Mitsuru Hanada, 55; Japan’s ‘Prince of Sumo’ Held 2nd-Highest Rank

Mitsuru Hanada, 55, the “Prince of Sumo,” who hailed from one of the sport’s most powerful dynasties and rose to the second-highest rank of ozeki, died Monday at a Tokyo hospital, the Japan Sumo Assn. said. Japan’s NHK network said the cause of death was oral cancer.

Hanada, more commonly known as Stablemaster Futagoyama, spent a 16-year career in the ring. He was the father of the immensely popular brothers Takanohana and Wakanohana, former yokozunas -- top-ranked wrestlers -- who dominated the sport in the 1990s.

Hanada also fought under the ring name Takanohana. He rose to sumo’s top makuuchi division at the record age of 18 under the training of his elder brother, Katsuji, the first Wakanohana and a grand champion.

Hanada never reached the rank of yokozuna despite winning two Emperor’s Cups. He retired in 1981 and became director of the Japan Sumo Assn.