Competing for the first time in five months, Asashoryu got both hands on the belt of Kotoshogiku and threw the komusubi down in the penultimate bout at Ryogoku Kokugikan.

Asashoryu, winner of 21 tournament titles, was coming off a two-tournament ban for playing a charity soccer game in Ulan Bator last summer while skipping an exhibition sumo tournament in Japan. He claimed he was injured.

It was one of the harsher punishments ever meted out to a grand champion.

Asashoryu will be looking to restore his tarnished image in the New Year meet and will need a solid record of at least 13 wins to do so.

Asashoryu's main rival, compatriot Hakuho, also got off to a winning start.

Grand champion Hakuho quickly got a grip on the belt of Dejima and threw the komusubi down in a matter of seconds.

Hakuho, who won the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament in November, will be out to prove in this tournament that he can win the Emperor's Cup even with Asashoryu taking part.

In other major bouts, veteran grappler Chiyotaikai was the only ozeki casualty of the day when he was shoved out by top maegashira Kisenosato to suffer an opening-day loss.

Ozeki Kaio was all business when he got a grip on the belt of Toyonoshima and waltzed the No. 2 maegashira out for an easy win.

Ozeki Kotooshu of Bulgaria got off to a winning start when he swatted down No. 2 maegashira Miyabiyama at the edge of the ring.

Kotooshu needs a winning record in this tourney to maintain his ozeki status for the next meet.