The story "Tochinoshin stands out amid chaos" in the Jan. 29 edition represents the current state of sumo in Japan.
As a sumo fan, I am very happy to know that Tochinoshin gained three prizes: Champion Prize, Outstanding Performance Prize and Technique Prize.
I was very impressed by his polite bow. I'm afraid to say that some Japanese sumo wrestlers do not behave politely after they have lost. I think Tochinoshin knows and has kokoro or shin of sumo. And "Tochi" in his name means a tall tree of a certain type. Like the tree, he stands tall and brave. We admire his attitude toward sumo.
We have come to know that he is a tanshinfunin (business husband). We hope that he will be able to live with his family in Japan.
And at the prize presentation ceremony, the winner's national anthem should be played. We hope that the Japan Sumo Association will accept this suggestion in the near future.
The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.