(Update) Ex-Yokozuna Hakuho to Retire from Japan Sumo Assn

   Tokyo, June 2 (Jiji Press)--Former yokozuna professional sumo grand champion Hakuho, now stablemaster Miyagino, is set to retire from the Japan Sumo Association.
   The professional sumo-governing body said Monday that it will accept a resignation letter from the 40-year-old former Hakuho, the most successful sumo wrestler ever with 45 grand tournament victories. The resignation will be approved on June 9.
   Wrestlers of the currently shuttered Miyagino stable will continue to be supervised by the Isegahama stable for the time being.
   People including stablemaster Asakayama, former ozeki champion Kaio and now director of the association, who is from the Isegahama group of stables, tried to persuade the former Hakuho to remain in the association by showing a path to the reopening of the Miyagino stable. But he did not change his mind, according to the association.
   The former yokozuna was born in Mongolia and acquired Japanese citizenship in 2019. He was demoted by two ranks from "iin" to "toshiyori" in the association in February last year, in the wake of a scandal involving violence by Hokuseiho, a wrestler who belonged to the Miyagino stable at the time.

(2025/06/02-17:05)

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