Re: Toshiyori Meiseki Was(Re: Sumo Association News Release - November 16, 2003

"Jonosuke" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
(Sue Moe) wrote:

> While their mandatory retirement age is 65 years old, no rikishi can
> compete till that age as physically it's almost impossible. For a
> retired rikishi to remain with the Kyokai, they need to acquire what
> is known as Toshiyori Meiseki (Toshiyori in Japanese literally means
> Old or Senior and Meiseki can be considered as a stock or share like
> those traded at a stock exchange).
>
> The maximum number of Toshiyori Meiseki is 103 or 104 - I don't
> remember exact number but it's between 100 to 105. For instance the
> current Musashigawa oyakata was the 57th Yokozuna Mienoumi.  When he
> retired from active career, he "inherited" the Toshiyori Meiseki of
> Musashigawa.

He bought the "name".


Subsequently he founded his own heya and developed
> rikishis like Musashimaru, Musoyama and Miyabiyama.  Among the
> Toshiyoris - those achieved high ranked like Yokozunas and Ozekis will
> often be voted in as the Directors - for instance Kokonoe oyakata was
> Yokozuna Chiyonofuji and the current chairman Kitanoumi oyakata was
> Yokozuna Kitanoumi. The Kyokai has annual or bi-annual election of its
> directors.
>
> The Yokozunas who achieved distigushed records can be given what is
> known as one generation Toshiyori Meiseki.  These are Toshiyori
> Meiseki you can retain as long as you stay with the Kyokai, normally
> till the mandatory retirement age. Kitanoumi, Taiho and Takanohana all
> have one generation Toshiyori share

I thought TAKANOHANA refused this privilege. One-generation TOSHIYORI
MEISEKI can't be sold. That's why he and THE WOLF (KOKONOE OYAKATA formerly
CHIYONOFUJI) said no. Down the line they want to sell their elder stock for
million of dollars. Money, folks. It rears its ugly head again.

but the Meiseki cannot be given
> out to anyone else.

You mean "sold".

As acquiring a Meiseki or share runs into a
> million dollars or more, you need to have a good financial backing
> like your supporters club.
>
> When Yokozuna Musahimaru retired yesterday, he can remain with the
> Kyokai for the next  five years as he was a Yokozuna (I seem to recall
> an Ozeki can remain three years). During the five years he must
> acquire a Meiseki or he has to leave the Kyokai.  I suspect Akebono
> without financial backers nor having a sound financial plan did not
> have enough money to acquire a Meiseki so his only choice left was to
> leave the Kyokai and try something else like K-1.


Correctamundo!

> Another way you can get a Meiseki is by a relation - for instance
> Kotonowaka is son-in-law of Sadogatake Oyakata so even if he has no
> Meiseki of his own (I believe he has anyway), he could take over
> Sadogatake Meiseki which he probably will when he takes over the heya
> from the current oyakata in two years.

If you fulfil the criteria of having been at least SANYAKU and/or having
competed in MAKUNOUCHI/JURYO for at least X # of BASHO, etc.


> There is another way you can temporally stay with the Kyokai.  This is
> called a Jyun-Toshiyori (associate Toshiyori) but in this case you
> need to acquire or lease a real Meiseiki within a set time (I believe
> this is around 2 years).

Correctamundo!


> Another thing, not everyone with money can get a Toshiyori Meiseki.
> You need to spend certain number of bashos as either Makuuchi or
> Juryo.  Of course once you achieve Ozeki or Yokozuna, you are eligible
> to acquire one.

See above.

> If you did not qualify for the Meiseki, you can still remain with the
> Kyokai. They are called Wakamonogashira whom you may see carrying the
> Yusho Trophy on the Senshuraku or directing traffic on the hanamichi
> but they don't have any voting priviledges nor they can become
> directors.

6 guys. "Youth-leaders". Usually low-rankers who have worked hard and have
no other prospects. These are known as the hardest working men in SUMO. They
drive the trucks, set-up the DOHYO and perform a hundred other tasks.


> All 103 or 104 Meisekis have the owners.  There are certain number of
> vacant Meiseki from time to time for a variety of reasons.  In that
> case the owner can rent out the Meiseki to someone who has not
> acquired one as they have not enough money yet.
>
> The history of Meiseki is pretty interesting one and many Meiseki go
> back hundred years or more.
>
> Regarding the revenues and profits for the Kyokai.  They are a
> non-profit organization and their charter is registered with and under
> the control of the Ministry of Education so even though they want to
> generate as much money as they can but no individual connected with
> the Kyokai will become rich.  The Kyokai's mission is to preserve the
> national sport of Japan and propagate it.

So they say. Many do become rich. The affiliation with MOMBUGAKUSHO is just
there to add a veneer of respectability to what is essentially a group of
beefy JHS graduates.