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Yokozuna Akebono
sole leader at 5-0
in Nagoya

NAGOYA, July 13 (Kyodo) - Yokozuna Akebono dealt clinically with the challenge of sekiwake Kaio on Thursday and boosted his record to a perfect 5-0 to finish the day in sole possession of the lead at the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament.

Chasing his first Emperor's Cup since May 1997, Akebono got to grips with Kaio (3-2) straight from the charge and quickly marched the ozeki hopeful back over the straw bails in a one-sided bout at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium.

Takanohana almost paid the price for a sloppy face-off against hard-hitting komusubi Tosanoumi (1-4), but the yokozuna expertly locked onto his opponent's belt and forced him out of the ring in textbook fashion to go to 4-1 in the 15-day tourney.

Yokozuna Musashimaru barely broke a sweat against Toki (1-4) in the day's penultimate bout, easily disarming the thrusting attack of the No. 2 maegashira before moving in for the kill and win No. 4.

Newly promoted ozeki Miyabiyama improved to 3-2 after unloading on No. 3 maegashira Tochinonada (1-4) with a series of facials, while struggling No. 2 maegashira Takanowaka picked up his first win of the meet, defeating ozeki Chiyotaikai (3-2) in bizarre circumstances.

Chiyotaikai stopped immediately after the face-off, believing he had heard one of the ringside judges call for a restart and giving Takanowaka a free target to shove the ozeki out and pick up his first win.

Ozeki Dejima, the defending Nagoya champion, had too much power for veteran Akinoshima (2-3), bundling the No. 1 maegashira into the front row seats after a bout of tangoing in mid-ring to up his record to 4-1.

"I hung in there well today. It's beginning to feel like Nagoya 1999," Dejima said after his bout.

Musoyama, who needs eight wins to keep his ozeki rank after missing the summer meet with injury, slipped to 2-3 as he was dragged down by sekiwake Takanonami (3-2) while sekiwake Tochiazuma bounced back from a blowout loss to Akebono on Wednesday in impressive style.

Winless komusubi Tamakasuga provided stiff resistance in a protracted bout, but Tochiazuma waited for his chance and muscled his opponent out to boost his record to 4-1.

It was a good day for Mongolia as No. 7 maegashira Kyokutenho bulldozed out fifth-ranked Hayateumi (2-3) for his fourth win, while No. 8 maegashira Kyokushuzan finally broke his duck in the tourney by twisting down fifth-ranked Higonoumi (3-2).

Up first, American No. 13 maegashira Sentoryu, making his debut in the elite makuuchi division, blew out 14th-ranked Kinkaiyama (2-3) to improve his record to 4-1.

Chirac to watch sumo
in Nagoya before
attending summit

MIYAZAKI, Japan, July 13 (Kyodo) - French President Jacques Chirac, a sumo aficionado, will visit Nagoya next Wednesday to watch some bouts at the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament prior to the Group of Eight (G-8) summit, a French diplomatic source said Thursday.

Chirac, who is scheduled to arrive in Tokyo on Wednesday morning to join a meeting of Japanese and European leaders, will travel to Nagoya on the Shinkansen bullet train to see some bouts on the 11th day of the tournament, which will end July 23, the source in this southwestern Japan city said.

He will also attend a ceremony in Nagoya to commemorate a newly created sumo award named after him, before traveling to Okinawa Prefecture to take part in the July 21-23 G-8 summit, the sources said.

Foreign ministers from the G-8 countries held a meeting Wednesday and Thursday in Miyazaki to prepare for the summit.

Chirac, who is making his 45th visit to Japan, was delighted in January 1999 when he met with then Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi in Paris to receive from him a ceremonial rope once worn by yokozuna Takanohana. The president is an avid Takanohana fan.

The rope, known as yokozuna, was part of the costume worn by Takanohana in his first "ring-entering ceremony" after being promoted to the sport's highest rank of yokozuna, or grand champion, in late 1994.

