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Japan's NHK won't air sumo meet over mob scandals
AFP - Wednesday, July 7
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TOKYO (AFP) - – Japan's NHK network said Tuesday it won't air an upcoming sumo tournament because of scandals linked to yakuza crime groups, the first time it has scrapped the broadcast in more than 50 years.
Scores of wrestlers in the ancient sport, who are expected to act as role models in Japan, have been involved in illegal gambling on baseball games and other sports, long a source of cash for Japanese mobsters.
Top members of the Yamaguchi-gumi crime syndicate have also been given ringside seats at recent sumo tournaments, apparently to send a silent message to jailed gangsters because NHK broadcasts are shown in prisons.
The government-run Japan Broadcasting Corp (NHK) -- which has televised sumo tournaments since 1953 and broadcast them on the radio since 1928 -- has been angered by the latest scandal to hit sumo.
"NHK chairman announces Nagoya tournament will not be broadcast," the station said in a breaking news flash after chairman Shigeo Fukuchi made the announcement at a press conference.
Rather than broadcast the fights live, it will show only results and highlights, Fukuchi said, adding that viewers' complaints had rained in over sumo's "once-in-a-century crisis".
"This is a very significant and regrettable issue," he said. "We have received very severe opinions from our viewers every day."
The gambling scandal had already led major sponsors, including food maker Nagatanien and electronics maker Fuji Xerox, to pull out of the July 11-25 event, one of the sport's six annual tournaments.
Governing body the Japan Sumo Association has said scores of wrestlers had admitted to illegal gambling and banned more than 10 from the meet in the central city of Nagoya.
The association on Sunday also fired wrestler Kotomitsuki, 34, ranked second only to the "yokozuna" grand champions, along with his stablemaster Otake, 42, for taking part in illegal gambling on baseball.
Betting in Japan is permitted only on horse racing and certain motor sports.
The association's president Musashigawa was also suspended from his job as head of the ancient sport's governing body.
Police last month arrested a former wrestler-turned-gangster, Mitsutomo Furuichi, 38, on extortion charges after he had allegedly blackmailed Kotomitsuki, threatening to expose his gambling.
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