Onosato has been promoted to sumo’s highest rank of yokozuna, the Japan Sumo Affiliation introduced on Wednesday, finishing a meteoric rise to the summit of Japan’s nationwide sport within the report span of 13 tournaments.
The 24-year-old, who weighs 421lb (191kg) and stands 6ft 4in (1.92m) tall, turns into the seventy fifth yokozuna in sumo’s centuries-spanning historical past and the primary Japan-born wrestler to carry the title since Kisenosato in 2017. His promotion comes simply days after clinching the Summer time Grand Sumo Match at Tokyo’s Ryōgoku Sumo Corridor with a 14-1 report, clinching his second straight championship and fourth total.
Onosato’s promotion was made official after a unanimous advice from the JSA’s advisory council on Monday and accredited by the board of trustees at a particular assembly on Wednesday. He’s now the quickest wrestler to achieve yokozuna within the fashionable six-tournament calendar period, which dates to 1958. The report ascent eclipses the earlier mark of 21 basho set by Wajima, one other Ishikawa native, in 1973.
“I’m really joyful,” Onosato advised reporters on Wednesday after receiving the choice from JSA envoys at his Nishonoseki secure in Ibaraki Prefecture. “Now, issues will grow to be extra necessary than ever. I need to keep targeted and proceed to work arduous.”
He added: “I’ll commit myself to coaching in order to not shame the rank of yokozuna. I need to be the one and solely grand champion.”
The phrase “one and solely” echoed his remarks final September when he was promoted to ōzeki, sumo’s second-highest rank. “I didn’t initially plan to say it once more, but it surely simply felt proper,” he mentioned. “It was the one factor that got here to thoughts.”
Onosato, whose delivery identify is Daiki Nakamura, entered the skilled ranks in Might 2023 after a adorned newbie profession at Toyo College. He started within the third-tier makushita division and rapidly scaled the ranks with no single shedding report, reaching ōzeki in his ninth event and earlier than reaching the highest in his thirteenth.
He secured his newest title on day 13 of the Summer time event – the place rivals wrestle as soon as each day and one of the best report after 15 days wins – by defeating fellow ōzeki Kotozakura to enhance to 13-0. His solely blemish got here on the ultimate day to Hoshoryu, the Mongolian-born yokozuna who was promoted in January.
Hoshoryu completed 12-3 and the outcome has solely heightened anticipation for the budding rivalry between the 2. They’re set to face off as yokozuna for the primary time on the Nagoya event in July – sumo’s grand tournaments are held each two months all year long within the odd-numbered months – the primary time two grand champions will prime the banzuke rating listing since 2021. It makes the primary time that two rikishi have earned promotion to yokozuna in the identical calendar 12 months since 1987, when Hokutoumi and Onokuni each reached the highest.
“Successful two straight tournaments as an ōzeki is a formidable feat,” mentioned Tadamori Oshima, chairman of the Yokozuna Deliberation Council, mentioned on Sunday. “Above all, he remained composed and constant beneath strain.”
The promotion ends a interval of shortage for Japanese-born yokozuna. Earlier than Kisenosato in 2017, Japan had gone almost 20 years with no native wrestler on the prime rank, as Mongolian wrestlers dominated the game. Six of the final seven yokozuna earlier than Onosato had been born in Mongolia, together with the record-shattering Hakuho, Harumafuji and Asashoryu. Their emergence adopted Akebono, the American who grew to become the primary rikishi born exterior Japan to earn the rank in 1993.
“I hope he leads by instance and lifts all the world of sumo,” mentioned Nishonoseki, Onosato’s stablemaster, who competed as Kisenosato. “He’s nonetheless growing. He’s been constructing his physique correctly since coming into the secure, making regular efforts. Coaching doesn’t lie.”
Onosato’s rise has been broadly hailed each for its symbolic significance and his calm, composed fashion. A technical and balanced wrestler, he has been praised for his maturity within the ring and his regular temperament off it. His promotion has additionally been a supply of satisfaction in his house prefecture of Ishikawa, which was devastated by a 7.6-magnitude earthquake on New 12 months’s Day in 2025. Greater than 600 individuals died in a catastrophe that displaced 1000’s and the Noto Peninsula area continues to rebuild. “I’ll work arduous as a yokozuna to encourage and cheer up the Ishikawa prefecture and the Noto area,” he mentioned.
He’s now the third yokozuna from Ishikawa, following Wajima and Haguroyama. With the game getting ready for a world exhibition at London’s Royal Albert Corridor in October, his promotion comes at a time when JSA is in search of to broaden its international profile whereas reconnecting with followers at house.
At 24, Onosato is the youngest yokozuna since Takanohana’s promotion in 1994 and considered the primary to achieve the rank with no single shedding report within the prime division. What comes subsequent is just not solely the strain of defending the rank, however the duty that accompanies it each inside and outdoors the dohyo.
“That is unknown territory for me,” Onosato mentioned. “However I need to proceed being myself: to wrestle my manner, keep targeted, and grow to be a singular and unparalleled yokozuna.”
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