in 1999 daishoho was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. he wanted to receive treatment whilst still remaining active on the "dohyo", but in june he was persuaded by his doctors to enter hospital full-time and so retired from sumo. since it was clear that he would be unlikely to live long enough to have a formal retirement ceremony ("danpatsu-shiki") at the ryogoku kokugikan, which normally takes place up to a year after retiring, in october 1999 his fellow wrestler and graduate of nihon university mainoumi organised a private function for him which was attended by around 400 people including wrestlers such as konishiki and musashimaru and his former stablemaster haguroyama, although senior members of the sumo association and his former coach at nihon university hidetoshi tanaka did not attend as it was an unsanctioned event. daishoho's weight had dropped from 150 kg to below 90 kg. he died on december 4, 1999 at the age of 32 due to pancreatic cancer.