List of professional wrestling promotions in Japan

This is a list of professional wrestling promotions in Japan which includes both national and independent puroresu and joshi companies from the post-World War II period up to the present day.

Major promotions

Puroresu

Name Location Owner(s) Years active Notes
All Japan Pro Wrestling Yokohama Jun Akiyama 1972– Affiliated with National Wrestling Alliance until 1990.[1][2][3]
DDT Pro-Wrestling Tokyo CyberAgent 1997– [1][4]
Dragon Gate Kobe Gaora 2004– Known as Toryumon Japan from 1997 to 2004.[1][5]
Inoki Genome Federation Tokyo Simon Inoki 2007–2019
International Wrestling Enterprise Tokyo Isao Yoshiwara 1967–1981 Associated with the American Wrestling Association from 1970, and the Japan Pro-Wrestling Commission with New Japan Pro Wrestling until 1981.[6]
Japan Wrestling Association Tokyo Rikidōzan 1953–1973 Affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance. Membership was transferred to AJPW.[1][7][8]
New Japan Pro-Wrestling Tokyo Bushiroad 1972– [1][9][10]
Pro Wrestling Noah Tokyo CyberAgent[11] 2000– [1][12][13]

Joshi

Name Location Owner(s) Years active Notes
All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling Tokyo Kunimatsu Matsunaga
Takashi Matsunaga
1972–2005 [1][14][15]
Gaea Japan Tokyo Yuka Sugiyama
Chigusa Nagayo
1995–2005 [1][16][17]
World Wonder Ring Stardom Tokyo Bushiroad 2010–

Independent promotions

Puroresu

Name Location Owner(s) Years active Notes
666 Tokyo 2003–
Active Advance Pro Wrestling Chiba 2002– Known as KAIENTAI DOJO and K-DOJO until 2019.
Apache Pro-Wrestling Army Tokyo Kintaro Kanemura 2004–2016
Asuka Pro Wrestling Tokyo Akira Shinose 2014– Previously named Asuka Project until 2019[18]
Battlarts Koshigaya Yuki Ishikawa 1996–2011
Big Japan Pro Wrestling Yokohama Eiji Tosaka 1995–
Dove Pro Wrestling Hiroshima GUNSO 2005–
Cho Sento Puroresu FMW Greater Tokyo Area Akihito Ichihara
Yukihide Ueno
1989–2002
2015–
Previously named Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling.[1][19][20]
Diamond Ring Yoshikawa Kensuke Sasaki
Akira Hokuto
2003–2013 Previously named Kensuke Office.
Dradition Tokyo Tatsumi Fujinami 2008–
El Dorado Wrestling Tokyo Noriaki Kawabata
Koji Fujinaga
2006–2008 Continuation of DragonDoor.
Federacion Universal de Lucha Libre Hisatsune Shinma 1990–1995 Known as Universal Pro Wrestling from 1990 to 1993, the promotion was affiliated with the Universal Wrestling Association.[21]
Fighting Network Rings Tokyo Akira Maeda 1991–2002 Continuation of Newborn UWF.
Revived as a pure mixed martial arts promotion (The Outsider series) in 2008.
Ganbare Pro-Wrestling Tokyo Originally a special event by parent company DDT, Ganbare has since become its own promotion.[22]
Global Professional Wrestling Alliance Yoshiyuki Nakamura 2006–2009
Hitachi Pro Wrestling Kanto region 2008– [23]
Hokuto Pro Wrestling Hokkaido Crane Nakajo 2004–
Hustle Greater Tokyo Area Nobuhiko Takada 2004–2011 [24]
IWA Japan Tokyo Tatsukuni Asano 1994–2014 Continuation of W*ING.[1][25][26]
JUST TAP OUT Professional Wrestling Tokyo TAKA Michinoku 2019–
Kingdom Tokyo 1997–1998 Continuation of UWF International.
Lion's Gate Project Tokyo Bushiroad 2015– Developmental branch of New Japan Pro Wrestling
Michinoku Pro Wrestling Morioka Jinsei Shinzaki 1993–
New Nemuro Pro Wrestling 2006–[27]
Onita Pro Tokyo Atsushi Onita 1999–2012
Osaka Pro Wrestling Osaka Super Delfin
Yuji Sakagami
1998–
Ossan Style Wrestling Osaka 2019– Originally called Osaka Style Wrestling, the promotion restarted as Ossan Style Wrestling in 2020[28]
Pro-Wrestling Basara Shinjuku Tokyo Isami Kodaka 2015– Continuation of Union Pro Wrestling. Pro Wrestling Basara Spun Off From DDT Pro Wrestling on January 1, 2020.
Pro Wrestling Dewa Tohoku region Lock Suzuki 2004– [29]
Pro Wrestling FREEDOMS Tokyo Takashi Sasaki 2009–
Pro Wrestling Fujiwara Gumi Tokyo Yoshiaki Fujiwara
Masakatsu Funaki
Minoru Suzuki
1991–1995
Pro Wrestling Zero1 Tokyo First On Stage Inc. 2001– [1][30][31]
Real Japan Pro Wrestling Tokyo Satoru Sayama 2005–
Riki Pro Tokyo Riki Choshu
Katsuji Nagashima
2004–2010 Also known as World Japan Pro Wrestling or Fighting of World Japan.[1][32][33]
Secret Base Tokyo Mototsugu Shimizu
Jun Ogawauchi
2009– Continuation of El Dorado Wrestling.
Smash Tokyo Yoshihiro Tajiri
Akira Shoji
2010–2012 Continuation of Hustle.[34]
Super World of Sports Tokyo Hachiro Tanaka 1990–1992 Associated with the World Wrestling Federation.[35]
Tenryu Project Tokyo Genichiro Tenryu 2010–2015
Tokyo Gurentai Tokyo Nosawa Rongai
Mazada
2010–
Tokyo Pro Wrestling Tokyo Takashi Ishikawa 1994–1996
Universal Wrestling Federation Matsumoto Hisashi Shinma 1984–1986 Revived as the Newborn UWF in 1988 and again in 1991 as Union of Wrestling Forces International (UWF International or UWFi).
UWF International Tokyo Nobuhiko Takada 1991–1996 Continuation of Universal Wrestling Federation.
Union Pro Wrestling Shinjuku Tokyo Naomi Susan
DDT Pro Wrestling
1993–1995
2004–2015
Wrestle-1 Tokyo Keiji Mutoh 2013–2020[36]
Wrestle Association "R" Tokyo Gen'ichiro Tenryu
Masatomo Takei
1992–2006 [37][38]
Wrestling International New Generations Tokyo Kiyoshi Ibaragi
Victor Quiñonez
1991–1994 Associated with the World Wrestling Council.[39][40]
Wrestling New Classic Tokyo Yoshihiro Tajiri 2012–2014 Continuation of Smash. Sister promotion of Reina Joshi Puroresu.

