Kotooshu preparation for ...

[I am the Yokozuna 193]

You could have your original name written in katakana when assuming Japanese citizenship. Mike Havenaar, a forward in the Japanese national football team, among many is just an example for this. Assuming a Japanese family name speaks volumes about intentions and current feelings.

I am pretty sure you could have your second, original, citizenship kept - you should just hand in a document that you have started a procedure of receding your initial citizenship.

[krindel 671]

Sorry for the possibly ignorance-ridden question, but is it really impossible to have a dual Bulgarian-Japanese citizenship?

According to current Japanese law: Yes!

(Dunno about Bulgaria, but wouldn't matter here anyways).

Bulgarian law allows double citizenship, but that indeed does not matter when the other country doesn't allow it.

Thank you for your swift replies. What I was thinking was correct then. It's a shame though, for people to rescind from their home places, even if I sort of expected it from a close-knit cultural nation such as Japan.

It does make me wonder, those ex-Mongolians that were taken away by Yaochogate. Their future probably wasn't bright at all.

Off topic, but citizenship is just a piece of paper that was only given a meaning by the emergence of the nation-state some 200 years ago. Letting go of one's citizenship doesn't make you lose your ethnicity or make you love the place you were born less.

No, but needing to apply for a visa to go visit your mum might put a bit of a damper on the whole "going home" feeling.

[shumitto 418]

No, but needing to apply for a visa to go visit your mum might put a bit of a damper on the whole "going home" feeling.

Japanese citizens don't need a visa to go to Europe. Of course, they might still have their entrance denied - however, I don't think Kotooshu runs this risk, given the popularity (I presume) he enjoys back home.

Visa requirements for Japanese citizens

[Mukonoso 273]

When I moved to Japan in 1991 I had to take my wife's family name to open a bank account because the only bank in her neighborhood that had an English ATM insisted on accounts being open with an "inkan" signature (the stamp used for the family names to do official business and receive packages). IIRC I kept that name for whenever I donated blood at the Japanese Red Cross.

[Andreas21 184]

(Kootoshu) would be the second European. ;)

Excuse my lack of knowledge - but who was the first then?

[shumitto 418]

(Kootoshu) would be the second European. ;)

Excuse my lack of knowledge - but who was the first then?

The article is very clear about it:

琴欧洲関が日本国籍取得へ、実現すれば欧州出身力士で初 (literal translation: Kotooshu-zeki to acquire Japanese Nationality, in succeeding/ if it materializes he will be the first rikishi from Europe [to have done it].

Edited January 17, 2014 by shumitto

[Asashosakari 19,451]

Tokitenkuu is searching for a miyoseki.

Or perhaps he's got one already...

Magaki-oyakata has given the certificate to a Tokitsukaze-ichimon rikishi.

http://www.asahi.com/articles/ASF0TKY201312200388.html

[Chinonofuji 35]

Is there much discussion about which oyakata are most effective in teaching and coaching rikishi? If so, who are considered the best and worst? Is Kotooshu expected to be good in this regard? If nothing else, I imagine prominent or gifted potential rikishi courted by multiple heya would want to know where they would get the best coaching, but I haven't heard much about it.

[shumitto 418]

Is there much discussion about which oyakata are most effective in teaching and coaching rikishi? If so, who are considered the best and worst? Is Kotooshu expected to be good in this regard? If nothing else, I imagine prominent or gifted potential rikishi courted by multiple heya would want to know where they would get the best coaching, but I haven't heard much about it.

In Japan usually the best players are supposed to be the best managers. That is seen in Baseball, too. As far as sumo goes, the top posts also go former Yokozuna and Ozeki in most cases, so, yes, Kotooshu would be expected make a good oyakata, despite being a foreign. Frankly, I think he will just make up the numbers.

[Chinonofuji 35]

Yes, making up the numbers. If I were forming a stable tomorrow, I'd want ex-rikishi who I thought were best placed to teach, to maximize the skills of new candidates. In that case, I'd look for people who were particularly good at getting the most out of their skills, like specialists in getting to the belt, great pusher-thrusters, or someone who was a department store of techniques. In Kotooshu's case, I'd fear his best skills were being tall and strong, which are hard to teach! Clearly, he's got other skills, but I could think of other rikishi I'd want to teach me technique. But I guess setting up a roster of oyakata in ozumo is not the same as setting up a baseball team's management roster. I certainly applaud his desire to stay in Japan and continue in ozumo after he quits the dohyo.

[Akinomaki 40,643]

“Kotoōshū-oyakata” has pre-scouted his first uchi-deshi, primary school 6^th year Honma (means he'll stay on for 3 more years?).

http://www.nikkansports.com/sports/sumo/news/p-sp-tp3-20140205-1253424.html