fact that other members have not gone so far as to voice similar protests regarding the use of the left hand – either independently or collectively.  Pair this to the indisputable fact that, as tradition was the backbone of Ms Uchidate’s repeated complaints (traditions refuted above), the lack of any specific comment by the NSK is indication enough for the vast majority of the importance of her beliefs.  Personally, I believe the yokozuna is going along with the request to use his right hand out of a genuinely traditional Japanese belief that the avoidance of confrontation is always preferable to other alternatives but in saying so, feel Uchidate is asking him to walk into a house built on soft ground by builders with no real experience of their trade – and to avoid offence he is doing so.

JR:  The YDC’s role is indeed advisory, but it is not limited to promotion issues and the like.  Criticism of all aspects of the

Yokozuna’s behavior on the dohyo is within their mandate.  I could cite a number of references to this fact, space does not permit, and really the YDC deserves its own article.  In closing, I’ll just say the following.  1) The lack of comment by the NSK and other members of the YDC supports Uchidate more than anything else.  2)  As a left-hander, I can attest that doing something as basic as the tegatana with your right hand is not hard.  3)  The best way to look at this is like henka.  There is no rule against performing the tegatana with your left hand, as there’s no rule against henka.  But the YDC expects (and comments to that fact) that he perform it with his right, just as they expect that the Yokozuna will not perform henka.  It’s an aesthetic demand on the Yokozuna, but certainly not an onerous one.  The Yokozuna, properly, has taken the criticism to heart and performed accordingly.  This is in the best traditions of Japan and the world of sumo.