It’s been a long time since I lived in Japan, but once upon a time I used to be a big fan.
Somehow, it seems to me that the real tourney result will at this point be based on the results of the Hakuho vs. Toshinoshin match.
The winner of that should win the tourney, whatever the respective ranks.
And even if he doesn’t win the tourney, the juryo may get a promotion anyway if the judges feel he’s ready.
On the other hand, I have a sneaking suspicion that the xenophobic Japanese promote foreign wrestlers just a tad slower than the homeboys.
Or, at least, they did back in the 80’s, when I was there.
Well, it seems Tochinoshin didn’t have a match on day 15, which is probably the way of getting around the possible embarrassment of having to crown a juryo.
Tochinoshin was as far up as komusubi a few years back, but injuries made him miss three tournaments in a row, so he was sent back down to makushita, and has had to work his way up the ranks again. I would expect him to be maegashira in November.
Hakuho won the tourney at 14-1; no one else was even close, the highest scores were 11-4 by the other yokozuna, and also Tochiozan, who wants to get back to sekiwake.