Nippon’s most spectacular sport, professional sumo wrestling will have its opening day of the spring tourney Sunday at the Kokugikan amphitheater in Ryogoku. At the crack of dawn wrestlers representing the East and West camps will hook-up in bouts that will continue throughout the morning to early afternoon.
    As ever, throughout the 15-day tournament, noisy fans are expected to fill every available seat and standing room to witness the bouts between the East and West aggregations captained by Futabayama and Minanogawa respectively.
    This year, as of last year, the senior group is made up of 27 grapplers. In the East group, a change is seen in the first five highest ranking men. Futabayama and Haguroyama retained their former “yokozuna” position. Promoted to the “ozeki” was youthful Terukuni, who showed so favorably in the summer tournament last May. The other top men are Tamanoumi and Nayoroiwa, “sekiwake” and Matsuuragata, “komusubi”.
    In the West camp no change is seen in the top men, namely Minanogawa, Mayedayama, Itsutsushima, Akinoumi and Hishuzan. Ayanobori has been ranked as a “komusubi”.
    The leading wrestlers as announced by the Sumo Association follow: