名古屋場所開催 勧告踏まえて抜本的改革を

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jun. 30, 2010)
Take tough steps to restore sumo's honor
名古屋場所開催　勧告踏まえて抜本的改革を（6月29日付・読売社説）

The Japan Sumo Association has decided to open the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament on July 11 as scheduled, despite an abnormal situation in which it will suspend many wrestlers, including seven in the top makuuchi division, from the tournament and put the JSA chairman on probation over the ongoing gambling scandal.
　幕内だけでも７人の力士を休場させ、理事長までもが謹慎という異常事態の中、日本相撲協会は７月１１日からの名古屋場所の開催を決めた。

The JSA has forfeited the public's trust through the scandal over illegal betting on professional baseball games, and there are many who question its decision to hold the Nagoya tournament. Since it is going ahead with the tournament under such adverse circumstances, the JSA must quickly present cleanup measures rigorous enough to satisfy fans of the national sport.
　野球賭博問題で相撲協会の信用は失墜した。場所開催を疑問視する声も少なくない。そうした中で場所を開くからには、協会は、ファンが納得する浄化策を早急に示さねばならない。

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Panel urged harsh penalties

The association's board of directors decided to accept recommendations made by a special investigation panel comprising 10 outside experts regarding conditions for holding the Nagoya tournament.
　相撲協会の理事会は、外部の１０人で構成する特別調査委員会から「名古屋場所開催の条件」として提示された勧告を受け入れることを決定した。

The panel recommended the JSA should dismiss or mete out heavier penalties against stablemaster Otake (former sekiwake Takatoriki), who is alleged to have habitually bet huge amounts of money, and ozeki Kotomitsuki, who was blackmailed by a former wrestler over his gambling.
　勧告は、常習的に多額の金を賭けていた大嶽親方（元関脇貴闘力）と、恐喝事件に巻き込まれた大関琴光喜について、「解雇以上」とするよう求めた。

In addition, the panel urged the JSA to put the other wrestlers involved in the illegal gambling and their stablemasters on probation. In line with the recommendations, the association decided to suspend a total of 14 wrestlers, including Kotomitsuki, from the Nagoya tournament. The stablemasters to be put on probation include JSA Chairman Musashigawa.
　さらに、野球賭博にかかわった力士と、所属する部屋の親方の謹慎も求め、これを受けて協会は、琴光喜ら１４人の力士の休場を決定した。謹慎する親方には、武蔵川理事長も含まれている。

Otake and Kotomitsuki's punishment will be officially decided at the association board meeting scheduled for Sunday, but they are likely to receive tough penalties as recommended by the panel. Many sumo fans must feel sorry to see the misconduct of Kotomitsuki, the highest-ranked Japanese wrestler, and Otake, who took over the stable established by legendary yokozuna Taiho.
　大嶽親方、琴光喜については、７月４日の理事会で改めて処分を決めるが、勧告通り、厳罰は避けられないだろう。大鵬部屋を継承した大嶽親方、日本人力士最高位の琴光喜の不祥事を残念に思うファンも多いはずだ。

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Lax management must end

The association initially intended to just give warnings to those who voluntarily confessed their involvement in illegal gambling. However, the general public would certainly regard such a penalty as too mild. The panel's recommendations apparently are a red card against the JSA's lenient attitude.
　協会は当初、賭博への関与を自己申告した者には、厳重注意でとどめようとした。しかし、一般社会では、とても通用しない甘い対応だ。勧告内容は、そうした協会の認識に対するレッドカードだったといえる。

Whenever scandals occurred in the past, the JSA was often criticized for its lax crisis management. The closed-off nature of the association, which is run totally by former wrestlers, is likely responsible for its inability to cleanse itself.
　不祥事の度に、相撲協会の危機管理の甘さが指摘されてきた。大相撲出身者が協会の運営を取り仕切る閉鎖体質が、自浄能力の欠如につながっているのだろう。

The latest gambling scandal, which involves even stablemasters, makes it clear that the discipline of the professional sumo society cannot be maintained if this continues.
　親方までも関与していた野球賭博問題を通し、今のままでは角界の規律の維持は困難であることが明白になったといえる。

Two of JSA's 12 current directors now come from outside sumo, a change that stemmed from the deadly assault that occurred in the Tokitsukaze stable. The association's leadership has to be reformed through such drastic measures as further increasing the number of board directors from outside the sumo world.
　時津風部屋の暴行死事件の教訓から、相撲協会の１２人の理事のうち、２人が外部のメンバーとなっている。この外部理事の数を大幅に増やすなど、執行体制の抜本改革が必要だ。

While Musashigawa is on probation, Hiroyoshi Murayama, a former head of the Tokyo High Public Prosecutors Office who was invited to be a JSA board director, will likely be appointed acting chairman.
　理事長代行には、外部理事の村山弘義・元東京高検検事長が就く見通しだ。

Even if the Nagoya tournament is held as scheduled, some sumo fans may complain that they do not want to cheer for the wrestlers in the ring. Certain sponsors have decided not to provide prize money for the tournament.
　名古屋場所が開催されても、土俵に声援を送る気になれないというファンもいるだろう。懸賞金の提供中止を決めた企業もある。

Concrete measures to reform the association and reeducate wrestlers must be devised urgently to make the Nagoya tournament a chance to restore the honor of professional sumo.
　名古屋場所を大相撲再生のきっかけとするためには、協会の再建や力士教育の具体策作りを急がなければならない。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, June 29, 2010)
（2010年6月29日01時40分 読売新聞）