It was decided yesterday that the new Kokugikan Wrestling hall will be immediately constructed at an expenditure of 550,000 yen. The new building will be much larger than the one recently destroyed by fire, and will be absolutely fire proof. While the amount necessary for the construction will be only 550,000 yen, the foundation of the former building can be used for the new building without any repair, and the total cost of the new building is estimated at 650,000 yen. The height will be 143 feet, twenty five feet higher than the former and the total area will be 1,850 tsubo, 300 tsubo larger than the old building. The building will be finished by the end of 1919.

    As expected, the programme of the New Year's grand wrestling matches was published at 5 a.m. yesterday. The publication had been awaited with keen interest by Tokyo citizens whose zest for wrestling is almost beyond imagination, and yesterday morning about 160,000 copies of the New Year's programme were distributed in all directions.
    Among noteworthy changes which have been introduced, the rise of Fukuyanagi and Misugi-iso to the rank of elder wrestlers and the promotion of Kyushuzan, Chibagasaki, Miyagiyama and Onaruto are worthy of notice and are also considered to have been merited, in view of the fine results they obtained in the last tournament in May. Oshiwo and Kiyosegawa have been, as generally expected, transferred to the western camp, which therefore anticipated to be stronger than before. Onishiki, Tochigiyama, Isenohama, Asashio and several other elder wrestlers retain their former positions, but there are several unlucky wrestlers who have been relegated to the second rank, while the fall of Ayakawa, Uranohama and Tsuruwatari is regretted as they are very popular. On the whole, however, the programme is believed to have been made up impartially and well, and the New Year's grand matches to be opened on January 11 at Kudan will undoubtedly thrill numerous wrestling "fans" in Tokyo, including Prince Tokugawa, Count Itagaki and many other notables and dignitaries.