Hayateumi Hidehito

Hayateumi Hidehito - 追風海英飛人 (born July 5, 1975) is a former Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Itayanagi, Aomori. He made his debut in March 1998 and wrestled for Oitekaze stable. He reached the makuuchi division in March 2000 and has 1 special prize. His highest rank was sekiwake and he retired in January 2006.

Early Life[]

Naohito Saito was born and raised in Itayanagi, Aomori. After graduating from junior high school he attended Saitama Sakae High School and was a member of the school's strong sumo club. After this he attended Nihon University and was also a member the school's strong sumo club. During college, he overcame a cervical spine fracture and won a total of 15 titles. After graduation from college he joined Oitekaze stable.

Career[]

Early Career[]

Saito made his debut in the July 2005 tournament and was granted makushita tsukedashi status which meant he got to leapfrog the lower divisions and make his debut at the bottom of makushita. He posted a strong 6-1 record in his first tournament and followed it with four consecutive winning records which earned him a promotion to juryo in January 1999.

Juryo Career[]

Upon promotion to juryo, he changed his shikona from his family name to "Hayateumi" (追風海). He got off to a good start and won six out of his first seven matches, but had to withdraw on the eighth day which regulated him back down to juryo. He returned in July 1999 and won 10 matches. He followed with an impressive 12-3 record which won him the juryo yusho. Two tournaments later he was promoted to makuuchi in March 2000.

Makuuchi Career[]

Hayateumi produced a 7-8 record in his debut, but bounced back with three consecutive winning records. In September 2000 he scored nine wins, which included wins over ozeki Dejima and Miyabiyama, winning the Gino-sho award and promotion to sekiwake. He had to pull out of the November 2000 tournament with an injury and never made the sanyaku ranks again. He is one of the few wrestlers whose only tournament in sanyaku was at sekiwake rather than komusubi (along with Kotetsuyama and Hokutoriki).

After winning his first eight matches in the November 2001 tournament, Hayateumi injured his knee in a match against Takanonami on the ninth day which resulted in him sitting out of three consecutive tournaments. As a result, he fell back down to juryo and he could not establish himself in the upper tier of makuuchi again. He remained in the juryo and lower makuuchi division for most of his later career.

Retirement from Sumo[]

R01 saito-naohito — Naohito Saito of the Liberal Democratic Party

Hayateumi fell back down to makushita in September 2005 after sitting out of the previous three tournaments. He could only post a 3-4 record in his return and ultimately submitted his retirement papers on the first day of the January 2006 tournament. His danpatsu-shiki, or retirement ceremony, was held on October 1st, 2006, at the Ryogoku Kokugikan.

He chose not to stay with the Sumo Association as an elder and has left the sumo world. After retirement he worked for a security company in Tsugaru, Aomori, for six years before transition to a career in politics.

Political Career[]

He is now a Liberal Democratic Party politician, and was elected to the Aomori Prefectural Assembly representing Kitatsugaru District in a by-election in September 2014, winning re-election in April 2015. He won his third election in April 2019.

Personal Life[]

He is married to Endo Ako, who already had three children of her own. They have since had another child together. Endo was previously engaged to Mitoizumi.
Hayateumi's hobby is reading.

Fighting Style[]

Hayateumi was a yotsu-sumo wrestler, who preferred fighting on the mawashi to pushing his opponents, and his most common winning kimarite was yorikiri, a simple force out. His favourite grip was migi-yotsu, with his right hand inside and left hand outside his opponent's arms. He was known for occasionally leaping in the air at the tachi-ai or initial charge, a very unconventional move.