|
日本プロレスリング連盟 | |
| Abbreviation | UJPW |
|---|---|
| Formation | December 15, 2023 |
| Type | Voluntary |
| Legal status | Association |
| Purpose | Supervision of domestic wrestling organizations |
| Location |
|
Secretary General | Naoki Sugabayashi |
Founding chairman | Seiji Sakaguchi |
United Japan Pro-wrestling (Japanese: 日本プロレスリング連盟 Hepburn: Nihon Puroresuringu Renmei, UJPW), also stylised as United Japan Pro-Wrestling, is an association of several professional wrestling promotions in Japan, acting as an industry group in order to facilitate the sharing of resources and practices as well as strengthen connections to other sectors.
History[]
Background[]
In 2020, due to the self-imposed restrictions of events in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, on April 15 of the same year, Takaaki Kidani (owner of New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and Stardom through his company Bushiroad) led a delegation of representatives from seven promotions[lower-alpha 1] to send a formal request for compensation for business suspension to then House of Representatives member Hiroshi Hase (an NJPW alumnus himself), the Japan Sports Agency, and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. This led to the formation of the Cross-party Pro-Wrestling and Martial Arts Promotion Parliamentary Group (超党派 格闘技(プロレス・総合格闘技等)振興議員連盟 Chōtōha Kakutōgi (Puroresu Sōgōkakutōgi-tō) Shinkō Giinrenmei) in the House of Representatives on November 19.
Founding[]
Prompted by Hase's call to establish a unified commission of wrestling promotions and recognizing the necessity for collaboration between the government, local authorities, and the wrestling industry, an organization was formed by nine promotions owned by six companies. The United Japan Pro-Wrestling (UJPW) group was announced to be established on December 15, 2023. On May 6, 2024, a launching event is scheduled to be held at the Nippon Budokan. The inaugural chairman is Seiji Sakaguchi, a former wrestler, president and current advisor of NJPW, and the secretary-general is Naoki Sugabayashi, the current chairman of NJPW. While maintaining healthy competition among the industry, the organization aims to provide a space for exchanging opinions and information regarding common issues within the professional wrestling industry. By doing so, it intends to ensure the industry's image enhancement, foster sustainable development, and address shared challenges. UJPW also plans to welcome additional member promotions in the future.
Members[]
| Promotion | Parent company |
|---|---|
| All Japan Pro Wrestling | All Japan Pro-Wrestling Co., Ltd. |
| Big Japan Pro Wrestling | Yotsuba Industries Co., Ltd. |
| DDT Pro-Wrestling | CyberFight Co., Ltd. |
| Dragon Gate | Dragon Gate Co., Ltd. |
| Ganbare☆Pro-Wrestling | None |
| New Japan Pro-Wrestling | New Japan Pro-Wrestling Co., Ltd. |
| Pro Wrestling Noah | CyberFight Co., Ltd. |
| Stardom | Bushiroad Fight Co., Ltd. |
| Tokyo Joshi Pro-Wrestling | CyberFight Co., Ltd. |
Notes[]
- ↑ Takaaki Kidani, New Japan Pro-Wrestling (represented by Hiroshi Tanahashi and Chairman Naoki Sugabayashi), All Japan Pro Wrestling (represented by Suwama and Representative Director Tsuyoki Fukuda), Pro Wrestling Noah (represented by Executive Vice-President Naomichi Marufuji and Head of Public Relations Masashi Ishiguro), DDT Pro-Wrestling (represented by HARASHIMA and Operating Executive Akira Takahashi), World Woman Pro-Wrestling Diana (represented by Kyoko Inoue and General Manager Taishi Fuwa), World Wonder Ring Stardom (represented by Mayu Iwatani and Bushiroad Representative Director Katsuhiko Harada), and Tokyo Joshi Pro-Wrestling (represented by Yuka Sakazaki and Representative Tetsuya Kouda)