UJPW Approves Of New Members

June 13, 2025

Two days ago the second Board Of Directors meeting for United Japan Pro Wrestling took place. Representatives including Sanshiro Takagi, Hiroshi Tanahashi and Ryo Saito got together to review proposals from other pro wrestling companies wishing to join the alliance. After rigorous screening, Pro Wrestling FREEDOMS have been accepted as the newest regular member of UJPW. Not only that but Pro Wrestling Dradition, World Women’s Pro Wrestling Diana and Pro Wrestling WAVE were all unanimously approved to join UJPW in the supporting members tier.

Proposals for the establishment of UJPW’s Human Rights Policy as well as Safety Guidelines were taken care off during the meeting too. There was also a seminar held to teach everyone how to utilize their federation for the development of pro wrestling.

As of this week the members of UJPW are now as follows.

Regular Members: New Japan, All Japan, Big Japan, NOAH, DDT, Dragongate, Kyushu Pro, Stardom, Tokyo Joshi Pro, Ganbare☆Pro, FREEDOMS

Supporting Members: Dradition, Diana, WAVE


Oishi Leaving DDT, Takagi Becoming UJPW Spokesman, International Updates

July 25, 2024

Yesterday DDT and Makoto Oishi held a press conference on short notice to talk about Oishi’s future. He announced that on 3rd October he will be leaving DDT when his contract ends and will be wrestling as a freelancer from that point onwards. He explained that his father-in-law recently passed away so he and his wife Misaki Ohata decided to move their home to Miyagi so Ohata could live closer to her family. During this time Oishi has lived alone in Tokyo while taking trips to see his family once or twice a month. With his children growing up he decided he wants to spend more time raising them in Miyagi. Akito revealed that Oishi has also been working behind the scenes jobs in DDT on a contract basis so it is a big deal for the company that he is leaving. One of Oishi’s jobs was to drive the company bus. It allowed him to get a driver’s license that allows him to work as a taxi driver if he wants to. He joked about possibly becoming the taxi driver for The Saito Brothers.

Oishi will continue to wrestle as a freelancer but he is aware he will be getting less bookings because of his age and location. DDT will still book him for shows they want him on, especially those that take place in Sendai as well as big arena events. Oishi would like to continue teaming with Danshoku Dieno & Jun Akiyama as part of D.O.A. He also wants to wrestle against people like Shunma Katsumata, MAO and Tetsuya Endo before his contract runs out.

Oishi has already contacted Chihiro Hashimoto asking her to let him train at the Sendai Girls dojo. Since Oishi was responsible for training many of the celebrities and entertainers that wrestled in DDT, Sanshiro Takagi suggested he can send them over to Oishi and that dojo in Sendai from now on.

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Over a week ago the members of United Japan Pro Wrestling all had a meeting to discuss the next steps for the alliance between many of Japan’s pro wrestling companies. The decision was made to have UJPW to become incorporated in order to strengthen their communication with the Japanese government as well as improve the guidelines for their wrestlers. When this move is completed Sanshiro Takagi will serve UJPW as their main Spokesman.

UJPW currently represents 11 wrestling promotions across 9 companies. The 11 promotions are New Japan, Stardom, All Japan, Big Japan, DDT, DIANA, Dragongate, Ganbare☆Pro, Kyushu Pro, NOAH and Tokyo Joshi Pro. DIANA and Kyushu Pro are new additions but I do not know when they signed up to join UJPW. Although it should be noted that DIANA’s representatives were only at the meeting “in an observing capacity”, whatever that means.

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EVE/TOKYO JOSHI PRO “EVE X TJPW: JAPAN & UK WRESTLING UNITE!”, 24/08/2024
Conway Hall, London, England

Last but not least there are a few updates on the international shows taking place later this year. Over in England TJPW’s collaboration with EVE has finally found a venue. Their show in London this August will take place at Conway Hall.

TOKYO JOSHI PRO/DEFY “BRIGHT EYES”, 09/11/2024
Washington Hall, Seattle, Washington, USA

DDT/DEFY “DDT IN UTERO”, 09/11/2024
Washington Hall, Seattle, Washington, USA

DDT/TOKYO JOSHI PRO/DEFY “TRIANGLER DTD”, 10/11/2024
Washington Hall, Seattle, Washington, USA

Then in November DDT and TJPW will be working with DEFY to hold a weekend’s worth of shows in Seattle, USA. On the first day there will be two DEFY shows, one with TJPW in the afternoon and one with DDT in the evening. Then the next day all three promotions will be working together for a supeshow finale. TJPW will be sending around 10 to 12 wrestlers for the show. DDT has not given a number for how many wrestlers they will be bringing.


Wrestlers Meet With House Of Representatives

April 15, 2020

Wrestlers representing several pro wrestling companies visited Japan’s House Of Representatives today to meet with Hiroshi Hase. He is a former pro wrestler and more importantly the current Minister For Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The wrestlers requested medical kits to test for Coronavirus as well as compensation towards contracted pro wrestlers for cancelling all of their shows over the epidemic. According to Bushiroad president Takaaki Kidani, pro wrestlers are currently unable to receive the compensation benefits that were created in response to the current crisis. Pro wrestling contracts are handled differently compared to other careers so adapting it to the current laws is difficult. Up to now it was left to the companies employing these wrestlers to handle compensation pay and they cannot continue if there are no shows taking place to bring in the money.

Among the wrestlers making the visit were Hiroshi Tanahashi (New Japan), Suwama (All Japan), HARASHIMA (DDT), Naomichi Marufuji (NOAH), Mayu Iwatani (Stardom), Yuka Sakazaki (Tokyo Joshi) and Kyoko Inoue (Diana). Also included were management from the same companies including Kidani, Naoki Sugabayashi (New Japan), Takenori Fukuda (All Japan), Masashi Ishiguro (NOAH), Akira Takahashi (DDT), Katsuhiko Harada (Bushiroad), Tetsuya Koda (Tokyo Joshi) and Taishi Fuwa (Diana).

HARASHIMA said that having testing kits on site can give everyone enough peace of mind to begin holding pro wrestling shows again. Sakazaki explained that in the early days of Corona, DDT and Tokyo Joshi were able to hold empty arena shows in their dojo. But the building the dojo is located in also has a nursery school in one of the upper floors above it. That along with using trains as the form of transportation to get there makes the idea of using the dojo for matches more dangerous.

Hase thanked the wrestlers for giving him their views on the matter and agreed on the measures along with further consultation. He told the wrestlers to continue working hard when the time comes for pro wrestling shows to be held again.