Sumo wrestlers admit in court to hazing, causing teen wrestler's death

Tuesday 07th October, 02:08 PM JST

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Latest 15 of 17 Total Comments Show All

outofmydepth at 02:26 PM JST - 7th October

they should be BANNED FOR LIFE for killing someone. oh, they were just following orders. well, the stablemaster should be banned for life, too.
notimpressed at 02:35 PM JST - 7th October

at least they didnt smoke pot though so all is forgiven!!
Xennon at 02:46 PM JST - 7th October

Banned for life and jail time.
dennis0bauer at 03:04 PM JST - 7th October

No, a small fine i think, because they kept the sumo tradition high!
Spidey at 03:11 PM JST - 7th October

Exile the bunch of them!! Oh wait! That only applies to foreigners. Carry on then.

S
timorborder at 03:11 PM JST - 7th October

What would happen if they had smoked pot and then killed someone, a helter skelter type of trip, man? Imagine that, 3 big guys is G-strings on a mission from god? Wonder what the punishment would have been from the JSA?

Coming back to earth for a moment, it has to be remembered that these guys are currently in front of the courts, not the JSA. It also has to be remembered that, if the JSA had had its way, this crime would never have been reported. I seem to remember that the ex-stablemaster (rather clumisly) tried to cover up things by offering the parents a quick funeral (like an express wedding in Las Vegas). It was only the suspicions of the parent that resulted in this crime coming to light. Moreover, the cops were in cohorts with the xenophobic cabal that is the JSA, originally calling this boy's death a case of "misadventure."

Hang 'em all, after a good beating with a beer bottle.
IchyaParadise at 03:27 PM JST - 7th October

Now, now...the cops in league with the criminals. Humbug I say. They are out looking for the best interests of the Japanese people and the foreigners here with them. lol!

Seriously, hope all these cats burn. I hope the family gets some closure and everything comes back full circle. Get the needle out, unless they got some industrial strenght rope.
smithinjapan at 03:58 PM JST - 7th October

Okay... hang on a second... it was initially 'found' that the victim died of acute heart failure, eh? Well, that's GOT to be pretty lousy police work even for Japanese police (possibly the most bumbling and ineffectual in the world). I mean... were there NO bruises or marks left by the wooden stick, metal bat, and beer bottle? If the guy died of shock from all the trauma, then there should certainly have been a few bruises and cuts, to say the least. No doubt these police were simply paid off and then forced to recant their previous 'diagnoses' once the parents or real police got to see the body.

Anyway, I think it's time they put an end to this so-called sport; there's more corruption in it than in any other, or so it seems of late, and it's so out of touch with this day and age. At the very least get rid of the JSA and have Japan move up with the times in terms of Sumo and it's archaic rules.
NuckinFutz at 04:00 PM JST - 7th October

The term hazing seems somewhat inappropriate since the wrestler died. How about we call it murder ... plain and simple? Those who carried out the stablemasters instructions are JUST AS GUILTY as the stablemaster himself. How can they say they couldn't go against his wishes if they knew those wishes were illegal?

I hope the whole damn sport goes under!
serindipity at 04:51 PM JST - 7th October

Well, Sumo is not a sport. It is an institution that will never go under. However, the beatings of the underlings has been going on for centuries. It is just as much a part of the institution as the corruption and match fixing is. These thugs will not receive jail time. The stablemaster will get a suspended sentence after making a public apology and the family of the victim will receive an undisclosed amount of compensation (quiet money) from the Sumo federation. In a month it will all be back to normal with regular beatings taking place behind closed doors.
northlondon at 06:58 PM JST - 7th October

I wonder where the term 'hazing' popped up from in this article ? Was it JT ? The expression hazing usually describes an initiation rite or physical roughing-up of a junior member. This was not the case. The kid was beaten to death because he wanted to leave the stable and attempted to run away. It is not right to use the word 'hazing' for this story as it implies some kind of reason for this assault.
seesaw at 08:05 PM JST - 7th October

i agree with serindipity.....this is JAPAN...:)
isthistheend at 08:51 PM JST - 7th October

Yes, seredipity seems to have all the bases covered. Except, why doesn't some Japanese lawyer stand up to the damn JSA as the friendly Nariaki Nakayama stood up to the teachers union?
BBLeo at 09:09 PM JST - 7th October

I remember this case, was it last year? Why is taking so long to start this trial? Short of judges? This wrestling people aren't very clever in their brains, because their muscles are thinking for them. And all three accused are absurd and scumbags. If they think that they will retain their names this way, than I would like to see the verdict from judge, and if guilty hope that they join the wrestling club in jail with wardens.
bamboohat at 10:13 PM JST - 7th October

Two points. Shortly after they decided to re autopsize this poor kid, there was an OP/ED piece in the LA TIMES that relied heavily on a book written by an ex tokyo cop detectective. This ex cop basically slammed the cops as only making arrests that make them look good, and being literally afraid and sometimes even disuaded from pursuing cases where they are not completely sure of an easy conviction/confession. As others already said above, this ex cop pointed out it would take a drunken CSI flunkie NOT to decide to do an autopsy, given the condition of the body. In said book, he cited many examples of such blatant disregard for justice in the name of a high conviction rate and "face" going back to after WWII.

Second point, I have little sympathy for the parents. Scratch that. I have no sympathy for the parents. This 17 y/o kid ran away from the stable, back home to his parents, trying to tell them what a horrible place it was. They didn't listen to him, and sent him back. Apprantly, being the proud parents of a sumo star was more important to them than their son's happiness and safety.