Results of main bouts on
day 5 of Nagoya sumo

NAGOYA, July 13 (Kyodo) - Results of makuuchi division bouts Thursday, the fifth day of the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium:

Won Technique Lost

Sentoryu 4-1 oshidashi Kinkaiyama 2-3
Otsukasa 3-2 hikiotoshi Aogiyama 1-4
Aminishiki 4-1 hatakikomi Daizen 2-3
Shikishima 1-4 kimedashi Hamanoshima 2-3
Tokitsuumi 2-3 yorikiri Minatofuji 2-3
Chiyotenzan 4-1 sukuinage Takamisakari 4-1
Kotoryu 3-2 oshidashi Takatoriki 2-3
Kyokushuzan 1-4 uwatedashinage Higonoumi 3-2
Kyokutenho 4-1 yorikiri Hayateumi 2-3
Wakanoyama 4-1 makiotoshi Kotonowaka 1-4
Kaiho 3-2 tsukiotoshi Oginishiki 3-2
Tochinohana 1-4 oshidashi Asanowaka 1-4
Tochiazuma 4-1 yorikiri Tamakasuga 0-5
Takanonami 3-2 hatakikomi Musoyama 2-3
Dejima 4-1 oshidashi Akinoshima 2-3
Miyabiyama 3-2 tsukiotoshi Tochinonada 1-4
Takanowaka 1-4 yorikiri Chiyotaikai 3-2
Akebono 5-0 yorikiri Kaio 3-2
Musashimaru 4-1 oshidashi Toki 1-4
Takanohana 4-1 yorikiri Tosanoumi 1-4

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Friday's bouts

Takamisakari 0 - 0 Aminishiki
Hamanoshima 0 - 0 Sentoryu
Otsukasa 0 - 1 Daizen
Kinkaiyama 1 - 1 Minatofuji
Kyokushuzan 2 - 2 Tokitsuumi
Kotonowaka 3 - 5 Shikishima
Kaiho 3 - 2 Aogiyama
Hayateumi 0 - 1 Takatoriki
Chiyotenzan 2 - 2 Higonoumi
Oginishiki 4 - 6 Kotoryu
Kyokutenho 5 - 0 Wakanoyama
Akinoshima 4 - 1 Toki
Kaio 8 - 4 Tamakasuga
Chiyotaikai 4 - 8 Tochiazuma
Asanowaka 0 - 3 Musoyama
Dejima 6 - 1 Tochinonada
Tosanoumi 3 - 3 Miyabiyama
Takanowaka 0 - 1 Takanohana
Akebono 0 - 0 Tochinohana
Musashimaru 27 - 17 Takanonami

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Akebono grabs solo lead at 5-0

NAGOYA, Japan (AP) - Hawaii-born yokozuna (grand champion) Akebono grabbed a solo lead at 5-0 as lower-ranked Takamisakari suffered his first defeat Thursday, the fifth day of the 15-day Nagoya Grand Sumo tournament.

One victory behind Akebono at 4-1 were 10 wrestlers, including yokozunas Takanohana and Musashimaru, ozeki (champion) Dejima, and maegashira (senior wrestlers) American Sentoryu, Mongolian Kyokutenho and Takamisakari.

Wrestling at the Aichi prefectural (state) Gymnasium in central Japan, Akebono, or Chad Rowan, charged sekiwake Kaio with hand thrusts and sent him out, handing Kaio his second defeat against three victories.

Kaio, who won the previous tournament in May with a 14-1, is seeking promotion to ozeki, sumo's second highest rank.

No. 11 maegashira Takamisakari, who led the tournament with Akebono on Wednesday, drove No. 9 maegashira Chiyotenzan to the ring's edge in the initial charge, but Chiyotenzan fought off and threw him down, leaving both wrestlers at 4-1.

In the day's final bout, Takanohana sent out komusubi (junior champion second class) Tosanoumi after fighting off his foe's driving attempt at the ring's edge. Tosanoumi is 1-4.

Musashimaru, or Fiamalu Penitani from Hawaii, overpowered No. 2 maegashira Toki in hand thrusts and forced him out, leaving Toki at 1-4.

In other major bouts, ozeki Dejima fought off No. 1 maegashira Akinoshima's arm throw attempts and pushed him out, leaving Akinoshima at 2-3.

Ozeki Miyabiyama drove No. 3 maegashira Tochinonada to the ring's edge and pushed him off for his third victory against two defeats. Tochinonada is 1-4.

Sekiwake Takanonami charged ozeki Musoyama with hand thrusts against his foe's throat and quickly pulled him down for his third victory against two defeats. Musoyama is 2-3.

No. 7 maegashira Kyokutenho, or Tsevegnyam Nyamjav, grabbed No. 5 maegashira Hayateumi's belt and forced him out. Hayateumi at 2-3.

No. 8 maegashira Kyokushuzan, or Mongolian Batbayar Davaa, picked up his first victory against four defeats by throwing down No. 5 maegashira Higonoumi. Higonoumi is 3-2.

No. 13 maegashira Sentoryu, or American Henry Armstrong Miller from St. Louis, Missouri, forced out No. 14 maegashira Kinkaiyama. Kinkaiyama is 2-3.

