Sumo in Japan is on the up and up. We now have two yokozuna with a good half decade of rivalry in the tanks, one young enough to still be around in 10 years time. Irrespective of reports in the Japanese-language media, the sport is not sinking into the abyss with the continued success of its foreign legion. The 60 or so non-Japanese that make up less than 10 percent of more than 700 active professionals merely add to the color and flavor of a sport that is ever expanding and gaining new fans worldwide, from Norway to New Zealand, from the Americas to Australia.
The Nihon Sumo Kyokai has just wrapped up another overseas tour, showing fans in Hawaii some of the best sumo has to offer. Taiwan, China, South Korea and the U.S. (Las Vegas) have hosted the pros in recent years. A few days in London have been penciled in for 2009 and yet another U.S. trip — to Los Angeles — has recently been announced for this time next year.
None of this in any way harms the image of professional sumo around the world, but the amateur version of the sport is a completely different kettle of fish.