Hiroshi Tanahashi believes pro wrestling should be the last sport to return

Hiroshi Tanahashi himself told the Japanese government earlier today that he believes pro wrestling should be the LAST sport to return and gave a passionate speech as to why.

‘While events have been cancelled, our wrestlers have been training diligently and maintaining their focus for an eventual return. Yes, not being able to wrestle does make a lot of us concerned for our livelihoods, but in the world of sports, be that baseball, soccer, or sumo, I feel that professional wrestling should be the anchor. I think it should be acceptable for professional wrestling to be the last sport to return to full activity. I want people to know that when professional wrestling is back, then and only then it means truly that Japanese entertainment has properly recovered.’

Mayu Iwatani from STARDOM on Wrestling Making a difference Today to bring the Sport back

‘On a personal note, on February 19, I was scheduled to have a birthday party event, which was cancelled. On March 8, we streamed a live event with no fans in Korakuen Hall, but since then there have been cancellations after cancellations. We list our occupations as professional wrestlers, but to not have matches is, of course, incredibly frustrating.

If we have access to testing kits for wrestlers and staff, it can put minds at ease and help us return to active duty. Rather than sitting and waiting for an unclear point in the future, to be able to take some kind of action like we’re doing today is something I’m extremely grateful for. I hope this can help the entire industry come back strong.’