2021 in sumo

Ryōgoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 10 January – 24 January[1]

2021 Hatsu basho results - Makuuchi Division
Result					East			Rank	West			Result
0	-	0	-	15	ø		Hakuhō	Y	ø		Kakuryū	0	-	0	-	15
2	-	8	-	5	ø		Takakeishō	O			Shōdai	11	-	4	-	0
11	-	4	-	0			Asanoyama	O	ø			0	-	0	-	0
11	-	4	-	0			Terunofuji	S			Takanoshō	9	-	6	-	0
9	-	6	-	0			Takayasu	K			Mitakeumi	9	-	6	-	0
7	-	8	-	0			Hokutofuji	M1			Daieishō	13	-	2	-	0
9	-	6	-	0			Takarafuji	M2	ø		Wakatakakage	0	-	0	-	15
2	-	13	-	0			Kotoshōhō	M3			Ōnoshō	9	-	6	-	0
4	-	11	-	0			Tochinoshin	M4			Tamawashi	6	-	9	-	0
7	-	8	-	0			Endō	M5			Okinoumi	7	-	8	-	0
4	-	11	-	0			Ryūden	M6			Kagayaki	6	-	9	-	0
8	-	7	-	0			Meisei	M7			Tobizaru	6	-	9	-	0
3	-	12	-	0			Tokushōryū	M8			Kiribayama	8	-	7	-	0
0	-	0	-	15	ø		Chiyonokuni	M9			Myōgiryū	8	-	7	-	0
9	-	6	-	0			Shimanoumi	M10			Aoiyama	6	-	9	-	0
0	-	0	-	15	ø		Chiyotairyū	M11			Kotoeko	6	-	9	-	0
9	-	6	-	0			Ichinojō	M12			Terutsuyoshi	7	-	8	-	0
5	-	10	-	0			Akua	M13	ø		Chiyoshōma	0	-	0	-	15
9	-	6	-	0			Hōshōryū	M14			Midorifuji	9	-	6	-	0
7	-	8	-	0			Yutakayama	M15			Kotonowaka	10	-	5	-	0
9	-	6	-	0			Akiseyama	M16	ø		Kaisei	0	-	0	-	15
5	-	10	-	0			Sadanoumi	M17	ø			0	-	0	-	0

Ryōgoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 14 March – 28 March[1]

Originally scheduled to take place at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, Osaka, the tournament was moved to Tokyo due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[2]

Ryōgoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 9 May – 23 May[1]

Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium, Nagoya, 4 July – 18 July[1]

Ryōgoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 12 September – 26 September[1]

Fukuoka Kokusai Center, Kyushu, 14 November – 28 November[1]

