One of the more interesting bits of news over the past month was the announcement that Arashio stable veteran Sokokurai had acquired Japanese nationality.

By far the most successful of the 12 rikishi in sumo history to have hailed from mainland China, Sokokurai's switch leaves the Middle Kingdom without a wrestler in Japan's national sport for the first time since October 1990.

His change of nationality is an obvious precursor to retirement and becoming a sumo elder.