NJPW Owner Outlines Plans for Near Future, Including Working with WWE

Tokyo Sports held a recent interview with New Japan Pro Wrestling owner Takaaki Kidani discussing the company’s plans for the near future including a potential working relationship with the WWE. Website Purolove.com’s STRIGGA provided translations of the interview on Twitter.

During the interview, Kidani stated one of his biggest goals is to be able to open up more of the Tokyo Dome for ticket sales in two years. In order to achieve this goal, he feels the company needs to start signing and developing more domestic young stars, especially one who can be built into a big star for their heavyweight division.

In Toyko Sports Takaaki Kidani said that in two years time he wants to fill the seats in the outfield of the Tokyo Dome and mobilize even more fans. Therefore he says New Japan needs young japanese stars, specifically a heavyweight star in his 20s.

— STRIGGA (@STRIGGA) January 5, 2018

Another goal is to continue growing their revenue streams in order to be able to afford to pay wrestlers more money and attract more international stars to the company. Kidani mentioned their NJPW Fan Club as one of their main sources of revenue which has grown from 1,890 members in 2012 to now around 12,000 members.

Kidani furthermore said that he remembers how the New Japan fan club had 1,890 members in 2012 and now membership figures are at 12,000. Kidani: "The base is rising. Various synergies are occurring. New Japan's sales are also rising."

— STRIGGA (@STRIGGA) January 5, 2018

Kidani also mentioned at wanting to target international stars who worked in the WWE as a way to attract more interest from their international markets. Kidani stated the main reason why he wants to target those who worked in the WWE is to eventually establish a working relationship with the WWE.

With rising numbers Kidani said NJPW will be able to pay more money to wrestlers and he wants to get more wrestlers with a relationship WWE involved in New Japan. He says he's going to do that until "the other side" says: "Let's get along."

— STRIGGA (@STRIGGA) January 5, 2018

Source: Tokyo Sports