Kuwae Issei 桑江 一生 · くわえ いっせい

Kuwae Issei (桑江 一生 · furigana くわえ いっせい) is one of the most distinctive wrestlers at Futagoyama Stable: he is one of the very few Filipino-Japanese wrestlers in the entire Japan Sumo Association. According to the JSA's official profile, his legal name is registered as Pascual Justin France (パスクアル・ジャスティン・フランス) — a name of Filipino origin written on the JSA page in katakana. He took the Japanese-style ring name 桑江 一生 when he turned professional.

Kuwae was born on September 20, 2004 in Kawasaki-ku, the central ward of Kawasaki City in Kanagawa Prefecture — the same ward where stablemate Denuma Taiki was raised. He made his professional debut at the March 2023 Haru Basho. His earlier shikona was simply "桑江"; he later adopted the longer form "桑江 一生" — the JSA records both forms in his shikona history.

Standing 172.7cm and weighing 111.4kg, Kuwae is on the smaller side of professional sumo, where the average maegashira weighs over 150kg. His career-high rank of Sandanme 14 (三段目十四枚目) is therefore a notable technical achievement — climbing into the top third of Sandanme requires the speed, balance, and timing to neutralize larger opponents who outweigh him by 30-50kg.

He was ranked West Jonidan 89 (西序二段八十九枚目) for the March 2026 Haru Basho but sat out (full kyujo); for the May 2026 Natsu Basho he was listed at East Jonokuchi 12 (東序ノ口十二枚目) but again did not compete. Following that extended absence he did not make the July 2026 Nagoya Basho banzuke at all — he is now unranked (banzuke-gai / 番付外) and is not competing at Nagoya. The vast majority of foreign-heritage wrestlers in modern professional sumo come from Mongolia, Russia, the Caucasus, Eastern Europe, and the Polynesian region — Kuwae's Filipino background makes him a uniquely rare presence in the sport. Together with Russian-born stablemate Rohga (from the Tuva Republic), he gives Futagoyama Stable an unusually international flavor for a small, recently founded heya.

Current status: Unranked (banzuke-gai / 番付外) for the July 2026 Nagoya Basho — not competing. Career high: Sandanme 14.

Trajectory: Successive full kyujo dropped him from Jonidan to Jonokuchi and then off the banzuke entirely for the July Nagoya Basho. The next-step priority is simply returning to active competition; once he does, he re-enters via maezumo, and his career-high Sandanme 14 shows the ceiling he is capable of when healthy and competing.

Real name Pascual Justin France — Filipino-French heritage, born in the Philippines and moved to Kawasaki at age 4. The Filipino background makes him a uniquely rare presence in modern professional sumo, alongside Russian-born stablemate Rohga. Has cooked his homeland's adobo for the entire stable, as documented on YouTube.

Source: Self-introduction, New Year resolution, debut interview and Q&A videos on Futagoyama Stable's official YouTube channel 'Sumo food' (2024–2025), transcribed from on-screen captions.

From Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture. His real name Pascual Justin France reflects Filipino-French heritage — making him a rare presence in modern professional sumo. One of four siblings. Long-term injuries have dropped him to Jonokuchi, but at 21 (now of legal drinking age) his motivation is intact: in his 2025 New Year's address he reaffirmed Makushita as his target.