Notice how the rijicho is flanked by the two American yokozuna.

What is probably alarming for the conservative forces in the sumo association is the fact that despite the overall very small number of foreign rikishi, two have already made it to the highest position, and others seem to be well on their way. In the 1999 Natsu Basho held in Osaka, two Americans, one Mongolian and one Argentine won the championship in the makuuchi, makushita, sandanme and jonokuchi divisions. That makes it four divisions out of a total of five. Announcers in the sumo television broadcast have very kindly called it the kokusaika ("internationalization") of sumo. Whether this new, seemingly enthusiastic and more receptive attitude carries over to concrete issues such as promotion and limiting the number of foreign rikishi per stable, one can only wait and see how the sumo world, including the fans (many of whom are pre-war babies) would react to this rash of gaijin (foreigner) takeovers. Given the strong intertwining between the developments in Japanese history as a whole with the developments in sumo history, it would not be farfetched to claim that the extent of the openness of the sumo world to the entry--and success--of the foreign rikishi only reflects the extent to which Japanese society in general welcomes--and accepts--the gaijin in their midst.

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