Retired Japanese pro wrestler plans major show in Pyongyang

Democratic People's Republic of Korea leader Kim Jong-un may have found a new friend for life.

Hot on the heels of former NBA star Dennis Rodman's basketball spectacle in Pyongyang on the leader's birthday, a Japanese professional wrestling legend-turned-politician is planning to entertain the DPRK capital with a martial arts extravaganza next month - and hopefully meet some senior leaders while he is there.

Kanji "Antonio" Inoki was to leave for Pyongyang on Wednesday to arrange the final details for the Aug 30-31 event, which organizers say will feature professional wrestling, taekwondo, the Japanese martial art aikido and a traditional Korean style of wrestling.

Like Rodman, who said he and Kim were friends for life, even though his trip to Pyongyang in January was a public-relations disaster, Inoki is both a savvy showman and charismatically eccentric. For a politician - he's serving his third term in Japan's parliament - he is also famously fond of political incorrectness.

During the Gulf War, Inoki organized a pro-wrestling show in Iraq. He has visited the DPRK nearly 30 times. His proactive position on Pyongyang ties has gotten him in trouble. He was suspended in parliament last year for 30 days after making an unauthorized trip to the DPRK.

Government officials are not expected to protest his current plans, however.

Though he is a household name in Japan, the square-jawed Inoki is probably best remembered elsewhere for fighting Muhammad Ali in Tokyo in 1976, though he spent much of the bout on his back kicking at Ali's legs. Inoki was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2010. He retired from the ring in 1998.

If all goes as planned, this will be the second time Inoki has helped arrange a pro-wrestling show in Pyongyang. The first was a huge success.

In 1995, Inoki fought American Ric Flair in what was called the "Collision in Korea". That two-day event, held in Pyongyang's huge May Day Stadium, drew a reported 380,000 spectators and was the biggest pay-per-view in pro-wrestling history. Ali was among the guest attendees.

(China Daily 07/09/2014 page11)