[sumo] Lawsuit Story

[Angie]

Good.  This is as it should be.

Angie in Texas, US


--- Jeff Anderson <jeffand at regent.edu> wrote:

> >From today's Japan times
>  
>  
> Wednesday, April 4, 2007
> 
> Sumo group files suit over bout-fixing allegations
> Kyodo News
> 
> The Japan Sumo Association and its chairman, Kitanoumi, filed a lawsuit in
> the Tokyo District Court on Tuesday against magazine publisher Kodansha Ltd.
> for 110 million yen in damages and the publication of an apology for
> articles that allege bout-fixing.
> 
> The suit was filed against Kodansha, publisher of the weekly Shukan Gendai,
> which carried the articles, and others in the second lawsuit filed by the
> association over the reports.
> 
> The JSA and 17 wrestlers, including Mongolian-born grand champion Asashoryu,
> filed a lawsuit with the same court Feb. 23 against Kodansha, two of its
> officials and Yorimasa Takeda, who wrote the articles, seeking 480 million
> yen in damages.
> 
> The new suit claims that Shukan Gendai misled readers by printing articles
> that allege the championship match on the final day of the 1975 Spring Grand
> Sumo Tournament between yokozuna Kitanoumi and the late ozeki Takanohana was
> fixed. Takanohana, who became stable master Futagoyama after he retired, won
> the tournament.
> 
> The articles also claim that JSA stable masters traded their wrestlers'
> performances for money, and the lawsuit says these allegations damaged the
> plaintiffs' honor and social standing.
> 
> Keiji Isaji, a lawyer for the sumo association, said the allegations about
> Kitanoumi and Takanohana are libelous.
> 
> Isaji met Tuesday with sumo wrestlers not involved in the first lawsuit to
> prepare for a possible third suit over the articles.
> 
> The Shukan Gendai's editorial division said it would not comment on the
> group's lawsuit.
> 
> In the first suit, the plaintiffs are arguing the magazine defamed the
> plaintiffs by alleging that Asashoryu habitually pays opponents to lose and
> that other wrestlers engage in fixing bouts upon request.
> 
>  
> Best regards,
> Jeffrey Anderson
>  
> For of all sad words of tongue or pen,
> The saddest are these:
> It might have been. - John Greenleaf Whittier
>  
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