▁head ▁of ▁the ▁Japan ▁Sum o ▁Association . ▁He ▁was ▁chosen ▁ahead ▁of ▁his ▁contempor aries ▁Tai h ō ▁and ▁K ash iw ado ▁partly ▁because ▁he ▁was ▁in ▁better ▁health ▁than ▁either ▁of ▁them . ▁He ▁changed ▁his ▁to sh iy ori ▁name ▁to ▁S aka ig awa ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁hand ing ▁over ▁the ▁D ew an ou mi ▁name ▁and ▁the ▁day - to - day ▁running ▁of ▁his ▁stable ▁to ▁the ▁former ▁W ash ū y ama . ▁He ▁did ▁not ▁run ▁for ▁re - e lection ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁after ▁it ▁became ▁clear ▁he ▁lack ed ▁enough ▁support , ▁and ▁was ▁replaced ▁by ▁former ▁ ō ze ki ▁Y ut ak ay ama ▁from ▁the ▁rival ▁Tok its uk aze ▁fa ction . ▁He ▁subsequently ▁became ▁head ▁of ▁the ▁jud ging ▁department , ▁an ▁unusual ▁move ▁for ▁a ▁former ▁head ▁of ▁the ▁Sum o ▁Association . ▁He ▁stood ▁down ▁as ▁an ▁elder ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁upon ▁reaching ▁the ▁mand atory ▁ret irement ▁age ▁of ▁si xty ▁five . ▁ ▁Death ▁He ▁died ▁in ▁a ▁Tokyo ▁hospital ▁of ▁p neum onia ▁on ▁April ▁ 2 7 , ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 7 9 . ▁ ▁Fight ing ▁style ▁Sad ano y ama ▁was ▁known ▁for ▁employ ing ▁pushing ▁and ▁thrust ing ▁techniques ▁such ▁as ▁t supp ari ▁( a ▁series ▁of ▁rapid ▁thrust s ▁to ▁the ▁ch est ) ▁and ▁regularly ▁won