It is being heavily rumored that Jun Akiyama will be named the new president of All Japan as of July 1, 2014. Now why I have the All Japan is quotation marks is that there appears to be a major chance in the form of a re-branding of the promotion
or in other words the start of a whole new organization.
Some back-story to what has led to this point
Nobuo Shiraishi purchases All Japan in All Japan. Then several months later in June of 2013, a power sway happens and Shiraishi names himself the new president of All Japan. Keiji Mutoh and the then former president Masayuki Uchida are completely unable to fight the change due to being in Canada with Sanada, and others, at the time. Mutoh doesnt return to the promotion and this causes a mass exodus to occur by July 1st as more than half of the staff and roster leave All Japan to join Mutoh. Ever since then it has been a major struggle for Shiraishi to find the fan support that he needed to keep All Japan out of the red. No matter what All Japan would offer the problems would remain apparent. Even to the point where Motoko Baba, Giant Babas wife, would demand for the belts that her husband brought into the promotion being returned to the Baba family household. Shiraishi of course would also make it known of his plans to change some things around a bit, and that would cause more difference between the wrestlers and himself. A new president would be name earlier this year in Hirota Inoue.
Well this brings up full circle to exactly 1 year later with the announcement that a new promotion is on the horizon and is set to potentially correct all the mistakes that have been a plague to All Japan. The well now "former" President of AJPW Hirota Inoue has not been fully active at his job for sometime and due to this he has stepped down from the position as of June 1, a move made to try and dissociate Shiraishi from the main spotlight. But ultimately did not change anything. It seems after plenty of deliberation that Akiyama will be leading the charge for a new promotion to be formed out of the ashes of what All Japan was founded upon. It appears, at this time, that all the championship belts currently used in All Japan will be moving to Akiyamas new promotion. Suwama and Masanobu Fuchi appear to be in complete favor of this new change and will be following Akiyama. The other rumored names of AJPW signed talent to be following Akiyama are as follows.. Akebono, Takao Omori, KENSO, Go Shiozaki, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Kotaro Suzuki, Atsushi Aoki, Kento Miyahara, SUSHI, and Naoya Nomura. All the freelance talent used as of late are expected to continue participating in the future as well.
There is also talk that Motoko Baba is also fully backing Akiyamas plans to form a new promotion. Which she has shown nothing but contempt for what Shiraishi was trying to accomplish over the last year. The very first major show of the new promotion is expected to be held on July 12 at the BODYMAKER COLOSSEUM in Osaka. As they will be carrying on with all the dates that have been announced by AJPW. It shall be interesting to see how the fans might react to this major change, and if it will lead to the proper results that Akiyama desires.
