Drawing the attention of sumo fans in the Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe district, the Kansai main tourney of the Japan Professional Sumo Association will be opened today (March 20) at the specially constructed ring at Nishinomiya on the Kobe line of the Keihanshin Kyuko Railway Co.
    Participated in by almost all of the wrestlers on the roster of the association, including two "yokozuna" grapplers, Haguroyama and Terukuni, the main sumo tournament will last for 11 days, two days shorter than the duration of the official tourney in Tokyo.
    Another "yokozuna" Akinoumi, who has informally expressed his intention to retire, will be absent at the coming tourney, although it had been previously reported that he would vie for the individual championship.
    Completing a barnstorming tour through various parts of Kyushu, a party of wrestlers led by Haguroyama and Terukuni arrived in Osaka to take part in the 11 day series.