TOKYO — Sumo is more than a sport in Japan. It’s a sacred tradition, a 1,500-year-old spectacle steeped in Shinto ritual and ceremony. But at its heart lies a long-standing taboo: women are still ...

TOKYO — Sanae Takaichi made history by becoming Japan's first female prime minister in October. She must now decide whether she'll break another barrier: the taboo barring women from the sumo ring.

TOKYO (AP) — For centuries, sumo’s deep links with the Shinto religion barred women from entering the ring, let alone allowing them to participate. While women remain excluded from professional sumo, ...

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is planning to skip the award ceremony for the winning sumo wrestler at the New Year's tournament, as the ring is traditionally off-limits to women, a government ...