Shobushi Kanji

Shobushi Kanji (勝武士 幹士, real name Kiyotaka Suetake (末武 清孝, Suetake Kiyotaka) and born Kiyotaka Ōmori (大森 清孝, Ōmori Kiyotaka); November 4, 1991 – May 13, 2020)[1] was a Japanese sumo wrestler from Kōfu, Yamanashi. He was the first sumo wrestler to die from the coronavirus, and is also thought to be the first person in their 20s to die from the virus in Japan.[2]

Shobushi Kanji
勝武士 幹士
Shobushi performing shokkiri, or comic sumo, with Takamisato at an exhibition in April 2017
Personal information
BornKiyotaka Ōmori
(1991-11-04)November 4, 1991
Kōfu, Yamanashi, Japan
DiedMay 13, 2020(2020-05-13) (aged 28)
Tokyo, Japan
Height1.66 m (5 ft 5 1⁄2 in)
Weight111.2 kg (245 lb; 17.51 st)
Career
StableTakadagawa
Record260-279
DebutMarch, 2007
Highest rankSandanme 11 (November, 2017)

Career

Shobushi did judo at Kai's Ryuo Junior High School. He joined Takadagawa stable in 2007. His highest rank was sandanme 11, which he achieved in November 2017. He was a personal attendant (付け人, tsukebito) to his stablemate Ryuden, who was a fellow Yamanashi Prefecture native and alumnus of his junior high school judo club.[3] Starting in March 2014, Shobushi was a performer of comic sumo displays (初っ切り, shokkiri) on regional tours and exhibition tournaments. His partner in the performances was Takamisato of the Azumazeki stable. Usually both wrestlers in shokkiri are from the same stable, but Azumazeki had no-one small enough to provide a contrast to the larger Takamisato, so Shobushi who was of short stature and weighed only around 110 kilograms (240 lb) was asked instead.[4] Following Takamisato's retirement in 2018 Shobushi's partner was Ebisumaru, who made his professional debut alongside Shobushi and is also from Takadagawa. Shobushi also performed at Takekaze's retirement ceremony (断髪式, danpatsu-shiki) in February 2020.

Illness and death

Shobushi was the first sumo wrestler confirmed to have been infected with the coronavirus, though his identity was not disclosed at the time.[5][2] On April 4, he developed a fever, but was not able to get medical attention or get admitted to a hospital until April 8 when coughing up blood, due to the high number of people with symptoms that Japan was experiencing at the time.[6] An initial test for coronavirus came back negative, but after being transferred to a different hospital he tested positive on April 10. He remained in intensive care from April 19 until his death from multiple organ failure brought on COVID-19 related pneumonia on May 13.[7] Prior to his death, he suffered from diabetes and in 2016 had to withdraw from a bout because of hypoglycemia.[8] He was the first active sumo wrestler to die since Wakamiume of the makushita division died of acute myelogenous leukemia in 2008.[9] Shortly before the announcement of his death, the May tournament was cancelled.

The Nishonoseki ichimon (a group of related stables) is planning to hold a ichimon funeral for Shobushi, which are normally reserved for wrestlers who go on to be elders of the Japan Sumo Association (JSA). The JSA chairman, Hakkaku, said after Shobushi's death, "We cannot find any words to say when we think about the broken hearts of his family. It must have been so very painful to fight the disease for over a month but, like a sumo wrestler, he persevered and endured, fighting to the very end. We only wish that he rests in peace now."[10]

Fighting style

Shobushi was an oshi-sumo specialist who preferred pushing and thrusting rather than fighting on the mawashi. His most common winning kimarite or techniques were oshi-dashi (push out) and tsuki-otoshi (thrust over).[11]

Career record
Shobushi Kanji[12]
Year in sumo January
Hatsu basho, Tokyo		 March
Haru basho, Osaka		 May
Natsu basho, Tokyo		 July
Nagoya basho, Nagoya		 September
Aki basho, Tokyo		 November
Kyūshū basho, Fukuoka
2007 x (Maezumo) East Jonokuchi #24
4–3
 		 East Jonidan #117
3–4
 		 East Jonokuchi #3
4–3
 		 East Jonidan #99
2–5
 
2008 West Jonokuchi #2
6–1
 		 East Jonidan #40
2–5
 		 East Jonidan #73
4–3
 		 West Jonidan #46
2–5
 		 East Jonidan #82
3–4
 		 East Jonidan #103
5–2
 
2009 West Jonidan #61
4–3
 		 East Jonidan #33
3–4
 		 West Jonidan #56
4–3
 		 West Jonidan #33
6–1
 		 West Sandanme #70
1–6
 		 West Jonidan #4
2–5
 
