Japanese sumo scandals threaten to topple Nagoya tournament

More than just another sport

But despite its recent troubles and relative decline in popularity, sumo is still more than just another sport to many Japanese, steeped as it is in ancient rituals tied to the Shinto religion. In 1854, when American Commodore Perry's Black Ships sailed into Tokyo Bay demanding Japan open up to trade, sumo wrestlers were paraded as symbols of the country's potency.

Many previous scandals of recent years have been centered round foreign wrestlers, much to Japanese relief. In 2008, three Russian grapplers were expelled for drug use, though a Japanese national also later tested positive. This year, grand champion Asashoryu – the third-most successful wrestler in sumo history and a Mongolian – had to retire after allegedly beating someone while on a drunken night out during the Tokyo Basho (which he went on to win).

But foreigners can't always be blamed: In May, as the betting scandal unfolded, it emerged that stable-masters had given ringside seats to yakuza bosses at tournaments. The mobsters allegedly wanted to be seen by incarcerated gang members on the NHK broadcasts. The JSA took the unprecedented step of disbanding one of the sumo stables involved.

Yet some say this still won't be enough to stop the Nagoya Basho, or deprive sumo of its privileged status. "It's hard to believe the ... tournament will be canceled, since the most prominent miscreant, Ozeki Kotomitsuki, is being punished with a suspension rather than an expulsion, while the other wrestlers are getting similar slaps on the wrist," says former NHK sumo commentator Mark Schilling. "A cancelation would result in a huge loss of money and face."

One fan says Nagoya must at least set an example. "They have to get rid of all ... who gambled on baseball," says Koichiro Ohara. "If the Nagoya Basho is ... held, none of those wrestlers can be in it, even if it means the competition is not so strong."

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