Ex-Makuuchi Terutsuyoshi Skips Duties for Reptile Show—Allegedly Faked Parking Permit, A Habit from Active Days

“I copied and used a forged parking permit. It was convenient and easy since I could drive right away.”

The former sumo wrestler arrested made this statement to police and admitted to the charges.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Honjo Station arrested Shoki Suzuki (30), a self-proclaimed martial artist living in Sumida Ward, Tokyo, on August 18 on suspicion of using a forged official document with a seal. Suzuki, formerly active under the sumo name Terutsuyoshi, reached the rank of Maegashira 3 and retired last March. He is alleged to have forged a parking permit exempt from restrictions and repeatedly parked illegally.

“The incident in question occurred on the night of July 21 last year. Terutsuyoshi apparently placed a fake permit on his car’s dashboard in front of his apartment building. The next day, after neighbors reported illegal parking, police investigation revealed that the permit lacked the anti-forgery hologram.

Moreover, the permit was issued under the name of a deceased man, and the validity date had been altered. There is no evidence that he used a nearby parking lot, suggesting he repeatedly parked illegally using the forged permit. The forged permit had been reproduced via color copy,” said a reporter from a national newspaper’s social affairs desk.

Gagged with tape

Terutsuyoshi, born in Hyogo Prefecture on January 17, 1995—the day of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake—was given his sumo name by his master with the wish that he grows strong and illuminate the disaster-stricken area. Standing at 169 cm, he was a small but speedy wrestler who was popular for his agile bouts. However, he was also known for being lazy even during his active career.

“He was a talkative, mischievous wrestler, and at times, senior wrestlers would put tape over his mouth to stop him from chatting. His laziness became evident in October 2022. He skipped a tour in Kiryu City, Gunma Prefecture, citing a ‘fever caused by swollen tonsils.’ But reports (Weekly Bunshun, December 15, 2022) revealed he had attended a reptile event at Tokyo Big Sight.

Terutsuyoshi is well known for keeping snakes and lizards at home. At the event, a friend of his had a booth, and photos of the two together were posted on Twitter (now X) but later deleted. The Japan Sumo Association issued a strict warning for skipping the tour, and in the November, tournament immediately following, he finished with a disastrous 0–15 record,” said a sumo association official.

Skipping tours to attend a reptile event, forging parking permits, and committing illegal parking—actions that betray the hopes embedded in his sumo name, according to Taihei Ogawa, a former Kanagawa Prefectural Police detective and crime journalist.

“Nowadays, parking inspectors patrol frequently. Thinking that illegal parking would be overlooked just because of a forged permit is naive. Each permit has a unique registration number, so forgery is quickly discovered. Having lived solely in the sumo world, it’s perhaps unsurprising that he is unfamiliar with the wider world. Considering how he persevered despite his small stature, it’s truly disappointing,” Ogawa added.

On August 20, during his transfer for prosecution, Terutsuyoshi remained head down throughout the ride in the back seat of the police van.