Additional details about the NJPW departures of Tetsuya Naito and BUSHI.
Since 2006, Tetsuya Naito has been a member of the New Japan Pro-Wrestling talent roster. BUSHI made his way under the New Japan umbrella in 2011 and has been working for the company full-time since then.
The Los Ingobernables de Japon members are both set to wrap up with NJPW. Their last show is the final stop on the Wrestling Dontaku tour on May 4th. Los Ingobernables de Japon (BUSHI, Hiromu Takahashi, Shingo Takagi & Tetsuya Naito) are going to be in tag team action.
More details about Naito and BUSHI’s departures were provided by Tokyo Sports. Per the site, Naito informed NJPW that he wanted to leave after the fourth round of contract negotiations on April 3rd. They tried to continue negotiating with him but Naito’s request was formally granted on April 16th.
BUSHI signed a deal with New Japan this year, but at the same time as Naito, he asked to leave and it was granted. Tokyo Sports noted that it is expected that BUSHI will continue to work with Naito in the future. He was scheduled to be in the Best of the Super Juniors tournament which starts May 10th.
Earlier this month, Naito told Tokyo Sports that he had been raising questions about the disparity in the number of matches he’s had since his last contract renewal in 2024. He’d been working as a freelancer since the end of January 2025.
NJPW President Hiroshi Tanahashi issued a statement via the New Japan website. He revealed that he spoke to Naito last night and expressed that he wanted him to stay, but Naito stood firm on his stance.
I am sorry to deliver the news that surprised and saddened everyone today. I spoke with Naito yesterday. I told him that I wanted Naito, who loves New Japan, to stay in New Japan until the end, but his will was firm and I could not change it. He will be leaving the organization in a way that respects his wishes. I ask for your continued support for Naito and BUSHI…
Hiroshi Tanahashi is going to be in action on April 19th against Jeff Cobb at the Road to Wrestling Dontaku show. It’ll be Cobb’s final match with New Japan as he is set to depart from the company as well.
