The banzuke committee met today to hash out the rankings chart for September. Most of the results won’t be announced until August 31st. The one bit of information we get now is who’s been promoted to Juryo, so that the new sekitori can get ready for their expanded duties.

As expected, four promotions were announced. Two are making their second-division debuts: Oki, Ms2w, 5-2 (Shikoroyama-beya), and Nishikifuji, Ms3e, 5-2 (Isegahama). Two are returning to the paid ranks: Kitaharima, Ms3w, 5-2 (Yamahibiki), and former top-division mainstay and Makushita champion Chiyonokuni, Ms12w, 7-0 (Kokonoe). Just missing out is former Komusubi Jokoryu, Ms4w, 5-2.

Reading the tea leaves, the corresponding demotions from Juryo should be J10 Asabenkei (3-12), J14 Chiyonoumi (6-9), and J13 Takagenji (6-9); the fourth slot is made available by Tochiozan’s retirement.

Also, four (rather than 5) promotions mean that Abi’s resignation proposal wasn’t acted on by the time of the meeting, and the new banzuke was presumably made without taking the likelihood of his retirement into account. This is bad news for the prospects of Nishikigi’s survival or Ichinojo’s promotion.