Kitanoumi Toshimitsu

, born , was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Sōbetsu, Hokkaido. He entered professional sumo at the age of 13 and set several youth-related records, including promotion to the highest rank of yokozuna at the age of 21.

Despite being the most dominant wrestler in the sport during the 1970s with 24 tournament championships in his career, he was not popular with fans and was viewed as a villain, earning him the nickname the "Hatefully Strong Yokozuna". At the time of his death he still held the records for most tournaments as yokozuna (63) and most bouts won as a yokozuna (670), but these records have now been surpassed. Following his retirement in 1985 he established the Kitanoumi stable. He was chairman of the Japan Sumo Association from 2002 until 2008, and again from 2012 until his death.

Career Kitanoumi Toshimitsu was born in Sōbetsu, Hokkaido, on May 16, 1953, the same day that the first live sumo broadcast aired on NHK. He was an athletic child and was taller than his classmates. He was nicknamed the and was visited by many sumo scouts. His merciless attitude and immense strength earned him the nickname the and he came to be viewed as the archvillain of sumo. He remained on the board of directors, in charge of running the Osaka tournament,