Pro Wrestling Memorial Day

What Is Pro Wrestling Memorial Day?

Every July 30th is "Pro Wrestling Memorial Day" (プロレス記念日, Puroresu Kinenbi) in Japan. On July 30, 1953, former sumo wrestler Rikidōzan formed the Japan Pro Wrestling Association (日本プロレスリング協会; some sources call it 日本プロレス協会) and announced it publicly — a milestone that marked the start of professional wrestling as a full-fledged business in Japan. Who designated the day, and when, is not clear.

Wrestling and Television: A Perfect Partnership

1953 was also the year television broadcasting began in Japan: NHK started regular broadcasts in February and Nippon Television (NTV) in August. On February 19, 1954, Rikidōzan and Masahiko Kimura faced the American Sharpe Brothers in a tag match broadcast by both NHK and NTV — the event that ignited Japan's wrestling boom (February 19 is known as "Pro Wrestling Day"). With few households yet owning a TV, huge crowds gathered around street-side televisions (gaitō terebi) at stations and plazas to watch Rikidōzan's karate chops against towering foreign opponents.

The Golden Age of Japanese Wrestling Television

Wrestling became one of the most popular programs of Japanese television. After Rikidōzan's death in 1963, his students Giant Baba and Antonio Inoki went on to found All Japan Pro Wrestling and New Japan Pro-Wrestling, respectively, in 1972. Their rivalry drove innovation in match quality and storytelling, and Japanese television made them household names.

Wrestling's Television Legacy

While professional wrestling's prime-time television presence has declined since its peak, the tradition that began in the 1950s lives on in dedicated wrestling broadcasts, pay-per-view events, and streaming platforms. New Japan Pro-Wrestling's January 4 event at the Tokyo Dome attracts international attention, and Japanese wrestling remains a global reference point for in-ring excellence and storytelling.

Fun Facts

• "Father of Japanese pro wrestling": Rikidōzan, who trained in the United States before returning to Japan, is remembered as the father of Japanese professional wrestling and a symbol of postwar recovery.
• International influence: Japanese wrestling's emphasis on in-ring excellence and long-form storytelling has influenced professional wrestling around the world.