A 21-year-old Ukrainian sumo wrestler who fled the Russian invasion has won an elite-level sumo competition in Japan, where he’s been lauded for his rapid rise in the hyper-competitive sport.

A visitor to Japan who wanders into a sumo tournament might be forgiven for thinking they had intruded upon a religious ceremony. Tournaments begin with a line of burly men wearing little more than elaborately decorated aprons walking in a line onto a ...

The country’s top leaders often present trophies to champions of the national sport. But like other women, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is barred from entering the sacred ring.