Fusae Ota

Ota said she will send a male vice governor on her behalf to present the prize at the tournament, which began March 14, as she has done previously.

The Osaka governor's prize at the 15-day tournament is worth around ¥500,000.

The prefectural audit committee said the refusal by the JSA to let women enter the dohyo is "unfavorable" from the point of view of gender equality.

The governor has urged the association to change its ban preventing women from entering the ring since she took office in 2000.

Male Osaka governors before her had handed the prize to the winner after stepping into the dohyo.

The panel made the recommendation in response to a petition submitted by a citizens' group for an audit. Although three similar petitions had been submitted, it was the first time the committee had made a recommendation on the matter.

The Japan Times Weekly: March 20, 2004
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