"Thanks alot, Toma" - NJPW May Be Going PG

[Norrin Radd]

New NJPW President Bans Swearing, Bird-Flipping From The Product

Along with the different in-ring style and programming format, something that always stands out to new New Japan Pro Wrestling viewers is the much more liberal use of English-language profanity than in prominent North American wrestling promotions. But according to an official statement from NJPW president Harold Meij on the promotion’s Japanese-language website, that’s about to change.

Here’s how Meij explained the new guidelines (with translation via Google Translate):

New Japan Wrestling is about to change now. Even if you do not want to change it’s coming to a stage (scale) you have to change. It is a story of moral rather than a story of the content of the game.
　

If you would like to show pro-wrestling only to Japanese customers only in the Japanese market I think that it was not a problem often… However, now that it has become possible to see New Japan Wrestling from all over the world, there are things that can be regarded as a problem if it is from overseas. For example, setting up a middle finger or emitting a broadcast-prohibited word by live broadcast is absolutely out of rule on broadcasting and ethics from overseas, even if it is not a pin for a Japanese customer. Although customer’s acceptance may be totally different in Japan and overseas, in any case, players and stakeholders should take discriminatory actions as organizers even outside the ring and professionally.​

Meij also addressed the relationship between wrestlers and the audience at NJPW shows, and how that may be more controlled in the future.　

Not only in the situation of overseas expansion but also in Japan alone there is a change in social ethics and social ethics that “it was quite natural in the past, but now is not allowed”. Wrestling logic called “He is a [heel]” sometimes does not pass through rules of society in general. If you continue to overlook it will be a big problem by a chance and it will take away not only players of the problem but also players of many players.
　
Because we strive for fun to watch your pro-wrestling, the history of Shin Nippon Pro Wrestling, the staff who are doing best and the lives of their families… If inappropriate behavior is corrected, we correct it, but there is no change in wishing for the success of each player.
　
Also, although it will be a different story from the actions of the athletes, we will deal with firmly in the future for customers with poor watching manners. We sincerely apologize to customers who were uncomfortable at some venues.​

This statement seems to address an incident in which Tama Tonga confronted a heckler in the audience at a recent G1 show.

This incident was received very differently by Western and Japanese wrestling fans, with Japanese fans mostly praising Tonga’s actions (a recent Super J-Cast episode talks about the cultural context of this, connecting it to the Japanese saying that “the nail that sticks out gets hammered down”) while some Western fans on social media called for him to be punished or fired. Meij’s statement implies there are ways in which wrestlers are not allowed to interact with the fans, but also that fans who cause problems will be dealt with by NJPW staff in the future.

 

[Bryan Danielson]

Oh that sucks for Geto, Jay White, Heel Jericho, ZSJ and a few more guys that be letting it loose in the ring

Martha

 

[Silkk]

I get it, But I would hate this.

 

[Jmare007]

I expect them scaling back on it but I have hard time seeing them fully enforce this shyt.

 

[TBdaGhost]

"while some Western fans on social media called for him to be punished or fired. "

People are such bytches these days. Always tryin to get someone in trouble. Its rarely ever that serious. Like what the fukk is wrong with these motherfukkers?

 

[MenacingMonk]

fukk this shyt.

 

[TOAD99]

fukk this shyt


Tama gotta stay

Nah but for real, everyone curses. People always bytching about some dumb shyt

 

[EL REY]

Not even in Japan can I get away from caucasoidal rule.

 

[El Cocodrilo]

Tell dude to stop being a bytch and just bleep shyt/fukk and pixelate middle fingers and call it a day

 

[Cobratron]

That's why he's called the "Bad Boy".

Not a big deal if they enforce a ban on cursing and middle fingers, no one watches New Japan for that, but it does make them seem unique to an American audience and gives them an edgy feel. In-ring product is still gonna shyt on everything else in the entire world.

 

[Legal]

Alright, so I'mma need Meij to keep that same energy, talk to whoever edited together the intros for the G1, and discipline whoever decided to use a clip of Tama Tonga grabbing his nuts as the key image in his intro segment.

I don't think they understand is that the real value is in being the opposite of WWE's attempted family friendly approach.

 

[TRIPLE M]

This is what happens in a snowflake society

 

[Jmare007]

Y'all really think this is gonna be a real ban? The fukk is Meji gonna do to a japanese dude saying an english curse word?

 

[Vic Damone. Jr]

 

[trick]

"while some Western fans on social media called for him to be punished or fired. "

People are such bytches these days. Always tryin to get someone in trouble. Its rarely ever that serious. Like what the fukk is wrong with these motherfukkers?

white people ruin everything