The first postwar sumo (Japanese wrestling) tournament started on Friday at the raid-torn Kokugikan arena and wrestling fans, though seated in repaired boxes, are again enjoying the centuries old national sport without fear of raids such as the one of March 10 which wiped out most of the arena's interior.
    Today's activities in the huge structure offered a sharp contrast to its picture of only a few months back. Paper balloon bombs were manufactured in the arena during the war with fantastic hopes to start fires in the United States. Reports disclose that only a few actually landed in America, and those without much success.
    Nine incendiary bombs caused the destruction to the arena. They demolished all the balloon bombs which were ready for shipment and exploded some powder which burned and twisted the steel frames.
    Two famous champions, Toyoshima and Matsuuranada, were killed during the March 10 raid and many others were injured. Some 1,500 sumo wrestlers, however, have been gathered again to keep the wheel of wrestling turning.
    The familiar pictures of successive grand champions nailed up high in the dome were also victims. These pictures are said to be practically impossible to replace.

    The 10-day fall wrestling tournament, the first since the end of hostilities, opened Friday at the Kokugikan Amphitheater at Ryogoku, Honjo-ku, Tokyo.
    According to custom, the ceremony of opening the wrestling ring was held Thursday morning, attended by members of the Wrestler's Association, under whose auspices the wrestling tournaments are held at the Kokugikan three times in a year, in spring, summer and autumn. Shonosuke Kimura, senior wrestling umpire officiated.
    A feature of the current tournament is that all matches are held on an enlarged ring. It is 16 feet in diameter while it was 15 feet in the past.
    Several famed wrestlers including Kasagiyama, on the East Side, and Grand Champion Futabayama, on the West Side, did not take part in Friday's matches. The reason for Futabayama's failure to appear was that he was not sufficiently prepared for his match.