Japan Sumo Association
Nihon Sumō Kyōkai | |
| Predecessor | Edo-sumo Kaisho |
|---|---|
| Formation | December 28, 1925 |
| Merger of | Tokyo Sumo Association, Osaka Sumo Association |
| Type | Nonprofit |
| Legal status | Public Interest Incorporated Foundation |
| Purpose | Organization of sumo tournaments and promotion of sumo culture. Maintenance and operation of sumo training schools, Ryōgoku Kokugikan and Sumo Museum. |
| Headquarters | Ryōgoku Kokugikan |
| Location |
|
| Coordinates | 35°41′49″N 139°47′36″E / 35.69694°N 139.79338°E |
Region served | Japan |
| Membership | c. 1,000 |
Official language | Japanese |
Chairman | Hakkaku Nobuyoshi |
| See below | |
Key people | Kasugano Kiyotaka (current Operations director) Takadagawa Katsumi (current Judging department chairman) Tadamori Ōshima (current Chairman of the Yokozuna Deliberation Council) |
Parent organization | Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology |
| Subsidiaries | Kokugikan Service Company, Sumo Museum |
| Secessions | Takasago Kaisei-Gumi (1873–1878) All Japan Kansai Sumo Association (1932–1937) |
| Affiliations | Yokozuna Deliberation Council (advisory body) |
| Revenue | ¥13 billion (2023) |
| Website | https://www.sumo.or.jp/En/ |
Formerly called | All Japan Sumo Association (大日本相撲協会) |
The Japan Sumo Association (Japanese: 日本相撲協会, Hepburn: Nihon Sumō Kyōkai), officially the Public Interest Incorporated Foundation Japan Sumo Association (公益財団法人日本相撲協会, Kōeki zaidanhōjin Nihon Sumō Kyōkai); sometimes abbreviated JSA or NSK, and more usually called Sumo Kyōkai, is the governing body that operates and controls professional sumo wrestling, called ōzumō (大相撲), in Japan under the jurisdiction of the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT).
Concretely, the association maintains and develops sumo traditions and integrity by holding tournaments and tours. The purposes of the association are also to develop the means dedicated to the sport and maintain, manage and operate the facilities necessary for these activities. Therefore, the JSA operates subsidiaries such as the Kokugikan Service Company to organize its economic aspects, the Sumo School to organize training and instruction or the Sumo Museum to preserve and utilize sumo wrestling records and artefacts.
Though professionals, such as active wrestlers, referees, hairdressers and ushers, are all on the association's payroll, leadership positions are restricted to retired wrestlers. The organization has its headquarters in the Ryōgoku Kokugikan arena, in Sumida, Tokyo.
The association's culture is based on respect for the law and continuity of sumo's traditions, deeply rooted in Japan's history and Shinto religion. It has a reputation for secrecy. In response to a number of scandals, the association has implemented numerous reforms in recent decades.