Of all the crises that the institution of sumo is said to be confronting -- and there are many -- yokozuna (grand champion) Takanohana's announcement last Monday of his retirement is being regarded by some as particularly ominous.
This, the doomsters say, is because the sole remaining holder of the sport's top rank is Hawaiian-born Musashimaru, who is of Tongan extraction.
Moreover, depending on Sunday's outcome of the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament tournament in Tokyo, he is likely to be joined at the top of the sport's tree by ozeki (champion) Asashoryu. Since he is Mongolian, it means that the top flight of the national sport will, for the first time, exclusively comprise foreign-born athletes.