After the beating death of a 17-year-old junior wrestler, the Japan Sumo Association is making a show of cleaning up its act by having every stable master report on how they conduct training.</PARAGRAPH>
<PARAGRAPH>The JSA said a questionnaire was being sent Tuesday to each of the 53 stables asking stable masters about their wrestlers' daily lives and training methods.</PARAGRAPH>
<PARAGRAPH>Many of the 61 questions take into account the junior wrestler, Takashi Saito, who died in June after allegedly suffering fatal injuries at the hands of his stable master, Tokitsukaze, and other wrestlers during punitive practice.</PARAGRAPH>
<PARAGRAPH>Questions include, 'What are your thoughts on training new wrestlers?' and 'Do you believe there is a difference between corporal punishment and disciplinary action?'</PARAGRAPH>
<PARAGRAPH>Others ask the stable masters whether they use any type of implements to 'instruct' wrestlers and if they believe such practices are necessary.</PARAGRAPH>
<PARAGRAPH>Saito, whose ring name was Tokitaizan, was beaten with a metal bat by wrestlers and struck in the head with a beer bottle by Tokitsukaze, who was later expelled from the sumo association. The former 'oyakata' –
may face criminal charges of manslaughter.
"I think each stable master has his own opinion" about preventing hazing deaths, said Isenoumi, who is heading a committee aimed at stopping the problem. "We have come as far as making a first step."
Sumo stables have a long history of internal bullying as well as corporal and other violent forms of punishment, but traditionalists are being forced to re-examine their extreme methods in the wake of Saito's death.
The JSA said it will ask stable masters whether they take precautions to prevent discipline and acts of cruelty from going too far. Also being questioned are eating, sleeping and curfew times, as well as if wrestlers are ever bullied.
Stable masters are being asked to submit their responses to the JSA committee by Nov. 11, the first day of the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament.
The JSA committee in charge of preventing fatal hazing and other types of violence plans to visit individual stables from December based on the results of its findings.
