Yokozuna Hakuho decided Friday to withdraw from the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament starting this weekend to treat a toe injury, exiting his second straight meet because of health problems.

The all-time record holder for tournament victories is still three weeks away from fully rehabilitating a damaged ligament in his left big toe, according to stable master Miyagino. The Mongolian withdrew early in the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament in January with injuries to both big toes.

Hakuho is the second grand champion to quit the March 11-25 tournament at Edion Arena Osaka, with Kisenosato earlier this week withdrawing because of an ongoing chest injury.

Kakuryu will start the tournament as the sole yokozuna in competition. The Mongolian, who had also been under an injury cloud after hurting his right ring finger on the final day of the New Year meet, earlier confirmed his participation in the Osaka tourney.

Takanoiwa, who was injured in a beating by former yokozuna Harumafuji last fall, will compete as the 12th-ranked wrestler in the second-tier juryo division, making his first appearance in three tournaments.

Georgian sekiwake Tochinoshin, who won his first championship in January, said he will compete despite injuring his left foot during a training session on Tuesday and underwent medical tests on Wednesday.

Kisenosato becomes the first yokozuna since Musashimaru in 2002-2003 to miss all or part of six straight tournaments. Takanohana, the stablemaster of Takanoiwa, holds the record for consecutive basho missed by a yokozuna since the six-tournament system was established in 1958, having sat out seven straight meets from 2001 to 2002.

Kisenosato suffered injuries to his left upper arm and chest muscles in March last year. He is the first Japan-born wrestler in 19 years to gain promotion to yokozuna, sumo's highest rank.

Meanwhile, the Japan Sumo Association is considering severe punishment, including expulsion from the sport, for Egyptian-born wrestler Osunaarashi over his involvement in a traffic collision while driving without a license.

The association convened a meeting Friday in Osaka to determine its response to the incident late last year in Nagano, central Japan, for which a court fined Osunaarashi 500,000 yen ($4,700). The JSA forbids wrestlers from driving following past traffic accidents involving them.