He announced his retirement in July 2015 and declared his intention to stay in sumo as an elder, having acquired Japanese citizenship in 2005.

Six months after they came to Japan, due to cultural difference, language problems, and the extremely harsh training methods used in sumo, Kyokutenhō, Kyokushūzan and three others ran away and sought refuge in the Mongolian embassy, but he was persuaded by Kyokutenzan to return to his stable.

[3] He was punished for defying the Japan Sumo Association's ban on wrestlers driving cars by being forced to sit out the May tournament, resulting in demotion to the jūryō division.

This broke a string of over 700 consecutive top division bouts dating from his re-entry into makuuchi in May 1999, the longest streak among active wrestlers.

It had been thought he would become head of Ōshima stable when Asahikuni reached the mandatory retirement age of sixty-five in April 2012, but Kyokutenhō was still comfortably ranked in the top division at the time, and active wrestlers are not permitted to become stablemasters.

In September 2014 he became the first 40-year-old to be ranked in makuuchi since the six tournament a year system began in 1958,[7] and he also drew level with Terao on 1795 career appearances, behind only Ōshio's 1891.

[8] In November he won ten bouts and was awarded his seventh and final special prize, all for Fighting Spirit.

[1] Kyokutenhō left the ring in tears after losing his twelfth bout of the July 2015 tournament, a result which meant his demotion to the second division was certain.

It was announced in March 2017 that he would take over the running of Tomozuna stable after the May tournament, as the head coach (ex-sekiwake Kaiki) was about to reach the mandatory retirement age.

[15] Due to health problems, Kyokutenhō announced that he would not participate in the May 2024 tournament, where he would have served as a ringside judge.

[16] Kyokutenhō was a solidly yotsu-sumo wrestler, favouring techniques which involve grabbing the opponent's mawashi or belt.

Over half his career wins were by a simple yori-kiri or force out, compared with an average of around 28 percent for all wrestlers.

Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique     Also shown: ★=Kinboshi; P=Playoff(s) Divisions: Makuuchi — Jūryō — Makushita — Sandanme — Jonidan — Jonokuchi