Joshi

Name Location Owner(s) Years active Notes
Actwres girl'Z Tokyo Super Project Co. Ltd. 2015–
Arsion Tokyo Rossy

Ogawa

1997–2003 [41][42]
Gatoh Move Tokyo[43][44] Emi Sakura 2012– Formerly based in Thailand.
Ice Ribbon Warabi Neoplus 2006–
Jd' Tokyo Yoshimoto Kogyo Company
J Office Group
1995–2007 [45]
JWP Joshi Puroresu Tokyo Kiyoshi Shinozaki
Masatoshi Yamamoto
1992–2017 [46][47]
Ladies Legend Pro-Wrestling Toshima Rumi Kazama
Shinobu Kandori
1992–
Marvelous Funabashi Marvelcompany, Inc. 2006–
Oz Academy Tokyo Mayumi Ozaki 1998–
NEO Japan Ladies Pro-Wrestling Yokohama Kyoko Inoue 1997–2010
Pro Wrestling Wave Tokyo Zabun Co, Ltd. 2007– Sister promotion of Osaka Joshi Pro-Wrestling.
Pure-J Adachi, Tokyo Command Bolshoi 2017– [48][49]
Seadlinnng Kawasaki Nanae Takahashi 2015–
Sendai Girls' Pro Wrestling Sendai Meiko Satomura 2005–
Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling Tokyo Tetsuya Koda and Nozomi 2012– Subsidiary of DDT Pro-Wrestling

