The Japan Sumo Association is now being battered about by a gambling scandal following the discovery in May that two sumo stablemasters helped gangsters obtain tickets for special ringside seats at sumo tournaments. The tickets scandal resulted in demotion of stablemasters Kise and Kiyomigata and the closure of the Kise stable. If it is ascertained that sumo wrestlers and other JSA members involved in the gambling scandal have had ties with members of the underworld, the JSA should severely punish them. For its part, the JSA must sever whatever relations it may have with antisocial groups.

Weekly Shukan Shincho issued on May 20 reported that ozeki Kotomitsuki is in heavy debt from gambling on professional baseball games and has been blackmailed by former gangsters to pay ¥10 million in hush money. He apparently lied when he called the report a fabrication. Sources close to the investigation reported that he paid some ¥3 million as hush money.

But in a recent survey covering all the JSA members, numbering some 1,000, Kotomitsuki and 28 others admitted to betting on baseball games and 36 others to involvement in gambling on majong, hanafuda card games, golf games, etc., in the past five years. Among the 65 were stablemasters and hairdressers for sumo wrestlers. The JSA sent the survey results to the police. Some of the names have already surfaced.

The JSA's lenient attitude toward Kotomitsuki gives the impression that it doesn't take his offenses very seriously. It accepted his offer to sit out the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament, but did not take any additional action other than to issue a strict warning to him and the 64 others. When the JSA questioned stablemaster Kise over the tickets scandal, he admitted that he had connections with gangsters until a few years ago. The JSA, however, did not disclose this information at a news conference — an act that makes people think that the association is insincere.

The sumo world has traditionally been tolerant of gambling. Depending on the results of the police investigation, the JSA must take more severe action. Its trustworthiness as a guardian of the nation's top traditional sport is at stake.