Sumo: Ukrainian wrestler Aonishiki fights for his “Japanese family”

Set to debut in the second-tier juryo division at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament from Sunday, promising Ukrainian wrestler Aonishiki says he will fight on behalf of his "Japanese family" who helped him after he fled the war in his home country.

The 20-year-old, whose real name is Danylo Yavhusishyn, left Ukraine following the Russian invasion in February 2022 and first took refuge in Germany before heading to Japan, where he had made connections through his involvement in sumo.

While competing at the 2019 world junior sumo championships in Sakai, western Japan, he had befriended older wrestler Arata Yamanaka and maintained contact with him via social media.

Yamanaka would field frequent questions about sumo from the future Aonishiki and resolved to help the youngster make his way in the sport.