WAKAKIRIN WON'T APPLY FOR RETIREMENT PAYOUT

Disgraced former Maegashira Wakakirin will not collect his retirement
allowance from the Japan Sumo Association, he wrote in a letter handed to
chairman Musashigawa on Thursday.

Wakakirin, who is under arrest on suspicion of marijuana possession, was
dismissed by the JSA on Monday. He was entitled to request a retirement
bonus of 5.29 million yen, a figure calculated based on his career wins.

Wakakirin's letter of apology was delivered to Musashigawa by the
25-year-old Hyogo native's former stablemaster, Oguruma, and his father,
Junichi Suzukawa.

"I have caused the sumo association and the chairman great trouble with my
betrayal," Wakakirin wrote. "I have no intention of accepting my
retirement allowance."

Speaking at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan, Musashigawa said Wakakirin had made
the correct decision.

"I think that declining to accept [the allowance] is the right thing to
do," Musashigawa said. "After talking with his stablemaster and father, I
think it was Wakakirin's own decision."

The decision may relieve some pressure on the JSA board, which was
criticized for its handling of the case after it decided to dismiss rather
than expel Wakakirin at meeting's Monday. Expelling Wakakirin--and thus
depriving him of any payments--would have required a three-fourths
majority at a general meeting of all JSA officials, elders, yokozuna and
ozeki.

"I think he realizes the seriousness of what he has done," Oguruma said of
his former wrestler. His father agreed. "He decided on this after
reflecting on his actions," Suzukawa said. "Now, I hope he can get on with
his life."