In the 26-member juryo division, just below the senior makuuchi division, No. 8-ranked Hoshitango (0-5), or Argentine Imach Marcelo Salomon, was pushed out by No. 12-ranked Wakanojo (2-3).

In makushita, the top junior division, No. 2-ranked Asashoyu (3-0), or Mongolian Dolgorsvren Dagvadrj, sent out equally ranked Kuniazuma (2-1), or Brazilian Vander Ramos.

No. 12-ranked Wakaazuma (1-1), Yoshinobu Kuroda from Brazil, was thrown down by No. 13-ranked Kobo.

No. 42-ranked Kyokutenzan (1-2), or Mongolian Enkhbat Batmunkha, was driven out by No. 40-ranked Natsubori.

In sandanme, the second highest junior division, No. 72-ranked Asasekiryu (2-1), or Mongolian Badaarch Dashunyam, was crushed down by No. 70-ranked Haguroumi.

No. 99-ranked Azumaoh (2-1), or Brazilian Yasuto Morita, forced out No. 2-ranked Matsumidori of jonidan, the third highest junior division.

In jonidan, No. 9-ranked Kaihakusan (2-1), or South Korean Baeg Yun-gi, threw down No. 10-ranked Yanagihara.

No. 68-ranked Daibanjaku (1-2), or Mongolian Batsukh Khaidavmunkh, was crushed down by No. 70-ranked Ebisunami.

No.80-ranked Ryukizan (1-2), or South Korean Kim Soo-young, was sent out by No. 81-ranked Umebayashi.

No. 89-ranked Fudoyama (2-1), or Mongolian Nyamjuv Luvsandorj, toppled No. 82-ranked Saita with an arm throw.

Wrestlers in junior divisions have only seven bouts during the 15-day tournament.

Results of main sumo bouts

NAGOYA, Japan (AP) - Results of main bouts Thursday, the fifth day of the 15-day Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium:

Winners Losers

Sentoryu (4-1) Kinkaiyama (2-3)
Otsukasa (3-2) Aogiyama (1-4)
Aminishiki (4-1) Daizen (2-3)
Shikishima (1-4) Hamanoshima (2-3)
Tokitsuumi (2-3) Minatofuji (2-3)
Chiyotenzan (4-1) Takamisakari (4-1)
Kotoryu (3-2) Takatoriki (2-3)
Kyokushuzan (1-4) Higonoumi (3-2)
Kyokutenho (4-1) Hayateumi (2-3)
Wakanoyama (4-1) Kotonowaka (1-4)
Kaiho (3-2) Oginishiki (3-2)
Tochinohana (1-4) Asanowaka (1-4)
Tochiazuma (4-1) Tamakasuga (0-5)
Takanonami (3-2) Musoyama (2-3)
Dejima (4-1) Akinoshima (2-3)
Miyabiyama (3-2) Tochinonada (1-4)
Takanowaka (1-4) Chiyotaikai (3-2)
Akebono (5-0) Kaio (3-2)
Musashimaru (4-1) Toki (1-4)
Takanohana (4-1) Tosanoumi (1-4)

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Juryo Division

Wakanojo (2-3) Hoshitango (0-5)

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Junior Divisions:

Makushita

Asashoyu (3-0) Kuniazuma (2-1)
Kobo Wakaazuma (1-1)
Natsubori Kyokutenzan (1-2)

Sandanme

Haguroumi Asasekiryu (2-1)
Azumaoh (2-1) Matsumidori

Jonidan

Kaihakusan (2-1) Yanagihara
Ebisunami Daibanjaku (1-2)
Umebayashi Ryukizan (1-2)
Fudoyama (2-1) Saita

(Junior division wrestlers have only seven bouts during the tournament. Records of foreign wrestlers' opponents were not available.)

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Friday's main bouts

Takamisakari Aminishiki
Hamanoshima Sentoryu
Otsukasa Daizen
Kinkaiyama Minatofuji
Kyokushuzan Tokitsuumi
Kotonowaka Shikishima
Kaiho Aogiyama
Hayateumi Takatoriki
Chiyotenzan Higonoumi
Oginishiki Kotoryu
Kyokutenho Wakanoyama
Akinoshima Toki
Kaio Tamakasuga
Chiyotaikai Tochiazuma
Asanowaka Musoyama
Dejima Tochinonada
Tosanoumi Miyabiyama
Takanowaka Takanohana
Akebono Tochinohana
Musashimaru Takanonami

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Results in Scoreboard

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Kyodo News Service