History was made in Japan¡¯s national sport on Monday with the release of the banzuke rankings for the upcoming March tournament in Osaka.

Kazakhstan native Kinbozan¡¯s promotion to the rank of maegashira has resulted in sumo¡¯s top tier gaining its first-ever wrestler from the central Asian nation.

The 25-year-old¡¯s elevation to makuuchi also adds a new country to the top division¡¯s roll call for the first time in almost a decade.