2010 East Jonidan #37
3–4
 		 East Jonidan #56
3–4
 		 East Jonidan #78
5–2
 		 East Jonidan #34
6–1
 		 West Sandanme #70
2–5
 		 West Sandanme #100
2–5
 
2011 East Jonidan #34
5–2
 		 East Sandanme #67
Tournament Cancelled
0–0–0		 East Sandanme #97
5–2
 		 West Sandanme #49
3–4
 		 West Sandanme #68
2–5
 		 East Sandanme #94
4–3
 
2012 West Sandanme #77
5–2
 		 West Sandanme #45
2–5
 		 East Sandanme #75
1–6
 		 West Jonidan #9
4–3
 		 East Sandanme #92
4–3
 		 East Sandanme #73
4–3
 
2013 East Sandanme #55
2–5
 		 East Sandanme #73
4–3
 		 West Sandanme #54
1–6
 		 West Sandanme #86
3–4
 		 East Jonidan #6
5–2
 		 East Sandanme #74
2–5
 
2014 East Jonidan #1
4–3
 		 West Sandanme #81
5–2
 		 West Sandanme #49
0–7
 		 West Sandanme #99
5–2
 		 East Sandanme #65
3–4
 		 East Sandanme #82
5–2
 
2015 East Sandanme #50
2–5
 		 West Sandanme #75
3–4
 		 East Sandanme #96
4–3
 		 East Sandanme #76
1–6
 		 East Jonidan #23
5–2
 		 East Sandanme #88
5–2
 
2016 West Sandanme #54
5–2
 		 West Sandanme #27
2–5
 		 West Sandanme #56
4–3
 		 West Sandanme #41
4–3
 		 East Sandanme #25
4–3
 		 East Sandanme #12
1–6
 
2017 East Sandanme #41
2–5
 		 West Sandanme #72
3–4
 		 West Sandanme #90
4–3
 		 West Sandanme #70
5–2
 		 West Sandanme #37
5–2
 		 East Sandanme #11
2–5
 
2018 East Sandanme #41
2–5
 		 West Sandanme #65
3–4
 		 West Sandanme #81
2–5
 		 West Jonidan #6
4–3
 		 West Sandanme #87
4–3
 		 East Sandanme #72
3–4
 
2019 East Sandanme #85
3–4
 		 West Sandanme #95
2–5
 		 West Jonidan #25
4–3
 		 East Jonidan #5
2–5
 		 East Jonidan #41
5–2
 		 East Jonidan #4
4–3
 
2020 East Sandanme #84
4–3
 		 West Sandanme #64
3–4
 		 West Sandanme #82
Tournament Cancelled
0–0–0		 x x x
Record given as win-loss-absent    Top Division Champion Top Division Runner-up Retired Lower Divisions

Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique     Also shown: ★=Kinboshi(s); P=Playoff(s)
Divisions: Makuuchi — Jūryō — Makushita — Sandanme — Jonidan — Jonokuchi

Makuuchi ranks: Yokozuna — Ōzeki — Sekiwake — Komusubi — Maegashira
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See also

References
  1. "２８歳の勝武士さんがコロナ死　八角理事長「言葉も見つかりません」". Yahoo Japan (in Japanese). 13 May 2020. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  2. "28-year-old sumo wrestler dies after coronavirus infection". english.kyodonews.net. Kyodo. 13 May 2020. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  3. "勝武士さん、異例の一門葬も…親方衆ら対象多いが協会関係者「約１か月も頑張った証しとして」". Hochi (in Japanese). 14 May 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  4. "コンビ秘話…勝武士さん初っ切り相棒に聞く（上）". Nikkan Sports. 14 May 2020. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  5. "1st sumo wrestler tests positive for coronavirus". english.kyodonews.net. Kyodo. 10 April 2020. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  6. As Japan reopens, coronavirus testing slowed by bureaucracy and staff shortages, Reuters (28 May 2020)
  7. Hiroshi, Morita (11 June 2020). "Grand sumo confronts the coronavirus challenge". NHK World Japan. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  8. "巡業人気者の勝武士さん、土俵下で糖尿発症不戦敗も". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  9. "コロナ感染の力士死去 角界初 三段目・２８歳勝武士さん". Tokyo Shimbun (in Japanese). 14 May 2020. Archived from the original on 20 May 2020. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  10. "Japanese sumo wrestler Shobushi dies of COVID-19 at age 28". Yahoo! Sports. 13 May 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  11. "Wins of Shobushi". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  12. "Shobushi Kanji Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
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