There are currently about 20 Mongolians competing in the upper levels of Japanese sumo competitions. Japan has long accepted foreigners into their exclusive sport in the interests of encouraging international interest and competition, but since 1992 when the Oshima stable recruited 6 Mongolians in one go, they have decided to restrict the number of foreigners. Mongolians have excelled in this full contact sport which is not dissimilar to traditional Mongolian wrestling. In 1991 one of the great stable masters, Oshima-Oyakata, came to Mongolia with the intention of finding some young Mongolian wrestlers who might be suitable to train in Japan for sumo. One of the originals chosen included Batbayar (sumo name Kyokushuzan) who reached the rank of komusubi, but has now retired from sumo to become a member of the Mongolian Democratic Party. Many other Mongolians have risen to great heights in the stables of the Japanese sumo, especially Asashurio, Hakuho, Haramafuji and Tokitenku. Lar