wrestler Tokitaizan at Tokitsukaze stable, and the dismissal of several top wrestlers for using cannabis. When it became clear in September 2008 that one of them was his own wrestler Hakurozan, whom he had previously backed, Kitanoumi resigned his post, apologizing for "the trouble I have caused to the Sumo Association and to fans". He remained on the board of directors, in charge of running the Osaka tournament, but had to resign from that position in April 2011 after another of his wrestlers, Kiyoseumi, was found guilty of match-fixing and forced to retire from sumo. After Hanaregoma stepped down in February 2012, Kitanoumi returned to the role of chairman, becoming the first person to head the association twice. Death Kitanoumi died of colorectal cancer and multiple organ failure on the evening of November 20, 2015. He was in Fukuoka for the Kyushu tournament and was taken to the hospital for anemia in the morning, after which his condition deteriorated. A memorial service was held on December 22 at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan. Fighting style Kitanoumi's favorite kimarite or techniques were hidari-yotsu (a right hand outside, left hand inside grip on the opponent's mawashi), yorikiri (force out) and uwatenage (overarm throw). Career record See also Glossary of sumo terms Kanreki dohyō-iri List of past sumo wrestlers List of sumo record holders List of sumo tournament top division champions List of sumo tournament top division runners-up List of yokozuna References External links Japan Sumo Association profile 1953 births 2015 deaths Deaths from cancer in Japan Deaths from colorectal cancer Deaths from multiple organ failure Japanese sumo wrestlers Sumo people from Hokkaido Yokozuna