• 1: The Japan Sumo Association announces that eleven additional members of Arashio stable have tested positive for COVID-19, including its stablemaster Arashio Oyakata (the former maegashira Sōkokurai), a hairdresser, jūryō wrestler Wakamotoharu and eight wrestlers from the lower divisions.[3] It had been announced the previous day that top division wrestler Wakatakakage tested positive for the virus. It is unclear whether the wrestlers in the stable will be able to compete in the upcoming January 2021 tournament. The Sumo Association said it would issue another warning to association members concerning the virus.[4]
• 5: The Sumo Association announces that yokozuna Hakuhō has tested positive for COVID-19, making it unlikely that he will appear in the January 2021 tournament. He had reported a loss of the sense of smell the day before. The Sumo Association said it would test other members of Miyagino stable that were in close contact with him.[5][6] It is also announced that because of rising coronavirus infections, ticket sales for the January basho would be stopped on the afternoon of 6 January and there would be no sales of same-day tickets during the tournament.[7]
• 6: It is announced that the COVID test results of the other members of Miyagino stable that were screened have come back negative, but Sumo Association communications director Shibatayama said it was not certain whether those in close contact with Hakuhō would still be permitted to compete in the January 2021 tournament. Shibatayama also said that the Sumo Association was waiting to discuss how they would respond to a new state of emergency expected to be declared for Tokyo and three surrounding prefectures due to rising coronavirus infections.[8]
• 7: The Sumo Association announces it will require COVID testing of all of wrestlers and stablemasters prior to the start of the January 2021 tournament. Shibatayama said the association would decide on the course of action once all of the test results are known.[9] While a state of emergency has been made official for Tokyo and surrounding prefectures, the January basho is expected to proceed with spectators as the new emergency guidelines call for a cap of 5,000 people or 50% capacity at events - limits similar to what had already been in place at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan.[9][10]
• 8: Yokozuna Kakuryū officially withdraws from the January 2021 tournament due to lower back issues. He had previously been warned by the Yokozuna Deliberation Council over his recent lack of performances as a yokozuna. This was the third consecutive tournament both yokozuna were absent.[11]
• 9: The Sumo Association announces that five wrestlers have tested positive for COVID-19 from the tests mandated on 7 January. The positives include maegashira wrestler Chiyoshōma, jūryō wrestler Chiyoōtori and two lower-ranked wrestlers from Kokonoe stable, as well as one lower-division wrestler from Tomozuna stable. These stables, along with Miyagino stable and Arashio stable, will all withdraw from the January 2021 tournament due to COVID-19 infections. Tournament organizer Oguruma suggested that the basho could be cancelled if there are additional virus infections.[12] Lower division wrestler Kotokantetsu, who had previously undergone heart surgery, retires from sumo after being told by the Sumo Association that fear of getting infected while competing was not sufficient grounds for withdrawal from the tournament.[13]
• 10: The January 2021 tournament opens with 65 wrestlers withdrawn due to either testing positive for COVID-19 or for being in close contact with those who did. The 16 sekitori missing from the first day (15 for COVID-19 reasons, plus Kakuryū) is a postwar record.[14] In his opening speech, Sumo Association chairman Hakkaku apologized for concerns caused by the infection of the wrestlers and said that preventative measures have been implemented.[15][16]
• 22: Following an incident during the January tournament in which makushita division wrestler Shonannoumi was allowed to continue with his match despite a clash of heads during a false start that appeared to leave him concussed, the Sumo Association announces that in future there will be no rematch in such circumstances. Previously it had been up to the wrestler to decide if he wanted to continue.[17][18]
• 24: Maegashira 1 Daieishō claims his first yūshō after defeating Okinoumi on the final day of the January tournament. He defeated all of the san'yaku wrestlers ranked above him in the first week, finishing with a 13-2 record. This marks the sixth straight year that the Emperor's Cup of the January tournament is won by a first-time champion. Asanoyama, Shōdai and Terunofuji share the runner-up position at 11-4. Daieishō receives two of the sanshō prizes: the Outstanding Performance Award and Technique Prize. Technique Prizes are also awarded to Terunofuji and makuuchi newcomer Midorifuji. This is the first tournament ever to see three wrestlers share the Technique Prize. No Fighting Spirit Prize is awarded for the first time since September 2018, after Akiseyama (9-6) and Kotonowaka (10-5) both failed to win. Takakeishō is unsuccessful in his bid for promotion to yokozuna, posting a 2-7 record before withdrawing from the tournament on day 10. He will go into the March tournament as a kadoban ōzeki and will have to achieve a winning record to maintain his rank.[19] Tsurugishō wins his second jūryō championship with a 12-3 record. This is the first time since 2005 that the top two divisions have been won by wrestlers from the same stable.
• 27: The Sumo Association announces the promotions to jūryō for March. Promoted for the first time are Takakento, whose senior classmate in high school was Ichinojō, and Bushōzan, who began to learn sumo at a dojo in Mito City run by the father of former ōzeki Musōyama. Nishikifuji returns to jūryō after falling to makushita for the January 2021 basho, as does Ichiyamamoto, who returns after six tournaments.[20][21]
• 28: It is announced that the March 2021 tournament has been relocated from Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium to the Ryōgoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, in order to limit the travel of wrestlers and staff amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. It will be the fifth straight basho held in Tokyo after the relocation of last year's July and November tournaments from Nagoya and Fukuoka, respectively. The previous tournament in Osaka was held without spectators in March 2020 at the onset of the pandemic. A Sumo Association official was quoted as saying that holding tournaments in other cities would be "...difficult until the infection is under control."[2]