Seemingly confirming a rumor floating around the sumo media the last few weeks, a retirement was announced today but not a wrestler-instead it was an oyakata (coach/stablemaster) as the current Izutsu, who competed as Akiseyama before retiring in fall 2023, retired from his position today. He had been a coach at Kise Beya since retirement. I had seen some rumors floating around about someone else perhaps inheriting the Izutsu elder stock or something else going on, either way it seems like he was on his way out, and I haven’t seen any reasoning yet from Hochi sports or Nikkan Sports, who both reported on this. He was nowhere near the mandatory retirement age of 65 (only 41). He occasionally appeared on the YouTube “Oyakata Channel” featuring selected coaches & stablemasters (mostly the former) discussing various aspects of sumo and sumo life in a more relaxed, often comedy-focused setting.
UPDATE: It seems like Akiseyama only had a 3 year lease of the Izutsu elder stock, as did the former Toyonoshima before him. YouTube English language source Chris Sumo is hinting at it next going to Shimanoumi, at least if he retires before the September Tournament (he has not).