TOKYO – Makiko Uchidate, a screenwriter who became the first woman to serve on the Yokozuna Deliberation Council in professional sumo, died on Dec. 17 of acute left heart failure at a hospital in Tokyo, her office said Friday. She was 77.
After graduating from an art university in Tokyo and working at a heavy industry company, Uchidate made her screenwriting debut in 1988. She went on to produce numerous works, including a television drama about a female sumo fan that drew wide national attention.
A noted sumo enthusiast, Uchidate served on the Yokozuna Deliberation Council from 2000 to 2010. She supported the Japan Sumo Association’s refusal to allow a female governor to present a prize in the ring, calling it a decision to uphold tradition.
In 2003, Uchidate entered graduate school to study the long-standing tradition in professional sumo that bars women from stepping onto the ring, regarded as a sacred space. She also served as head coach of the university’s sumo club.
AloJapan.com