See also

References

  1. "Japanese Promotions". Promotions. OnlineWorldofWrestling.com. 2010. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  2. "All Japan Pro-Wrestling". The Great Hisa's Puroresu Dojo. Wrestling-Titles.com. 2003. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  3. Duncan Royal, Gary Will, Brian Westcott, Hisahiro Tanabe and Andrew Zadarnowski. "AJPW – All Japan Pro-Wrestling". Solie's Title Histories. Solie.org. Retrieved 2010-05-18.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
  4. "Dramatic Dream Team". The Great Hisa's Puroresu Dojo. Wrestling-Titles.com. 2003. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  5. "Toryumon / Dragon Gate". The Great Hisa's Puroresu Dojo. Wrestling-Titles.com. 2003. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  6. "International Wrestling Enterprise". The Great Hisa's Puroresu Dojo. Wrestling-Titles.com. 2003. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  7. "Japan Pro Wrestling Association". The Great Hisa's Puroresu Dojo. Wrestling-Titles.com. 2003. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  8. Duncan, Royal and Gary Will; Brian Westcott (2004). "JWA – Japan Wrestling Association". Solie's Title Histories. Solie.org. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  9. "New Japan Pro-Wrestling". The Great Hisa's Puroresu Dojo. Wrestling-Titles.com. 2003. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  10. Royal Duncan, Gary Will, Brian Westcott, Matt Benaka, Earl Oliver, Hisaharu Tanabe and Andrew Zadarnowski (2004). "New Japan". Solie's Title Histories. Solie.org. Retrieved 2010-05-18.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
  11. "CyberAgent Purchases Pro Wrestling NOAH". Fightful.com. 2020.
  12. "Pro-Wrestling NOAH". The Great Hisa's Puroresu Dojo. Wrestling-Titles.com. 2003. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  13. Richard Palma, Jeff Capo, Brian Westcott and Hisaharu Tanabe (2007). "PWN – Pro Wrestling NOAH". Solie's Title Histories. Solie.org. Retrieved 2010-05-18.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
  14. "All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling". The Great Hisa's Puroresu Dojo. Wrestling-Titles.com. 2003. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  15. Duncan, Royal and Gary Will; Brian Westcott (2004). "AJWPW – All Japan Womens' Pro-Wrestling". Solie's Title Histories. Solie.org. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  16. "GAEA Japan". The Great Hisa's Puroresu Dojo. Wrestling-Titles.com. 2003. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  17. Samuel Eanes, Brian Westcott & Hisaharu Tanabe (2004). "GAEA Japan". Solie's Title Histories. Solie.org. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  18. "Asuka Project official site".
  19. "Frontier Martial-arts Wrestling". The Great Hisa's Puroresu Dojo. Wrestling-Titles.com. 2003. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  20. Royal Duncan, Gary Will, Brian Westcott, Hisaharu Tanabe, Matt Benaka and Earl Oliver (2004). "FMW – Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling". Solie's Title Histories. Solie.org. Retrieved 2010-05-18.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
  21. "Universal/F.U.L.L." The Great Hisa's Puroresu Dojo. Wrestling-Titles.com. 2003. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  22. "Ganbare Pro-Wrestling official site".
  23. "Hitachi Pro Wrestling official site".
  24. "Hustle". The Great Hisa's Puroresu Dojo. Wrestling-Titles.com. 2003. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  25. "International Wrestling Association Japan". The Great Hisa's Puroresu Dojo. Wrestling-Titles.com. 2003. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  26. Royal Duncan, Gary Will, Brian Westcott and Matt Benaka (2004). "IWA – International Wrestling Association (Japan)". Solie's Title Histories. Solie.org. Retrieved 2010-05-18.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
  27. "N2PW official site".
  28. "Ossan Style Wrestling official site".
  29. "Pro Wrestling Dewa main site".
  30. "Pro-Wrestling ZERO-ONE". The Great Hisa's Puroresu Dojo. Wrestling-Titles.com. 2003. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  31. Brian Westcott, Hisaharu Tanabe, Nick Garrison and Adam Fenwick (2006). "Zero One-MAX (formerly NWA – Zero One)". Solie's Title Histories. Solie.org. Retrieved 2010-05-18.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
  32. "Fighting of World-Japan / Riki Pro". The Great Hisa's Puroresu Dojo. Wrestling-Titles.com. 2003. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  33. Westcott, Brian (2004). "WJPW – World Japan Pro Wrestling". Solie's Title Histories. Solie.org. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  34. Byers, Ryan (2010-04-27). "Into the Indies 04.27.10: HUSTLE Gets SMASHed". 411Mania. Retrieved 2010-06-13.
  35. "Super World Sports". The Great Hisa's Puroresu Dojo. Wrestling-Titles.com. 2003. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  36. "Wrestle-1 official Twitter". 2020.
  37. "Wrestle Association "R"". The Great Hisa's Puroresu Dojo. Wrestling-Titles.com. 2003. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  38. Westcott, Brian (2004). "WAR – Wrestle and Romance". Solie's Title Histories. Solie.org. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  39. "Wrestling International New Generations". The Great Hisa's Puroresu Dojo. Wrestling-Titles.com. 2003. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  40. Royal Duncan, Gary Will, Brian Westcott and Matt Benaka (2004). "W*ING (Wrestling International New Generations)". Solie's Title Histories. Solie.org. Retrieved 2010-05-18.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
  41. Samuel Eanes; Earl Oliver; Hisaharu Tanabe; Brian Westcott (2004). "AtoZ/ARSION". Solie's Title Histories. Solie.org. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  42. "ARSION". The Great Hisa's Puroresu Dojo. Wrestling-Titles.com. 2003. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  43. "A Brief History of: Gatoh Move". ProWrestlingPost.com. 2020.
  44. "Gatoh Move Official YouTube Channel".
  45. "Jd'". The Great Hisa's Puroresu Dojo. Wrestling-Titles.com. 2003. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  46. "JWP Project". The Great Hisa's Puroresu Dojo. Wrestling-Titles.com. 2003. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  47. Royal Duncan, Gary Will, Brian Westcott and Hisaharu Tanabe (2004). "JWPP – Japanese Women Pro-Wrestling Project". Solie's Title Histories. Solie.org. Retrieved 2010-05-18.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
  48. JWPから「Pure-J」へ 8・11後楽園大会で旗揚げ. Tokyo Sports (in Japanese). March 28, 2017. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
  49. 女子プロレス「JWP」、新団体名「Pure-J」を発表. Daily Sports Online (in Japanese). Kobe Shimbun. March 28, 2017. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
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