The departure of Takanohana from the Japan Sumo Association is a tremendous loss for both the professional sumo community and fans of the sport that should not have been allowed to happen. It means the exit from the world of professional sumo for a legendary former yokozuna with an illustrious career of 22 Emperor's Cup wins whose presence in the ring, along with his elder brother Wakanohana, marked an era of heightened popularity for the sport. However, the stablemaster had became increasingly isolated within the governing body as he called for reform of sumo.
What triggered the confrontation between Takanohana and the JSA is said to have been the incident last fall in which a wrestler in Takanohana's stable was beaten up by then-yokozuna Harumafuji during a drinking session also attended by other wrestlers. The JSA faulted Takanohana for not reporting the incident to the association and instead filing a criminal complaint with police over the violent behavior of Harumafuji, who was eventually forced into retiring from sumo over the case. Takanohana was also faulted for failing to cooperate with the association's own probe into the incident and refusing to let the JSA's crisis-control committee interview the injured wrestler. In January, Takanohana was relieved as director of the association for dereliction of duty in his position over the incident.
Then in March, Takanohana filed a letter of accusation with a Cabinet Office committee tasked with certifying public interest organizations, saying that the JSA's handling of the Harumafuji incident was inappropriate and asking for corrective measures. The JSA was certified by the committee as a public interest incorporated foundation, eligible for preferential tax treatment, in 2014. Although the letter was withdrawn a few weeks later by the stablemaster, following revelations that another wrestler from the Takanohana stable had violently attacked his attendant, the rift between Takanohana and the JSA only deepened.