Yokozuna Kakuryu suffered his first loss on Thursday, the 12th day of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament, where he remained in the lead.

Facing Georgian sekiwake Tochinoshin (8-4), whom he had beaten 21 times in their 22 career meetings, Kakuryu could do little more than delay his first defeat of the 15-day tournament after getting off to the best start of his career.

In the day's final bout at Edion Arena Osaka, the yokozuna started out well on his charge but Tochinoshin, the winner of January's New Year Basho, repulsed the Mongolian's first effort.