Hakurozan

Hakurozan earned promotion to the top flight when the Japan Sumo Association issued the rankings June 27 for the July 10-24 tournament at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium.

Hakurozan will make his makuuchi debut as a No. 14 maegashira after finishing the May tournament with an impressive 10-5 record as a third-ranked grappler in the second-tier juryo division.

Roho

Elder brother Roho moved down two notches to No. 3 maegashira after posting a losing record of 7-8 in Tokyo in May. They are only the eighth siblings overall in sumo history to wrestle in the makuuchi division together.

At the top of the rankings, Asashoryu stays in the prestigious East yokozuna spot. The Mongolian will bid to become the first man to win five straight Emperor's Cups since Chiyonofuji achieved the feat in the 1986-87 season.

The Japan Times Weekly: July 2, 2005
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