Hiroshi Tanahashi Wants to Help Create New Stars at NJPW

Hiroshi Tanahashi understands what NJPW needs.

Recently appointed as the new president of NJPW, Tanahashi is determined to steer the Japanese promotion back on course. With the departure of two major stars, Will Ospreay and Kazuchika Okada, to pursue new opportunities elsewhere, there is a noticeable gap in the main event scene. Tanahashi acknowledges this challenge and in an interview with Inside The Ropes, he emphasizes the importance of creating new stars as one of his primary objectives as president.

“This is a star-driven industry, and we need to cultivate new talent. It’s not just about success in the ring; building mainstream awareness and name recognition are crucial for our success. I want to see more of our wrestlers becoming household names.”

Despite approaching the end of his illustrious in-ring career, the 47-year-old Tanahashi is not ready to hang up his boots just yet. He recently secured the NJPW Television Championship by defeating Zack Sabre Jr. at WrestleKingdom 18.

In addition to his in-ring success, Tanahashi also shared his aspirations for his tenure in an administrative position within NJPW. More details on his goals can be found in the full interview.