On the 4th, a press conference for the establishment of "Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling" was held at the pro-wrestling & sports bar "Dropkick" in Tokyo, attended by DDT President Sanshiro Takagi, Tetsuya Koda (who previously worked as staff for NEO and Ice Ribbon), and former NEO joshi wrestler Nozomi Dai, now renamed NOZOMI.

First, President Takagi explained the background:
"Last year, a DDT trainee named Takashi Dai (currently sidelined due to injury) joined in Hakata. The name 'Dai' caught my attention, so I asked, 'Do you have any siblings or relatives who are pro wrestlers?' It turned out he was Nozomi Dai's younger brother. Later, after discussing with her, she mentioned that although she had retired once, she wanted to give wrestling another try. Considering her determination, I consulted with Koda-san. As for Koda-san, after NEO disbanded, he had been helping out with DDT. Since (Nozomi Dai) was from NEO, I thought, 'You’re not strangers, so why not take on a role in this?' Eventually, we decided it would be best to establish a new organization as a separate entity."

This "Tokyo Joshi" is not a concept like "MUSCLE" or "Cruiser's Game" (DDT's internal brands), but rather a newly established section within DDT called the "Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling Division," with Koda-san serving as its representative. The Tokyo Joshi office will be separate from DDT's main office, as it will operate under an independent accounting system.

Next, Representative Koda explained his reason for accepting the role as head of the organization:
"Having run NEO for 10 years, I still believe we did everything possible within the existing framework of women's wrestling. In that sense, I gave it my all—but there were things we couldn’t accomplish within that framework. If DDT was willing to support us, I thought we might be able to do what we couldn’t before."

President Takagi, for his part, had been concerned about Koda-san ever since he left NEO. After having him assist with DDT and discussing various ideas, Takagi became strongly convinced that "Tetsuya Koda is needed in today’s women’s wrestling scene," which led to this offer.

Additionally, Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling announced three key concepts:
"Cultural Women’s Pro-Wrestling" – Actively incorporating ideas not seen in existing women’s wrestling.
"Discovering and Developing a New Type of Female Wrestler" – Something that couldn’t be achieved within the traditional framework.
"The Three Bans" – Implemented at President Takagi’s strong insistence.

Regarding "Cultural Women’s Pro-Wrestling," President Takagi elaborated that they are considering introducing hairstylists, fashion stylists, and innovative costumes to enhance the glamorous aspects unique to women’s wrestling—something men’s wrestling lacks. While the in-ring content will be entirely left to Koda’s expertise, these production elements will leverage DDT’s know-how.

As for the "Three Bans" (alcohol, cigarettes, and men), Takagi explained his reasoning:
"Women’s wrestling must inspire dreams. Drinking, smoking, and men create a bad image. Part of the reason we separated the offices is that DDT is a men’s promotion, and it’s preferable to minimize contact between the wrestlers (laughs wryly). We’re in an idol war era now, and these bans shouldn’t just be rules—they should be morals. I want to establish this as an image concept."

He added that if a wrestler’s romantic involvement comes to light and the office becomes aware of it, they will immediately issue a warning. If the wrestler refuses to end the relationship, their contract may be terminated.

At present, the only signed wrestler, NOZOMI, shared her aspirations:
"Though I’ll be Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling’s first official wrestler, my goal is to become a compact yet powerful competitor like WWE’s Chris Benoit, or a charismatic star like Shawn Michaels, and lead Tokyo Joshi forward. In my mind, whether you call this a comeback or a re-debut, I’m approaching it with a fresh mindset—I’m not clinging to my past as Nozomi Dai. I’m moving forward purely as NOZOMI, a new wrestler."

Tokyo Joshi will now begin recruiting and training new talent, with their debut show to be held once a sufficient roster is in place. Until then, the project will operate as an upfront investment by DDT. President Takagi explained:
"The timing of the debut will depend on when Koda and the team feel ready. If it takes over a year to create something great, that’s fine—rushing would only hurt the quality. I don’t want compromises; if we’re doing this, we should aim high."

Representative Koda added:
"Not every promotion that takes time to prepare succeeds, but most successful ones did take that time. So we’re planning accordingly. Back in NEO, we turned an annual profit in three years and cumulative profits in seven—that’s the kind of timeline we’re considering. In pro wrestling, groups that make grand claims or splurge money before their debut tend to fail. We want to start with our feet firmly on the ground."

For training newcomers, coaches will be necessary, and DDT wrestlers will primarily fill that role (note: they’ll serve as dedicated coaches, not training partners). Koda elaborated:
"All Japan Women’s Pro-Wrestling had a highly unique technical style—just look at their lock-ups or pin escapes. But for Tokyo Joshi, sharing coaches with DDT means cultivating a ‘global standard’ approach. Rather than focusing on ‘women’s wrestling-exclusive’ techniques, we want to develop wrestlers with skills on par with men, differentiating ourselves from existing joshi promotions in that way."

