Sumo and the Media:

From the Small Ring to the Big Screen

People have gathered around the ring to watch sumo, Japan’s national sport, for ages. But a changing media landscape catapulted sumo from the small ring to the big screen. How has sumo, a sport steeped in tradition, changed through its relationship with modern mass media? Our guest speaker, Dr. Lee Thompson, will take us on a journey through time: from the advent of sports columns in newspapers, to the early days of televised tournaments, and beyond.

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This event is a part of YCAPS' "Getting to Know Japan Series" co-sponsored by The United States-Japan Foundation (USJF).

Lee Thompson specializes in the socio-cultural analysis of sport, in particular the relationship between sport, media, and society, with a focus on Japan. His research interests include the role of the media in the development of sumo. He has co-authored a book on the history of sport in Japan, and has also written in Japanese and English about Western-style professional wrestling in Japan, the portrayal of Japanese and foreign athletes in the Japanese press, and television broadcasting of the Olympic Games. Lee is a past-President of the Japan Society of Sport Sociology. He has served on the editorial boards of several international journals, including the International Review for the Sociology of Sport and Communication and Sport. He is a commentator for English-language broadcasts of professional sumo on Japan’s public broadcaster NHK, and is general manager of Waseda University’s sumo team.

Format: This event will be off-the-record. Questions are encouraged. It will not be recorded.

Registration: Required Link
Moderators: Lucy Amaral

Webinar Cost: Free of charge

Co-sponsors: United States-Japan Foundation