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Kota Ibushi Gives Latest Update on NJPW Issues, Says His Mother Has Been Traumatized

May 23, 2022 | Posted by Jeremy Thomas
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 15 Kota Ibushi Image Credit: NJPW

The situation between Kota Ibushi and NJPW have not improved, and in fact Ibushi says that they’ve gotten worse. As you may recall, Ibushi took to Twitter earlier this month to air grievances that he has with the company, particularly a member of the talent relations department named Kikuchi. Ibushi alleged that several bosses have been involved in sexual harassment as well as dealing with the Yakuza.

While things went quiet following the initial speaking out by Ibushi, they’ve picked back up again when Ibushi posted to his Twitter account (translated again by @golden_kuma) and accused Kikuchi and NJPW President Takami Ohbari of refusing to apologize or meet with him, and stated that the stress of the situation caused his mother to attempt suicide.

The tweets as translated by @golden_kuma read:

“I know this is sudden but I can no longer bare to watch so I’ll tell you. Previously, I brought up his name and the screenshot that is totally true. I wasn’t sure if I should tell it, but it’s unbearable for me to see my mother in her current condition

“First of all, they still haven’t apologized. Kikuchi and Ohbari probably don’t have guilt feelings
They didn’t even meet me to gave a notice of my release. It was merely via LINE. My mother contacted me with concern, perhaps noticing my distress.”

“I had reached my limit, so I talked to my mother about that sudden LINE message and the power harassment-esque treatments that I received, then she said in a weak voice, ‘It’s okay to leave'”

“The next day, my mother attempted suicide. She clearly said that she could not forgive Kikuchi and the current president. That is why I will fight until the end.”

“They did something that is absolutely unforgivable. I wasn’t able to get in touch my mother to meet her in person. I will only manage to talk to her through someone else in the near future. I have already consulted my agent.”

“Kikuchi and the current president, do you understand? My mother attempted suicide right after Mother’s Day. That is a remotely attempted murder. It’s a miracle that she’s alive, but can you heal her hip bone? There is more to say, but it’ll cause trouble for others”

In follow-up Tweets, Ibushi alleges that they “don’t even bother to talk to me in person, only via LINE” and that things will likely play out in court, and that he is being pressured not to speak out, but will “talk about it as soon as I finish looking after my mother.”

It was clarified by another user who trasnlated, @thefeelite, that Ibushi “is blaming Kikuchi+Ohbari for being responsible for his mother’s attempted suicide because of the emotional and physical stress they caused, rather than saying they actually tried to murder her.”

NJPW has yet to publicly comment on the matter.

article topics :

Kota Ibushi, NJPW, Jeremy Thomas