In the lead-up to the promotion's inaugural event, NOZOMI will be competing in other organizations to further hone her skills. Her comeback match has already been scheduled for June 17 at Union Pro Wrestling's Kitazawa Town Hall event, where she will face Sendai Girls' Kagetsu in a singles match.

Although NOZOMI originally debuted in 2008, her career was interrupted by injuries—preventing a highly anticipated singles match against Kagetsu (who debuted around the same time and had generated significant buzz). Koda, who was with NEO at the time, admitted, "I really didn’t want to lose that matchup. I’d even planned to book them in a high-profile opening singles match—but then NOZOMI got injured, and it never happened." Now, years later, the long-delayed encounter is finally becoming a reality.

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On the 26th, a press conference for Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling was held at Kabukicho Dropkick.

First, representative Koda announced that a pre-event would take place on Wednesday, January 30, 2013, starting at 7:30 PM at Akihabara TwinBox. The event will be free of charge to allow as many people as possible to attend.
The event will feature one or two wrestling matches, along with performances by two or three idol groups, creating a collaboration between live music and pro wrestling. The participating groups and other details will be announced at a later date.

As for the matches, one bout has been confirmed: 16-year-old Kanna Shinmei, who was inspired by Dynamite Kid and the original Tiger Mask and aims to become a power fighter, will face 17-year-old Miyu Yamashita, an aspiring idol who ranks third nationwide in self-defense martial arts and has won a prefectural championship in Kyokushin karate. Additionally, 17-year-old cosplayer Chikage Kiba, who has experience in Sambo, will participate in either an open Sambo training session or an exhibition match.

The event has been named The First Meeting. In Japanese, this carries the meaning of "first encounter," symbolizing both the first meeting between fans and Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling and the first collaboration between idols and women's wrestling.

Furthermore, it was announced that a new Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling program will begin streaming in January as part of Nico Video's DDT Pro Wrestling Hour. The show will feature the three members of Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling engaging in casual girl-talk before and after their training sessions. To build excitement for the January 30 event, the program will air weekly around 8:00–9:00 PM after their training.

Upon hearing this news, Kiba excitedly chimed in: "I watch Nico Video all the time! Is it going to be a Nico live stream? Or what? Of course, I watch Nico live streams too! But on Nico Nico Douga, I usually hunt for VOCALOID songs or watch gaming streams—sometimes my friends and I talk about trying it ourselves! I’m super excited to be on there!"

Additionally, Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling is currently recruiting new trainees. Applicants must be healthy women aged 15 to 25, energetic and motivated, and able to participate in group training sessions held 2–3 times a week in the Tokyo metropolitan area. For more details, please check the official DDT website.

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On the 30th, Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling held a press conference about its future activities at the wrestling & sports bar "Dropkick" in Tokyo. The promotion, led by Tetsuya Koda—who previously worked as staff for NEO and Ice Ribbon in June of this year—has been working toward its launch with just one contracted wrestler. However, it was announced that NOZOMI, their sole contracted wrestler, will depart Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling on November 30.

NOZOMI did not appear at the press conference but released a written statement:

"I, NOZOMI—also known as Nozomi Dai—will be leaving Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling this month. I joined DDT (Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling) with the goal of 'wrestling with my brother' and 'standing in the ring together as siblings.' However, in October of this year, my brother announced his departure from the company. Losing this goal made it difficult for me to find meaning in staying with the current promotion. I deeply apologize to all the fans who have supported me. Despite this outcome, I sincerely ask for your continued support for Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling as it moves forward."

Following this, representative Koda announced that starting in January 2013, trainees will participate in a "pre-debut event" under the Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling banner.

Regarding the event details, Koda explained:
"At this point, we’re not sure whether it will be official debut matches, exhibition matches, or open training sessions, but we plan to hold events once a month starting next January. The location will likely be in Akihabara, though we won’t be setting up a ring—we’re thinking of using a live event space in the area. One idea we’re considering is collaborating with idol groups. Right now, the group idol and live idol scene is in a fiercely competitive 'Warring States' period, so we’d like to hold events where idol live performances and Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling matches take place together."
Further details will be announced at a later date.

The three trainees scheduled for their pre-debut at next January’s event are:
Kanna Shinmei (165cm / 16 years old / from Kanagawa Prefecture)
Chikage Kiba (149cm / 17 years old / from Tokyo)
Miyu Yamashita (164cm / 17 years old / from Fukuoka Prefecture)

Kanna Shinmei became interested in joining Tokyo Joshi Pro after watching DVDs borrowed from a friend featuring matches of Dynamite Kid and the original Tiger Mask. She thought, "It'd be amazing if I could pull off superhuman moves like these!"

