The Ozeki Corporation (President: Kuniko Osabe / Nishinomiya City, Hyogo Prefecture) has executed a sustainability partner contract with the Japan Sumo Association, a Public Interest Incorporated Foundation (Chairman of the Board: Nobuyoshi Hakkaku / Sumida Ward, Tokyo).

The Japan Sumo Association will be launching the “Grand Sumo Sustainability” in January 2023. This is a project utilizing what the Association has learned through the 1,500 years' worth of history of sumo to co-create a better future with partner companies.

● About our company and the history of sumo
In 1884, we made “Ozeki” as our main brand. This was a change from our “Manryo” brand which was known more as a kudari-zake (sake shipped from Kyoto and Osaka to Edo) that was conventionally marketed to the Edo region (present-day Tokyo). This change reflected our idea towards expansion into a new market, in addition to the word itself sounding similar to “Odeki (great success)” and having the definition of a “champion” due to the rank of “Ozeki” being the highest level that was attainable by a sumo wrestler at the time.
Later in 1900, we gifted our “Ozeki” sake as a sub-prize to the champion sumo wrestler of the Osaka tournament that year. We have over 130 years of history with sumo wrestling. Since 1958, we have continued to award and gift sumo wrestlers who have won a Grand Sumo Tournament with the “Ozeki Cup (silver trophy),” certificate of commendation, sub-prizes, sake, etc.

●About the Sustainability Partner Contract
Our company began making sake in 1711 at the Imazu region of Nishinomiya City, Hyogo, where our head office is still located since then. From that time, we have inherited a tradition and culture of a sustainable industry native to Japan through our continued business based on the brewing technology of “Japanese Sake” for over 310 years.
Likewise, Sumo is a national sport having a similar level of prestige and tradition in their history that has been passed down for 1,500 years. This history and operation is precisely what symbolizes Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We chose to participate as a sustainability partner because we believe that a synergy can be achieved by realizing the further development of sustainability in this world.

Going forward, through our co-creation with the Japan Sumo Association and other partner companies, we will continue to take part in activities to pass down the tradition and culture of Japan for the coming generation, and for the realization of a better society.

●Some of our example activities
- Placing ads on match guides and pamphlets of the Grand Sumo Tournaments

- Collaboration activities utilizing the official website and social media accounts
  (PR activities and campaigns)

- Product development utilizing sumo wrestler portraits, etc.
  (Specific details about our future activities will be announced accordingly.)