Beat Takeshi’s defense of Hakuho on a TBS program may appear reasonable at first glance, but it misses the core issue.
Considering the abnormal hardness of Hakuho’s custom elbow supporter, the matter cannot be reduced to simple competitive spirit.

If he were to do so, he would surely understand that his recent remarks, though seemingly reasonable at first glance, were entirely off the mark.
2018-01-25 1
The other day, I happened to watch a TBS program in which Beat Takeshi proudly defended Hakuho’s forearm strike.
Not only do I harbor no resentment toward him, but I once had a female clerk at an apparel shop I used to visit tell me, after politely prefacing her words, “You have a strong aura… like Beat Takeshi.”
I replied, “Ah, I understand that. He has elements similar to mine. I once encountered him at very close range on the tee ground of a golf course in Australia when he stepped down from his cart, and I felt the same then. He was playing with Koji Ishizaka and Gadarukanaru Taka at the time.”
So I hold no ill feeling toward him.
However, his recent remarks were unacceptable.
As readers know, I previously wrote regarding Hakuho, “If you are going to strike with your elbow, remove the supporter before doing so.”
Fortunately, that chapter ranked 30th in Ameba’s official hashtag popularity ranking under the category of “pro wrestling.”
I strongly recommend that Beat Takeshi read this week’s Shukan Shincho feature article, “Hakuho: The Reason for His Brutality Lies in the Abnormal Hardness of His Custom Supporter” (p.31).
If he does so, he should understand that his recent remarks, though seemingly reasonable at first glance, were entirely off the mark.
Otherwise, he is nothing more than a pseudo-commentator rather than a genuine moral voice.