It’s been a huge week for the world of professional wrestling, as NJPW held their annual Wrestle Kingdom event, and shortly after both Kenny Omega and KUSHIDA announced that they were leaving the company.
NJPW President Harold Meij commented on the situation on the New Japan website and announcer Chris Charlton translated the following quote:
“Talent will come & go. That’s life. Half of Japanese people have had more than one occupation. More overseas. There are different life stages, priorities change. What counts is that while here, ppl shine as bright as possible & produce the best product possible for us”
He also seemed to reference the launch of AEW when he said that more promotions in the market is proof that the market is healthy.
Meij then emphasized that even though NJPW is expanding its reach to accommodate demand from international fans, the company is still very much focused on Japan.
President Meij: “‘is New Japan OK?’ Yes it is. ‘Is this the beginning of the end?’ Twitter’s getting ahead of itself.” https://t.co/6UZYmbkeLO
— chris charlton (@reasonjp) January 9, 2019
Meij: ‘More promotions in the market is proof of a healthy sector with more people watching. A billion Dollar market is turning into 1.3, 1.5 billion. It’s not a tiny space with everyone fighting over scraps anymore.’ https://t.co/6UZYmbkeLO
— chris charlton (@reasonjp) January 9, 2019
Meij: ‘I used to be in charge of a 1.8 billion dollar business. Not the entire industry, a company worth that much. And forgive me for saying, I did pretty well. And New Japan has a great structure, our people have a lot of skill and know how, and our wrestlers are great.’
— chris charlton (@reasonjp) January 9, 2019
Meij: ‘Talent will come & go. That’s life. Half of Japanese people have had more than one occupation. More overseas. There are different life stages, priorities change. What counts is that while here, ppl shine as bright as possible & produce the best product possible for us’
— chris charlton (@reasonjp) January 9, 2019
Meij: ‘Our job as a business in New Japan is to make sure our wrestlers are not spending their life worrying about ticket sales, living expense, feeding their family, or injury. They need to be able to focus on the ring’ https://t.co/6UZYmbkeLO
— chris charlton (@reasonjp) January 9, 2019
Meij: ‘I often see talk along the lines of “since Meij came in, they’re only looking at international, they don’t care about Japan.” That couldn’t be more wrong.‘ https://t.co/6UZYmbkeLO
— chris charlton (@reasonjp) January 9, 2019
Meij: ‘New Japan has gotten to the stage that the world has taken notice of it and we can do these things abroad. I’m not pushing the company international; if anything it’s the other way round. I’m doing my job as a professional to fulfill very strong demand.’
— chris charlton (@reasonjp) January 9, 2019
Meij: ‘I didn’t get this job because I’m foreign. International business is one string to my bow. There’s a lot more I can do, and a lot more I have to do in Japan. I have done, and am doing a lot, more than you can see, to increase revenue.’ https://t.co/6UZYmbkeLO
— chris charlton (@reasonjp) January 9, 2019
Meij: ‘This is a Japanese company. I want to bring that Japanese excellence, that New Japan ism, as is, unchanged, to fans in Japan and all over the world. For now, don’t worry. Enjoy the ride. Enjoy Fantasticamania.’ https://t.co/6UZYmbkeLO
— chris charlton (@reasonjp) January 9, 2019
