▁a ▁nick name ▁from ▁which ▁K alo yan ▁has ▁repeatedly ▁expressed ▁his ▁dis ple asure . ▁He ▁was ▁chosen ▁as ▁a ▁special ▁judge ▁for ▁the ▁ 5 6 th ▁edition ▁of ▁Japan ' s ▁annual ▁K ou h aku ▁U tag assen ▁on ▁December ▁ 3 1 , ▁ 2 0 0 5 . ▁ ▁Awards ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁named ▁Ath lete ▁Number ▁ 1 ▁for ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁in ▁Vel iko ▁T arn ovo ▁district .. ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁he ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁title ▁" H on or ary ▁Cit izen ▁of ▁Ly ask ov ets ". ▁He ▁was ▁made ▁the ▁Good will ▁Amb assador ▁to ▁Japan ▁by ▁the ▁European ▁Union ▁in ▁April ▁ 2 0 0 6 . ▁On ▁July ▁ 2 8 , ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁he ▁was ▁awarded ▁by ▁the ▁President ▁of ▁Bulg aria ▁Georg i ▁Par van ov ▁with ▁the ▁highest ▁state ▁hon ors ▁– ▁the ▁pr estig ious ▁Order ▁of ▁St ara ▁Plan ina . ▁ ▁Family ▁K oto ō sh ū ' s ▁father ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 5 ▁or ▁ 1 9 5 6 ▁and ▁his ▁mother ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁or ▁ 1 9 6 1 ▁in ▁Bulg aria . ▁ ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁reasons ▁that ▁led ▁to ▁K oto ō sh ū ' s ▁introduction ▁to ▁sum o ▁wrest ling ▁was ▁to ▁help ▁with ▁the ▁household , ▁because ▁his ▁father ▁could ▁not ▁work ▁due ▁to ▁a ▁traffic ▁accident