Kaio checks out the new sumo rankings.

Kaio became the first wrestler from Fukuoka Prefecture since 1918 to reach sumo's second highest rank of ozeki on Monday when the Japan Sumo Association released its rankings for next month's Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament.

Kaio, who won the summer tourney in May, will step onto the raised ring at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan from the east side when the 15-day tournament gets under way on Sept. 3.

Kaio's rise to ozeki, which took 44 tournaments over seven-plus years, was the second slowest in history after the 60 tournaments it took Masuiyama to reach ozeki in 1980.