President's Diary RSS

July 21, 2026 In 2007, I stood at the pinnacle of the G1 CLIMAX for the very first time. It was a victory earned by defeating Yuji Nagata. It happened in my fifth year after entering the tournament for the first time back in 2002. At that time, New Japan Pro-Wrestling was said to be in its "Dark Ages." Venues were rarely packed, and it was a genuinely grueling era for the company. Back then, I had great looks (self-declared, of course) and was only 30 years old. My physical prime was still booming, but everywhere I went, I felt...

July 18, 2026 I’m currently sitting at the boarding gate at Haneda Airport. From here, I’m heading to Sapporo, Hokkaido—the battleground for the Japanese opening leg of G1 CLIMAX 36. Looking around, the wrestlers are scattered all over the waiting area. Some are quietly listening to music through their headphones, some have their eyes closed to focus, and others are exchanging a few sparse words with each other. Even though we’re all at the exact same boarding gate, everyone is spending their time before the opening night in completely different ways. I'm fighting the urge to go over and strike...

July 16, 2026 The midsummer festival, "G1 CLIMAX 36," is finally kicking off here in Japan starting with Hokkaido. While I know everyone was looking forward to seeing him, I am truly sorry to inform our fans that Shota Umino's absence due to injury was announced following the opening match in America. Umino is a man with a deep sense of responsibility. Knowing him, I'm sure nobody feels more devastated by this news than Umino himself. To be honest, I've also experienced being sidelined right in the middle of a G1 tournament before. I took a direct kick to the...

July 14, 2026 Yamazaki-san, you've done it again! Our collaboration product with Yamazaki Baking, the "Stamina Lunch Pack," hit convenience stores and supermarkets nationwide on July 13th, and it’s been creating such a huge buzz that my social media timeline is absolutely bursting at the seams. Well, considering it's bread, inflating is kind of its specialty, isn't it? (lol) ← nailed it! My custom flavor features a combination of tuna mayonnaise and egg. Pairing up two popular ingredients creates such a powerful tag team. It’s a true dream card. Hehehe♪ For the other flavors, Wolf Aroe went with tandoori chicken-style...

July 13, 2026 New Japan Pro-Wrestling is currently a global organization with a vast fan base not just in Japan, but all over the world (and that’s a fact!). Our overseas strategy—including independent NJPW events in America and our joint show with AEW, "FORBIDDEN DOOR"—is one of the most critical priorities for the company's growth. Today, as President, I want to share a little hint exclusively with the readers of this column regarding a "secret plan I'm quietly working on for our international expansion." Up until now, when people thought of NJPW's overseas strategy, the primary focus was the "American...

July 10, 2026 Well, the "G1 CLIMAX 36" is finally about to begin! The stage is set at the NOW Arena in Chicago, USA. The main event for the opening night features the current IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, Yota Tsuji, taking on last year's winner, KONOSUKE TAKESHITA. Tsuji and I actually go back 12 years. It all started when he happened to bump into me and talk to me at Jiyugaoka Station. I vividly remember immediately scouting him—or whatever you want to call it—by saying, "You’ve got a great build! Have you ever thought about becoming a professional wrestler?" He...

July 9, 2026 I feel like I've written this so many times already, but let me make an honest confession. After the January 4th Tokyo Dome show, before I even realized it, I had gained 15 kilograms. The internet started buzzing with people asking, "Is Tanahashi gonna be okay?"—and to my surprise, it even turned into a news article. Currently, I'm down 3kg, sitting at 106kg. From here, my plan is to bring it down to 85kg in three months. That’s the roadmap this time. Losing 21kg in three months... okay, maybe that’s a bit unreasonable... But who thinks about...

July 7, 2026 Today, on July 7, 2026, Tiger Mask IV will pull down the curtain on his 30-year journey as a professional wrestler right in the ring at Korakuen Hall. The holy ground of our sport, packed to a completely sold-out crowd, will undoubtedly be enveloped in a sense of sadness—but even more so, by roaring Tiger Chants and thunderous applause of gratitude. Tiger-san, thank you so much for your incredibly long and dedicated service. I offer you my deepest, most heartfelt respect. Looking back, Tiger-san and I share memories together that I will never forget. One could say...

July 6, 2026 Hello, everyone. This is Hiroshi Tanahashi, the Representative Director and President of New Japan Pro-Wrestling. I decided to start off by properly introducing myself all over again. As all of you fans are well aware, at the end of June 2026, New Japan Pro-Wrestling steered its wheel toward a brand-new corporate era, with our parent company transitioning from Bushiroad to a new co-ownership structure under TV Asahi and CyberAgent. New Japan is about to charge forward into a completely new era. Some fans might be feeling a bit anxious, wondering, "What’s going to happen to NJPW now?"...

July 3, 2026 On a certain day. I sat down alongside Wolf to do an interview with the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan (FCCJ). The video is already uploaded online, so please make sure to check it out. The core of the discussion revolved around prompts like, "Please tell us about the ultimate allure of New Japan Pro-Wrestling," "The differences between Japan and overseas," and "Our outlook for the future." The flow of the session went from me speaking, to Wolf speaking, and finally opening up the floor to take questions directly from the journalists. Even so, grasping the exact...