
A delegation of sumo wrestlers will soon arrive in Israel, a move that Israeli officials hope will draw Japanese tourists to Israel.Israel’s ambassador to Japan, Eli Cohen, who leads the operation, has been in contact with a number of Japanese sumo organizations to form a delegation. Cohen has visited several organizations as a special guest to some of the most prominent wrestlers in Japan.One sumo farm has already agreed to send sumo sportsmen to Israel. Although no final date has been set, it is believed that sumo wrestling stars will land at Ben-Gurion International Airport within months.Ambassador Cohen said the whole staff at the embassy in Tokyo took part in making the project possible. “The visit of famous sumo wrestlers will have a big impact on the Japaneses relations with Israel. They are the most popular people here, and if we can bring them to Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and the Galilee, even photographing a sumo wrestler floating in the Dead Sea, Japanese tourists will be encouraged to come to Israel,” Cohen told Israel’s leading newspaper, Yedioth Ahronoth.