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Sumo's Foreign Invasion |
one person so far above his peers in terms of ability and dominance to make those years a period of foregone conclusions. Indeed, 15 different men laid claim to the title of yusho winner in the 1990s.
As limbs and bodies aged however, it became apparent that other foreigners just weren’t making it far enough past juryo to be considered a challenge at the top. Consequently viewed as no real long-term threat by the powers that were, the number of foreign rikishi permitted to be recruited by stables was unlimited, and, given this blanket opportunity, citizens of lands from the opposite side of Japan to Hawaii started to show an interest.
At first one, then a few from overseas entered and didn’t fare too badly. Reaching the salaried ranks was not out of the question, as Mongolia’s Kyokushuzan and Kyokutenho were happy to prove within half a decade of entering the sport in 1992.
Then, as the century was winding down, with Musashimaru being promoted to yokozuna and Akebono, Wakanohana and Takanohana all in the twilight of their careers, a new Mongolian appeared at the foot of the banzuke – a man you know today as yokozuna Asashoryu.
Dolgorsuren Dagvadorj, as he
Thus, with the apparent permanent residency of at least one non-Japanese yokozuna atop sumo’s rank ladder and a supporting cast of half a dozen likely to be around the top of the