Olympic silver medalist Katsuhiko Nagata and world champion Seiko Yamamoto held off challenges from their domestic rivals Sunday to retain their titles at the National Wrestling Championships.
Nagata did not lose a point on his way to a fifth straight 69-kg title in Greco-Roman wrestling, while Yamamoto earned decisive points in overtime in the women's 56-kg final against Mariko Shimizu at Yoyogi Gymnasium annex in Tokyo.
Three-time world champion Yamamoto, who added her second straight national title to the gold medal she won at the world meet in Sofia last month, later became the first woman to win the Emperor's Cup -- the Japanese wrestler of the year award.
Tatsuo Kawai claimed a technical-fall victory over Katsutoshi Semba in the 85-kg final for his sixth consecutive crown and fellow freestyle wrestler Kunihiko Obata captured his third title in a row at 76 kg.
Three-time world champion Kyoko Hamaguchi successfully defended her title in the women's 75 kg event for the fourth time, one month after returning from the World Championships without a medal.