Iwo Jima and Sumo

[AKJake@aol.com]

I'm another long-time lurker, who picked the following up off the Newshound .
. . 

6-3 0282 Takanohana, Akebono arrive at Iwojima for sumo rite
TOKYO, June 3 (Kyodo) -- Yokozuna Takanohana and Yokozuna Akebono, Japan's
top sumo wrestlers, flew into Iwojima Saturday to hold a special
''dohyo-iri'' ring-entering ceremony to mark the 50th anniversary of the end
of World War II.

The dohyo-iri is an elaborate sumo ritual performed by the reigning yokozuna,
and the Japan Sumo Association has planned the event in memory of the
Japanese and U.S. soldiers killed on the island, the site of one of the
fiercest and bloodiest battles of World War II.

Takanohana and Akebono, joined by top Sumo Association officials and
representatives of bereaved families, are scheduled to perform the ceremony
Sunday morning in front of a monument for the 20,000 Japanese and 7,000
American soldiers who perished during a prolonged battle for control of the
island.

The island, situated about 1,200 kilometers south of Tokyo, is now used
primarily by the Self-Defense Forces. Japan's Air Self-Defense Forces
dispatched two aircraft Saturday to transport 140 people to the island to
attend or participate in the sumo ceremony.

Japan Sumo Association Chairman Dewanomi, who played a key role in setting up
the memorial service, will represent the Japanese sumo world at the
''dohyo-iri'' ceremony Sunday.

Since Takanohana is Japanese and Akebono, or Chad Rowan, is an American, the
Sumo Association believes this dohyo-iri is an appropriate gesture to
commemorate the war dead of both countries.

The battle for Iwojima lasted about a month from Feb. 19, 1945, and the U.S.
victory there gave the U.S. forces a strategic base for flying escort
missions for the B-29 bombing campaign against mainland Japan.

AP-NY-06-03-95 0415EDT