<figure id="attachment_391809" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-391809" style="width: 1547px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="f54ed200"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/09/34be110ee82af5d70dd8562b1194f181.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-391809" class="wp-caption-text">In late August, we directly confronted Isegahama Oyakata near his room, but he left one word: &#8220;I can&#8217;t talk about it unless the association gives me permission,&#8221; and went to a gymnasium.</figcaption></figure>
<h2> Hakuho&#8217;s disciples are now&#8230;</h2>
<p> In February of this year, the Japan Sumo Association handed Miyagino Oyakata (former yokozuna Hakuho, 39) a two rank demotion and a pay cut for assaulting his younger brother, Hokushoho (22), a former makuuchi (top-ranked sumo wrestler).</p>
<p> Starting in March, the Miyagino stable was placed under the custody of the Sumo Association, and in April it was transferred to the Isegahama stable. The Miyagino stable was closed. Six months after the turmoil that rocked the sumo world, the 18 rikishi who had belonged to the former Miyagino-ya had left the ring. One of them, Mr. A, testified that he was ordered by the association to stay out of the ring during the Osaka tournament.</p>
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<p><span class="strongInContent"> As soon as I entered the dormitory in Uehonmachi, Osaka, in March, I was given strict orders through the stablemaster (former Hakuho) that I was not to leave the ring at all. He told me, &#8216;This is an order from the association. Even we were treated as perpetrators of the assault. At the time, there were many members of the media around the dormitory, so perhaps they were trying to keep us from talking. About a week after the curfew, Tamagaki Oyakata, our acting master, who was concerned about our situation, contacted the association, and we were allowed to go out only to a convenience store, laundromat, hospital, and osteopathic clinic. Why should we, who did nothing wrong, be put in this situation? I can only think that they are trying to ostracize the master and his disciples.</span></p>
<p> The hardships of Hakuho&#8217;s beloved disciples continued even after he moved to the Isegahama stable. One of them, Mr. B, confided, &#8220;The room is about 20 tatami mats on the first basement floor.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> There were four bunk beds in the room, and the rikishi slept together in the extra space. There were no windows in the rooms and cameras on the ceiling. We had no privacy and no rest at all, so many of us fell ill.</span></p>
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<div data-friday-nextpage-lead=" The &quot;written pledge&quot; that was thrust upon them"></div>
<h2>Unfair &#8220;written pledge</h2>
<p> The most common complaint from former Miyagino-ya wrestlers is the &#8220;written pledge&#8221; (second photo) that was presented to them upon transfer. The written pledge contains a series of harsh phrases, such as, &#8220;If you violate even one of the pledges, you will be put out of business or retired.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> It&#8217;s absolutely ridiculous. It&#8217;s a message that says, &#8216;You can be fired at any time. It&#8217;s a message that says, &#8216;I&#8217;m really sorry for this situation, and I&#8217;ll take care of everything. He bowed to us and said, &#8216;I&#8217;ll take care of everything, so just sign the papers for now,&#8217; so we reluctantly signed the papers.</span></p>
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<p> Masaru Wakasa, a former Tokyo High Public Prosecutors Office prosecutor and lawyer, raised his eyebrows, saying, &#8220;This is an abuse of a superior position and is suspected of being illegal.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> Even if it is a small violation, it is clearly a problem because it means that a rikishi who belongs to the Sumo Association can be put out of business or retired under the direction of the Isegahama stablemaster. If a company were to do the same thing to its employees or business partners, it would constitute an unfair contractual relationship or transaction, and would be a violation of the Labor Law and the Antimonopoly Law. Although the Antimonopoly Law does not apply because it is between the stablemaster and the rikishi, it is the same structure that allows them to make unfair pledges from a position of superiority.&#8221;</span></p>
<p> Is there any truth to their complaint that former Miyagino-ya wrestlers were forbidden to go out and forced to write a one-sided written pledge? What was the reason for making them live in the basement?</p>
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<p> FRIDAY contacted Isegahama Oyakata, 64, through the Sumo Association, but he refused to answer our request for an interview, and in late August, when we directly interviewed him, he simply replied, &#8220;I will talk about anything if the association allows it, but if not, I will not talk about it.</p>
<p> Later, we sent another letter of inquiry to the Sumo Association and the Isegahama stable, but neither responded by the deadline.</p>
<p> The remaining rikishi in the Isegahama stable continue to live in the basement.</p>
<figure id="attachment_391807" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-391807" style="width: 2114px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="f235c9f9"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/09/f994eef27789477abd38a344c366d0fe.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-391807" class="wp-caption-text"> A written pledge that former Miyagino stable members were forced to sign before being transferred to the Isegahama stable.</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_391806" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-391806" style="width: 2500px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="11b1cc86"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/09/7a2064535f4d046862aee2b665c9317a.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-391806" class="wp-caption-text"> Miyagino Oyakata (former Hakuho) is in the middle of the controversy. His former disciples hope to revive the Miyagino-ya, but it has been a rocky road to recovery.</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_391808" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-391808" style="width: 2500px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="d824c47a"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/09/0b77ec3393f1f97be1254fe41ad83a7d.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-391808" class="wp-caption-text"> I am going to expel the master and his disciples. &#8230;&#8230;&#8221; Mr. A, a former member of the Miyagino stable, told this magazine, &#8220;The association&#8217;s response to the problems after they came to light was to expel me. He said, &#8220;I thought the way the association handled the situation after the problem was discovered was bullying toward us rikishi.</figcaption></figure>
<p> From the September 27 and October 4, 2024 issue of FRIDAY</p>


 Kei Kato (nonfiction writer)

 Ippei Hara (Isegahama Oyakata), Takahiro Kagawa (Miyagino Oyakata), Kei Kato (former rikishi)

 Six months have passed since the former Makuuchi Kitaseiho's assault led to the closure of his stable, and seven of the 18 rikishi who had belonged to the former Miyagino stable have left the ring. What exactly happened? What did Hakuho's favorite disciples confess about the cold treatment they received after transferring to the Isegahama stable?

Hakuho’s disciples confessed that they were treated coldly after being transferred to the Isegahama stable.

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