Woman "invades" Sumo pit

There are claims in Japan that a 1,400-year-old tradition has been breached after a woman jumped onto the arena at a sumo tournament.

The woman stepped from the audience up onto the dohyo, the clay mound on which sumo wrestlers grapple.

She was quickly stopped by a wrestler who was between meals bouts, and was taken away by security officials.

The Sumo Association denies that the sacred tradition of keeping women out of the ring has been breached, saying the woman only set foot on the dohyo, and did not step inside the ring where the bouts take place.

The Association says it does not intend to press charges against the woman, whose motives are unclear.