Asanoyama stepped up to sumo's second-highest rank when he was listed as the sport's west ozeki in the Japan Sumo Association rankings published Monday ahead of May's Summer Grand Sumo Tournament.
The 26-year-old earned the promotion by going 11-4 in March's Spring Basho in Osaka, where the tournament was held behind closed doors for the first time amid efforts to stem the spread of the new coronavirus.
"I've achieved one of my goals, which is to become ozeki," Asanoyama said in a telephone interview with reporters. "Seeing the banzuke, reality hit me again. It made me want to become a better leader in the sport and bring excitement to the sumo world."