A is an announcer who calls a professional sumo wrestler, or rikishi, to the dohyō (wrestling ring) immediately prior to his bout. He does this by calling the name of each wrestler fighting in turn while holding a traditional folding fan. Uniform The outfit worn by the yobidashi is loosely based on an old style Japanese workman's outfit, with leggings and split-toed tabi-like boots. The kimono often displays an advertiser's name in black characters. Responsibilities In keeping with their workman outfits, the yobidashi are actually the Japan Sumo Association's handymen, or odd-job men, and have a wide variety of tasks. These include on match days: sweeping the ring, providing purification salt, displaying banners showing that a match has been decided by default (usually due to a competitor's withdrawal), or subject to a rematch after the next two bouts, and ensuring that, during a bout, no wrestler injures himself on the bucket of chikara-mizu (power water) situated at one corner of the ring. They also can be seen displaying the advertising banners of companies who sponsor particular match-ups between popular wrestlers. They also are responsible for playing drums outside the arena (traditionally to attract customers) on match days. The yobidashi also build the clay wrestling ring (or dohyō) for tournaments and display competitions, and rings for the training stables. There is also a tradition of the yobidashi writing songs, called "jinku", based on sumo life. Career and ranking There are 44 yobidashi as of September 2018. Like gyōji, yobidashi typically enter the sumo world as teenagers and work up a career ladder roughly based on the ranking system for wrestlers, as described until their retirement at 65. The current ranking system was created in July 1993 and consists of the following nine ranks: tate-yobidashi (立呼出) fuku-tate-yobidashi (副立呼出) san'yaku-yobidashi (三役呼出) makuuchi-yobidashi (幕内呼出) jūryō-yobidashi (十両呼出) makushita-yobidashi (幕下呼出) sandanme-yobidashi (三段目呼出) jonidan-yobidashi (序二段呼出) jonokuchi-yobidashi (序ノ口呼出) Most of these ranks clearly follow those for the rikishi, or wrestlers, with the exception of the tate and fuku-tate ranks, which stand for chief and deputy chief, respectively. This system is identical to that applied for gyōji. Prior to July 1993, yobidashi were simply ranked first-class, second-class and so on. As of October 2019 the tate-yobidashi position is vacant after the incumbent, Takuro from the Kasugano stable, was suspended for two tournaments and announced his retirement for hitting a junior yobidashi over the head after he caught him eating