It was a rumor a few weeks ago, and now it seems like it is actually going to happen. I admit that I considered the entire concept far-fetched, but for the first time a sitting US President will be in attendance at the Kokugikan. The plan is that US President Donald Trump will be on hand for the some or all of the top division on the final day of the tournament, Sunday 26th. He has stated his desire to hand out at least one award to the yusho winner.
President Trump is a remarkably polarizing figure, both in the US and internationally, and many sumo fans will have mixed feelings about his presence at the basho. Personally I have found sumo to be refreshingly free of international politics, and has made for a fantastic escape from the nonsense that crowds the daily news. But if the President wants to enjoy sumo (which all of us do), I am big enough to welcome him to the global fan base, and encourage him to consider consulting Tachiai should the ritual, the competition and power that is sumo captures his interest.
One thing is absolutely certain, a Presidential visit to the Kokugikan will bring massive attention from the American public into the world of sumo. At Tachiai we are expecting a flood of new readers in the days just before and just following senshuraku. But we think that in addition to the normal crowd of boisterous sumo fans, we will find people with a political viewpoint to express. So for our long time readers, please do not take it personally if we close comments on some posts, as Team Tachiai has agreed – we want to keep the site focused on sumo, and keep politics on the other 10 billion sites on the web.
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Sumo is sumo and politics is…… not sumo.
Well put Bruce
I would also like to refer folks who might want some more background on the subject to John Gunning’s EXCELLENT post in the Japan Times about the times when sumo and politics have crossed, which just ran this week: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2019/05/09/sumo/sumo-attracts-famous-politicians-seeking-public-affection-attention/
pique
Hear! Hear!
I may not agree with most of his politics or actions but I can get behind increased interest in sumo over here. Imagine if there was an actual amateur sumo scene in the US.
I pray he never makes it on the Dohyo.
I have been a reader reader for several years, but never commented ( in writing). All of you have a great technical knowledge of sumo and I have been happy to be a “learner” ( so much nicer than “lurker”). I wanted to post and be counted in before the Trump-inspired rush. My love affair with Sumo began when we lived in Kobe from 1972-1977 — back in the days of Wajima and Takanohana. NHK supplied color television, but absolutely no English translations. So my sumo knowledge was entirely visual, no audio explanations. Sad lack of sumo until several years back, I found out that NHK was (minimally) covering Sumo. Even better, a few years ago I discovered Tachiai! Thank you from the bottom of my heart. And I respectfully request that you forcibly clamp down on the inappropriate comments. My greatest fear with all of this, whether President Trump actually attends any part of senshuraku, that tweets will trivialize (or worse) any part of sumo. Thank you all again!!
We are still trying to think through how to handle sumo comments on senshuraku. I am sure there will be lots to talk about, but we want to avoid any intersection between the basho and the final day guest, part from the fact that he is a world figure, and he will be in attendance. I think Prime Minster Abe will be present as well, so it would be a double-header.
Of course we could be completely surprised, and Kim Jong Un might show up, and challenge the President to settle the Korean War once and for all in a single elimination match.
While most would dismiss it out of hand, I think this proposal merits consideration.
I don’t think either of their egos could handle such a public and humiliating athletic defeat.
Isn’t the dohyo supposed to be a pure, holy place?
I’d pay to see that; PM Abe can be a fill-in gyoji XD And if Kim Jong Un lost to a 70+-year-old man, I think most could put their political opinions aside for long enough to laugh ;p
Your decision to come out and comment for the first time has inspired me to do the opposite. From now on I shall become a spectator. Commenting on this site for a brief period of time has reminded me why I stopped commenting on youtube videos a long time ago. So long, Tachiai.
Sorry — they posted me under someone else’s user name. My (new) one is an7277
Did he score some “Arena C” tickets through buysumotickets.com?
His presence would be a security nightmare, and I expect the Secret Service will talk him out of spending much, if any, time there. Or try to. If he does show, it will create a major headache for everyone in attendance, from fans to officials to rikishi.
And no good comes to anything he pays attention to.
Maybe the Don could avoid controversy by sending his great-nephew Judd Trump, the world snooker champion as his representative. Snooker is full of strict and sometimes arcane regulations on conduct and etiquette and Judd is well versed in picking up big trophies.
Fake news, my friend! They are not related.
I don’t like the idea of any head of state, whether it’s Trump or anyone else, handing out trophies on-dohyo, but that’s ultimately up to the NSK and whoever else, and it would hardly be the first controversial decision they’ve ever made.
As far as Trump himself attending just as a spectator, though? Why not? If PM Abe’s there, the security’s already going to be tight, and yeah there’ll probably be seats that go unsold and the arena’ll just have to eat that loss, (unless one nation’s government or the other is buying them out,) in order to create a “buffer zone,” but I actually would love to see a POTUS enjoying sumo. It could be a boon for the sport, and NHK World, possibly. (Not going to lie, the idea of Barron Trump with a sumo souvenir also makes me giggle ;p )
And that Bruce, is one of the many things I appreciate about Tachiai. Thank you.
President Trump will probably tweet something like “I could have beaten the hell out of those guys. They didn’t seem so tough to me. What’s up with their suits? I didn’t think sumo was done in birthday suits and no ties.”
I’m just afraid he’ll tweet or say something stupid. Sigh.