Chikage Kiba, who loves combat sports in general, practiced Sambo in school and dreams of mastering submission holds in the future.

Meanwhile, Miyu Yamashita had always been a huge idol fan since childhood and long pursued her dream of becoming one. However, after failing multiple auditions, she found herself at a crossroads. It was then that a karate instructor from her past introduced her to MIKAMI, leading her to join Tokyo Joshi. Now, she aims to become a wrestler who can also sing and dance.

Finally, representative Tetsuya Koda commented:
"We’re still unsure whether the trainees will be ready to compete against each other in their pre-debut matches. We might bring in wrestlers from other promotions or freelancers—maybe for a 3 vs. 3, or if not all three are ready, a 2 vs. 2 with outside talent. Since we’re trying something new, we want opponents who fit the vision. We’re working hard to make the January debut event happen, and we’re still recruiting new wrestlers and trainees. If anyone’s interested, please don’t hesitate to reach out!"

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12.1.2013 Launch Event

Representative Koda's Summary:
"The matches were still rough around the edges, but if we managed to make people feel like they were witnessing the birth of something new - that was our minimum benchmark for success."

Koda's Comments:
"First, thank you to everyone who came out - we actually sold out! (laughs) But you know how they say debut shows are more about celebration than perfection? We'll use that as motivation to tighten things up and come back stronger next year.

(On the rookie wrestlers' debut performances?)
Honestly? There's nothing but room for improvement when I look at their matches. But for tonight, I'm just going to say: 'You made it through - good work.'

(About Nonoko getting so much attention already?)
Whoa, let's not call it a 'breakout' just yet! (laughs) Truth is, she's barely wrestled but somehow caught people's eye. I was sweating bullets thinking 'What if she completely freezes in the ring?' But for a first match? She exceeded expectations. You could tell she understands this is her shot and she's running with it.

(Comparing tonight to January's test shows - what's next?)
The biggest win is our roster size - we've got more bodies now. But let's be real: we're still dangerously short-handed. Our top priority is recruiting more talent, plain and simple.

(You had one outside wrestler tonight - future plans?)
You mean Ayumi Takada? She's... different. Not your typical freelancer or someone tied to another promotion. While we might consider unaffiliated talents like her, we're avoiding cross-promotional stuff entirely. We want to build something pure - our own ecosystem."

"So while we may consider talents like Ayumi who don't carry the baggage of traditional joshi puroresu, we're currently avoiding interpromotional collaborations or using freelancers. We're committed to maintaining our own distinct identity. (Regarding next year's scheduled events) We'll take it one show at a time and keep pushing forward. (Planned event frequency?) We've confirmed monthly shows for January and February. Then depending on demand...if we keep selling out like this, we'll gradually increase our schedule. It's still trial and error, but we're starting with monthly events as our baseline.

(How did tonight compare to your vision for the debut show?) There was definitely a gap. I left match quality to our DDT coaches since that's not my expertise, but as showrunner, the time management issues fall on me. Honestly, we ran long - that's my failure in production coordination and something I need to improve.

(Watching these matches, my honest reaction was...) This finally feels like a true beginning. Many joshi promotions have launched before - some drew crowds, others had great matches - but what made tonight special was having zero established wrestlers. We didn't branch off from any existing wrestling lineage - we emerged completely independent. If that unique atmosphere came across...if fans sensed something fresh beginning despite the rough edges, then we cleared our minimum threshold.

(About continuing with idols in pro wrestling?) Let me reframe this: History shows that promotions trying innovation - like ARSION or others - eventually revert to tradition when they can't field full cards independently. They bring in freelancers, make interpromotional deals...and gradually assimilate into conventional joshi puroresu. This cycle keeps repeating. If Tokyo Joshi wants to maintain true innovation, any collaboration would inevitably dilute our identity into just being 'another indie promotion.'

Our solution? When we're still building our roster (say, only 10 wrestlers for 3-4 matches per show), incorporating idols creates complete events without compromising our vision. It's a transitional model - the ultimate goal remains pure wrestling, but this hybrid approach sustains us until we have sufficient homegrown talent."

"To avoid that, we want to operate independently without collaborating with others. But here’s the thing—even if we grow to 10 wrestlers, 3 or 4 matches alone don’t make for a complete show. In the past, promotions had no choice but to bring in outside talent, but we’re taking a different approach: by incorporating idols, we can create a full packaged show without relying on traditional joshi puroresu. That’s one advantage of this model."

"Of course, our ultimate goal is to run pure wrestling events once our roster grows. But until then, blending in idols allows us to deliver a complete product while we build our talent pool. It’s a practical solution—when time and numbers are tight, bringing in idols helps round out the show while keeping our identity intact."