Japanese sumo delegation visits Beijing

Japanese Grand Sumo Delegation visits China

The Japanese Grand Sumo delegation consisting of 110 members arrived in Beijing on June 3 in two flights. The delegation comes to China to offer the Chinese public a performance of Japanese sumo 2004.

This is the second time for a public performance of Sumo in China. In April 1973, the Japanese Sumo delegation gave two public performances in Beijing and Shanghai respectively. Premier Zhou Enlai appreciated the performance on the spot.

Co-sponsored by Sino-Japanese Friendship Association and Nippon-China Friendship Association the public performance of Japanese sumo 2004 in China is to mark the thirtieth anniversary of air traffic between China and Japan. And the activity is jointly sponsored by the National Sports Association of China and Consortium Legal Identity of Japanese Sumo Association. The performance is going to be held on June 5th and 6th in the Capital Gymnasium and the other two in Shanghai Gym on June 9 and 10.

The Grand Sumo, a sport valuing etiquette, has become a very popular sport in Japan after a development of 1,500 years. Six sumo tournaments are held in Japan every year and each of them lasts 15 days. In recent years, young people from the US, Mongolia, China and Russia go to Japan to learn Sumo. There are four Chinese sumotoris (sumo player) in Japan at present.

By People's Daily Online