The New Year Grand Sumo Tournament began Sunday at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, amid a new state of emergency declared due to the spread of the novel coronavirus.
PCR tests conducted by the Japan Sumo Association revealed that a large number of wrestlers were infected. As a result, an unprecedented 65 wrestlers, including people who may have been in close contact with infected persons, were absent from the tournament.
In accordance with the restrictions on holding events, the tournament welcomed a maximum of 5,000 spectators, and measures to prevent infection were strengthened.
In his customary address on the first day of the tournament, association chair Hakkaku, the former yokozuna Hokutoumi, apologized for the anxiety caused by the multiple infections in the sumo stables.
"We are taking meticulous measures to prevent infection. We will make every effort to deliver excitement to the world," he said with a solemn, determined expression.
Sales of chanko-nabe pot in the stadium, which had been scheduled to resume, were canceled, and the doors to the passageway were opened for better ventilation despite it being the middle of winter.
Many fans wore warm clothes to watch the bouts. A male office worker in his 50s who lives in Tokyo said: "It's good that the matches were held, but I have mixed feelings about the smaller number of bouts. I had the impression that all possible measures were being taken to prevent infection, so I wasn't worried about coming."
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