Onosato Promoted, Vows to Be ‘Unrivaled’ Yokozuna; 1st Japan-Born Rikishi to Reach Top Ranking in 8 Years (Update1)

The Yomiuri Shimbun

10:17 JST, May 28, 2025 (updated at 16:32 JST)

Onosato was formally promoted to sumo’s uppermost rank of yokozuna on Wednesday.

The Japan Sumo Association that day reached a unanimous decision on the promotion at a panel meeting to discuss the rankings for the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament in July and its extraordinary board of directors meeting.

Onosato, 24, is the second rikishi to be promoted to yokozuna this year, after Hoshoryu was awarded the rank following the New Year tournament. He is the first Japanese native to become a yokozuna in eight years, following Kisenosato, who is now his stablemaster, Nishonoseki.

Onosato was notified by the association of his promotion to become the 75th modern Yokozuna while at the Nishonoseki stable in Ami, Ibaraki Prefecture, on Wednesday. Responding to the news alongside his stablemaster, Onosato said, “I will train diligently so as not to tarnish the status of Yokozuna and aim to be an unrivaled yokozuna.”

After graduating from Nippon Sport Science University as an amateur sumo champion, Onosato, whose real name is Daiki Nakamura, made his sumo debut in the summer tournament in May 2023 in the makushita division, the third highest of sumo’s six divisions.

He was promoted to the juryo division for the autumn tournament in September 2023 and then the makuuchi division for the New Year tournament in January 2024. His first tournament victory was the 2024 summer tournament.

Onosato attained the second highest rank of ozeki after clinching his second tournament victory in the 2024 autumn tournament.

Becoming yokozuna after 13 tournaments is the quickest rise since the system of six tournaments a year was introduced in 1958. The previous record was held by fellow Ishikawa Prefecture native Wajima, who took 21 tournaments.

Achieving the promotion after only nine tournaments in the makuuchi division is also a record, surpassing Taiho, who took 11.

Onosato, standing 192 centimeters tall and weighing 191 kilograms, is the first yokozuna from Ishikawa Prefecture since Wajima 52 years ago.

In the upcoming Nagoya tournament, there will be two yokozuna and one ozeki. It will be the first tournament since the 2021 autumn tournament for there to be a yokozuna in both the east and west sides of the banzuke sumo ranking.