Report: Frosty Reception For Incoming NJPW President Takami Ohbari

New Japan Pro-Wrestling recently announced Harold Meij had resigned as president/CEO of the promotion. Meij had been in charge since May 2018, but he will make way for NJPW of America CEO Takami Ohbari on October 23. 

Meij had reportedly rubbed some people the wrong way during his time as NJPW President and many in the company were pleased to see him go. 

They seemingly aren't happy with his successor, though. Dave Meltzer reported in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that many privately did not welcome the news of Takami Ohbari's appointment even though he had been the heir apparent for some time.

Meltzer noted wrestlers and longtime New Japan employees find it difficult to trust and respect presidents with no prior experience of working in professional wrestling, as they consider them to be "amateurs." This affected Meij's standing amongst wrestlers as he was only a wrestling fan before being appointed NJPW President, and Ohbari suffers from the same suspicions, having spent much of his career as a director at Nippon Telegraph and Telephone.