(NJPW), is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion based in Nakano, Tokyo. Former employees in NJPW consist of professional wrestlers, managers, valets, play-by-play and color commentators, announcers, interviewers, referees, trainers, script writers, executives, and members of the board of directors.

Personnel

†Indicates person is deceased

Real nameRing name(s)TenureRef 1992–19982004–20052008 2012–2016 2006–2014 2014–2019 1987–1996 2006–20102011–2017 2017–2019 † 1972–2005 20082014–20162016–2019 † 2015–2019 2013–2017 20132015–2019 2005–2006 2013–2019 2013–2019 2002–2016 1992–2001 2016–2019 2006–2007 20052012–2019 2010–2019

Notable former wrestlers

Japanese wrestlers

Akira (Akira Nogami) Akiya Anzawa Atsushi Aoki Go Asakawa Masahiro Chono Riki Choshu (Mitsuo Yoshida) Super Delfin (Hiroto Wakita) Tatsumi Fujinami Kazuyuki Fujita Yoshiaki Fujiwara Masakatsu Funaki Tatsutoshi Goto Shinya Hashimoto HUB Kendo Kashin (Tokimitsu Ishizawa) Masahito Kakihara Kamikaze Koji Kanemoto W*ING Kanemura (Yukihiro Kanemura) Toshiaki Kawada Kenta Kobashi Osamu Kido Kengo Kimura (Seiei Kimura) Shiro Koshinaka Shunji Kosugi Akira Maeda Naomichi Marufuji Kengo Mashimo Mitsuharu Misawa Shigeo Miyato Kazunari Murakami Keiji Mutoh Mitsuya Nagai Hiroshi Nagao Katsuhiko Nagata Masayuki Naruse Osamu Nishimura Nosawa Rongai / Black Tiger (Kazushige Nosawa) Michiyoshi Ohara Okumura (Shigeo Okumura) Takao Omori Akitoshi Saito Hiro Saito Masa Saito Kazushi Sakuraba El Samurai (Osamu Matsuda) Naoki Sano Daisuke Sasaki Kensuke Sasaki The Great Sasuke (Masanori Murakawa) Kenzo Suzuki Tajiri (Yoshihiro Tajiri) Tatsuhito Takaiwa Nobuhiko Takada Yoshihiro Takayama Katsushi Takemura Masato Tanaka Minoru Tanaka Genichiro Tenryu Kaji Tomato Hiro Tonai Takashi Uwano Naofumi Yamamoto / Yoshitatsu Kazuo Yamazaki Ryushi Yanagisawa Tadao Yasuda Yoshiaki Yatsu Ayato Yoshida

