TOKYO - The Japan Sumo Association will hike championship prizemoney for the first time since 1994 and monthly salaries for the first time in eight years as part of a move to improve compensation for wrestlers.
Prizemoney for grand tournament winners in the elite makuuchi division will double to 20 million yen ($124,000), starting from the 15-day New Year meet in January, while lower-division champions will also receive a bigger reward.
The ruling body decided on the increased payments at a board meeting Thursday in Tokyo, where it also resolved to raise the prizemoney for the three special "sansho" prizes awarded to top-division wrestlers from 2 million yen to 3 million yen.
The monthly salary for a yokozuna will rise from 3 million to 3.3 million yen, and for an ozeki from 2.5 million to 2.75 million yen. The salary for wrestlers in the second-tier juryo division will increase from 1.1 million to 1.2 million yen.
Ticket prices for tournaments held at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan arena, as well as the Spring tournament in Osaka, will be raised for both box seats and chair seating.
