JAPAN SWEPT BY ENTHUSIASM FOR WRESTLING

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27860, 7 January 1956, Page 3

JAPAN SWEPT BY ENTHUSIASM FOR WRESTLING

Millions of Japanese have welcomed with an almost hysterical enthusiasm the latest import from the United States—all-in professional wrestling, writes Peter Robinson, in Tokyo for the “Sydney Morning Herald.” The new sport, in which the fighters do almost anything short of killing each other, looks as if it is here to stay. Even the women are taking it up and are drawing huge crowds. With the exception of Japan's traditional stylised Sumo wrestlers, who fear they may lose their old popularity, no-one. apparently can lose. > The Japanese fighters chop, halfstrangle and toss their foreign opponents straight out of the ring with murderous success. The promoters have struck it richer than ever before. Televised bouts draw audiences of millions and T.V. sales are booming. Inspired by the dramatic displays of physical strength. Jabanese university students have started flocking to newly organised body-building societies. New magazines devoted to wrestling and body-building are appearing almost every week. A happy public, come sun, rain or snow, queues for hours in thousands for the chance to buv a ringside seat which may cost nearly a week's wages. The sudden mania for professional wrestling has caused no-one more surprise perhaps than its original promoters, and is almost entirely due to one man—3l-year-old Rikidozan (the name means "Way-of-Strength-Mountain”). Rikidozan is a flamboyant, harddrinking, 250-pound renegade from the ranks of the Sumo wrestlers, with a flair for the extravagant showmanship of all-in wrestling. He gave up Sumo, he said, because the pay was too low. the style of wrestling too .formalised, and jts disciples too “feudalistic.” After twb years as a professional wrestler, Rikidozan is a national hero, and one of the richest men in the country. He owns a Cadillac, has given a second away, and races over inadequate Japanese roads in an expensive sports car. He has built a multi-million-yen

mansion and a private gymnasium estimated to have cost £60,000. He has provided for the day when he retires by becoming an important shareholder in a leading Tokyo department store. His name appears with those of leading industrialists as one of the 10 top taxpayers in Japan. Rikidozan. and Japanese professional wrestling, set out on the road to success when he joined a professional United States team touring Japan. He went back with the team to the United States, where he perfected his technique to the point of scoring 22 wins and two losses in Hawaii and 124 wins without loss in the United States. Rikidozan. or “Rikki” as he is called by his fans, found a promoter, and Japanese aIL-in wrestling was launched. But not without grave doubts among the traditionalists, who were asked to put up their money in support. For the first promotion, ringside seats were purposely underpriced at £2 10s. or about half the normal price for a boxing promotion. Television rights were sold for about £6oo—only one-tenth the price for a

major boxing match. To th? surprise of the promoters, the tickets were sold out within a few hours. The black-marketeers moved in and made a small fortune touting ringside tickets for £l2 10s each. Thousands jostle each other for * better view in public squares and on street corners where the television broadcasting companies have installed large-screen sets. The promoters themselves netted £300.000 with their first two promotions. each lasting three days, in Tokyo and Osaka. It was a record profit for any form of entertainment ever staged in Japan. That was one year ago. In th? 12 months since then, professional wrestling has become the biggest draw oT all forms of entertainment. On nights when professional wrestling is being televised, cinemas. , normally packed to suffocation point, are half-deserted. Everyone is round a television set. Coffee shops, bars and restaurants where TV. sets are installed are packed. Those who can’t get in crowd round the door.