Japan celebrated the victory of Aonishiki at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament last weekend. He captured his first Emperor’s Cup after defeating Mongolian yokozuna Hoshoryu.
Just days later, he was promoted to ōzeki, the second highest rank in the sport. It has been a dizzying ascendance, having entered the world of professional sumo some three years earlier.
It has been a remarkable journey and is likely not yet complete. The public has watched and applauded his meteoric rise against considerable odds. His success and that support are a powerful counterpoints and corrective to the story, increasingly heard in recent months, that Japan is somehow seized with anti-foreign sentiment.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.