STARDOM President Taro Okada Discusses Tokyo Dome Desires and CMLL Partnership

By Noah Leatherland

In a recent interview, STARDOM President Taro Okada discussed his goals of running the Tokyo Dome with the joshi promotion. He also shared his perspective on STARDOM’s international partnerships.

Speaking to ProresuToday, Okada was asked about STARDOM’s current partnerships with promotions across the world, namely CMLL. Okada shared how mutually beneficial these relationships are:

When it comes to expanding overseas, our policy is that, given the costs and risks involved in organising events independently, we should actively seek partnerships with local organisations. Sending wrestlers to CMLL not only enhances their experience but also helps spread the name of STARDOM across the globe. Conversely, when unknown top-tier wrestlers from overseas visit Japan, it provides a huge boost for Japanese fans. Streamlining our respective businesses and strengthening our collaboration is essential to prevent the industry as a whole from shrinking.

Okada followed up on those thoughts of expanding the industry, adding:

To make STARDOM even bigger, the most important thing is not to just do business within the pro wrestling community. We mustn’t just adopt an inward-looking approach, appealing to existing pro wrestling fans by saying, ‘Our pro wrestling is amazing!’; we must demonstrate to the general public that ‘women’s pro wrestling is more entertaining than any other form of entertainment’.

When asked about how STARDOM could go about achieving this, Okada stated:

We need to strengthen our outreach and promotional efforts. Rather than lamenting, ‘If only people could see it, they’d realise how amazing it is,’ we must make a genuine effort to ensure people do see it. We will implement the kind of promotional campaigns that other major sports engage in, and do so thoroughly. The next step is for every single athlete, not just the management, to adopt this mindset. If we build on this steadily, the grand stage of the Tokyo Dome will inevitably come into view as a natural progression.

That goal of natural progression is clearly important to Okada. When asked what would help STARDOM reach the top spot in the Japanese wrestling landscape, Okada shared:

To put it simply, hosting a Tokyo Dome event. That’s all there is to it.

Okada emphasized the importance of the Tokyo Dome, saying:

In the Japanese entertainment industry, the ‘Tokyo Dome’ brand is unrivalled. Whether it’s an overseas artist performing in Japan or a comedian putting on a live show, the fact that it took place at the Tokyo Dome is the ultimate status symbol and the most compelling argument to the public. Making the Tokyo Dome a success. That is the proof of being No. 1 in the Japanese wrestling industry as a world-class entertainment business, and it will set us apart from the rest. I am determined to achieve this, come what may.

(Quotes translated via DeepL)