Depending on the exact timing decided upon by the Sumo Association, sometime this week, sekiwake Baruto of Onoe Beya will receive an official visit from members of the association to advise him of his promotion to the sport's second rank — that of ozeki.
Baruto is already aware of what is coming in the days ahead, having essentially guaranteed his ascension to the exalted rank during the middle of the second week of action in the Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium. To some extent he will thus just play a part in a staged act, one seen many times before in Japan but one that all but ensures the near future will see the top two ranks in sumo filled with only non-Japanese rikishi.
Hakuho, who won the Osaka Haru Basho and claimed his 13th crown to date, will likely remain the dominant — and sole — yokozuna for the next year at least. Kotooshu (Bulgaria), Harumafuji (Mongolia) and now their new Estonian counterpart in the rank are unlikely to be heading back down the banzuke anytime soon barring appearance preventing injury, and with Kaio and Kotomitsuki on the "wish he'd retire and be done with it" list of many, few level headed folk will argue that sumo today is being carried by its foreign contingent.
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