Non-Japanese wrestlers

Abdullah The Butcher (Lawrence Shreeve) American Dragon (Bryan Danielson) Arn Anderson (Martin Lunde) André the Giant (André Roussimoff) Ángel de Oro Kurt Angle Averno (Renato Ruíz) Sangre Azteca Steve Austin (Steven Williams) Bob Backlund Michael Bennett Rey Bucanero (Arturo García) The Barbarian (Sione Vailahi) Crusher Bam Bam Bigelow (Scott Bigelow) Black Tiger (Mark Rocco) Black Tiger (II) (Eddie Guerrero) Black Tiger (III) (César González) Blue Wolf (Dolgorsürengiin Serjbüdee) Wes Brisco Jay Briscoe Mark Briscoe Bruiser Brody (Frank Goodish) Chyna (Joanie Laurer) Adam Cole (Austin Jenkins) Rob Conway Consequences Creed (Austin Watson) Jay White Jax Dane Christopher Daniels / Curry Man (Daniel Covell) Diamante Azul Dr. Wagner Jr. (Juan González) Dynamite Kid (Thomas Billington) Troy Endres Ric Flair (Richard Fliehr) Fuego Rick Fuller Amber Gallows (Kimberly Davis) Héctor Garza (Héctor Solano) Giant Bernard (Matthew Bloom) Chavo Guerrero Jr. Karl Gotch (Karl Istaz) Daniel Gracie (Daniel Simoes) Rolles Gracie (Rolles Gracie Jr.) Cody Hall Scott Hall Tony Halme Stan Hansen (John Hansen Jr.) Jeff Hardy Bret Hart Owen Hart Salman Hashimikov Hulk Hogan (Terry Bollea) Maria Kanellis Brian Kendrick Jay Lethal (Jamar Shipman) Low Ki (Brandon Silvestry) Dean Malenko (Dean Simon) Máximo (José Alvarado) Mephisto Místico (Luis Urive) Místico (II) (Carlos Muñoz) Punisher Dice Morgan (Mark Calaway) Dick Murdoch MVP (Hassan Assad) Jim Neidhart Niebla Roja Scott Norton Quiet Storm Pac (Ben Satterley) Pinoy Boy (Teddy Perkins) Pegasus Kid / Wild Pegasus (Chris Benoit) Daniel Puder Jimmy Rave (James Guffey) Rey Cometa (Mario González) Rey Escorpión (Fabian Nuñez) Davey Richards (Wesley Richards) Billy Robinson Robert Roode Rick Rude (Richard Rood) Rush (William Muñoz) Chris Sabin (Joshua Harter) Sabu (Terry Brunk) Giant Singh (Dalip Singh) Giant Silva (Paulo César da Silva) Slex La Sombra (Manuel Andrade) James Storm (James Cox) Stuka Jr. Tiger Jeet Singh (Jagjit Singh) Davey Boy Smith (David Smith) Rick Steiner (Robert Rechsteiner) Scott Steiner (Scott Rechsteiner) Sting (Steve Borden) Strong Man (Jon Andersen) Matt Sydal (Matthew Korklan) Michael Tarver (Tyrone Evans) Matt Taven (Matthew Marinelli) Terry Taylor (Paul Taylor III) Terrible (Damián Gutiérrez) El Texano Jr. (Juan Aguilar) Titán Travis Tomko Último Guerrero (José Gutiérrez) Rob Van Dam (Robert Szatkowski) Big Van Vader (Leon White) Vangellys Volador Jr. (Ramón Ibarra) Road Warrior Animal (Joseph Laurinaitis) Road Warrior Hawk (Michael Hegstrand) Barry Windham Hanson Raymond Rowe Hangman Page (Stevie Woltz)

Joshi talent

Kaoru Ito Manami Toyota Kairi Momoe Nakanishi Sachie Abe The Bloody Yumiko Hotta

former factions

BATT BLACK Black New Japan Bullet Club CHAOS Great Bash Heel Heisei Ishingun Just 5 Guys Legend Los Ingobernables de Japón Makai Club nWo Japan RISE Seigigun Suzuki-gun Team 2000

Former staff and executives Fumihiko Ueai (1977–1984 → 1985–2004) (Sales Director, Executive Director, Director, Matchmaker) Naoki Ōtsuka (1972–1983) (Ring Announcer, Sales Director) Yoshihiko Ozaki (2002–2022) (Ring Announcer) Masakazu Kusama (2004–2005) (Representative Director and President) Simon Kelly Inoki (2000–2007) (Booker, Executive Director, Director, Representative Director and President) Hidekazu Tanaka (1981–2006) (Ring Announcer, Executive Director, Matchmaker) Yonetaro Tanaka (Japan Pro Wrestling → 1963 Retirement → 1964 Became Referee → 1973–1982 Referee Retirement) (Referee) Masao Tayama (1991–2008) (Referee) Yoshiyuki Nakamura (1989–2001) (Sales Department) Eiichiro Niijima (1998–2016) (Medical Trainer) Michael Craven (2018–2021) (General Manager, International Department) Takashi Iizuka/Mr. Takahashi Toshio Yamaguchi faction → 1972–1998 Referee Retirement) (Referee, Head of Referees, Matchmaker, Training Advisor) Mr. Henry (1972–1974) (Referee) Hideyuki Yamaguchi (2003–2005) (Ring Announcer, Sales Department, Events Department) Hideaki Yamanaka (1983–2005) (Sales Director, Executive Managing Director)

Former presidents NumberNameTermNotes1stAntonio InokiJanuary 1972 – July 1989Temporarily stepped down August–October 19832ndSeiji SakaguchiJuly 1989 – June 19993rdTatsumi FujinamiJune 1999 – June 20044thMasakazu KusamaJune 2004 – May 20055thSimon Kelly InokiMay 2005 – March 20076thNaoki SugabayashiApril 2007 – September 2013Became Chairman in September 20137thKaname TezukaSeptember 2013 – February 20168thKatsuhiko HaradaFebruary 2016 – May 20189thHarold MeijJune 2018 – October 202010thTakami OhbariOctober 2020 – December 2023

References