NJPW News: New Japan Pro Wrestling hires a new president 

What’s the story?

As per reported by Tokyo Sports, New Japan Pro Wrestling has hired a brand new president for the promotion as 54-year-old Harold Meij is now slated to take over the Presidential role in the company.

As noted, Harold Meij will also be the first ever non-Japanese president in NJPW history.

In case you didn’t know…

New Japan Pro Wrestling was initially founded in January 1972 by Pro Wrestling legend Antonio Inoki. The promotion was sold to Yuke's, who later sold it to video gaming industry Bushiroad in 2012. In addition, TV Asahi and Amuse, Inc. also own minority shares of the company, whereas, Naoki Sugabayashi has served as the promotion's Chairman since September of 2013.

The heart of the matter

Harold Meij, who has previously held the role of CEO for Japanese Toy Company TOMY, has now taken over the Presidential role from Katsuhiko Harada for top Japanese Pro Wrestling promotion New Japan Pro Wrestling.

NJPW has a new President, and for the first time ever, he's not Japanese.Harold Meij (54, Dutch) has lived in Japan for 30+ yrs, is English and Japanese fluent, and a fan of pro-wrestling. He left his role as CEO of Japanese toy company TOMY last year. https://t.co/sCPMXM6zj8

— Evan (@EvanDeadlySinsW) May 13, 2018

As noted, Meij initially began working with TOMY in 2014 and seemingly took the company from its biggest loss year to the most profitable ever in 2017 and additionally, the Dutch inherent has also led companies such as Japan Coca-Cola as well.

Meij has also lived in Japan for the past 30 years and is apparently very fluent in both English and Japanese.

Meij joined TOMY in 2014, took the company from their biggest loss year in 2014 to their most profitable year ever in 2017. After leaving TOMY, he was tapped by Bushiroad President Takaaki Kidani for an executive role in NJPW. He is expected to begin as President next month. pic.twitter.com/GLDxLFTbhB

— Evan (@EvanDeadlySinsW) May 13, 2018

Bushiroad President Takaaki Kidani was evidently the mastermind who decided to bring in Meij into the Pro Wrestling industry for the very first time after Meij seemingly left his role as the CEO for TOMY last year.

Harold Meij is also expected to begin his duties for NJPW from next month onwards.

What’s next?

Being previously associated with a famous toy company in TOMY, NJPW fans can now certainly expect the availability of more action figures and toys of some of their favorite NJPW wrestlers. As far as the business standpoint is concerned, fans can now also expect the increase in international expansion for NJPW as well.

Author’s Take

As we’ve recently witnessed, NJPW superstars Matt and Nick Jackson—The Young Bucks— along with the rest of their Bullet Club stablemates recently became the first-ever non-WWE wrestlers to get their own Funko Pop action figures and fans could now definitely expect a variety of actions figures as well.

However, regardless of that, personally I think this was a very solid move for NJPW in terms of business standpoint and could turn out to be very promising for them as well.