This past Monday, news broke in Japanese media of a scandal involving former WWE Superstar and WWE Light Heavyweight Champion Taka Michinoku (whose currently starring in New Japan Pro Wrestling). A November 5 story in Yahoo Japan reported that Taka Michinoku had been having an affair on his wife. While that may not seem like a huge scandal in North America – after all, WWE Superstar Bray Wyatt was the center of a similar incident with WWE ring announcer JoJo Offerman. But in Japan, family honor (and by default, family shame) is still a very big deal. In 2014, current NJPW star Taichi – coincidentally, a Suzuki-gun stablemate of Taka’s – was caught having an affair and in the midst of a growing push was suspended for two months and had his wages cut substantially during the time.
Well today, Kaientai Dojo (K-DOJO) – the wrestling promotion actually started by Taka Michinoku in 2002 after he departed the WWE – through its board of directors announced the penalties for his actions. While Michinoku will remain the company’s owner, the Board of Directors has voted to remove him from the Board completely, and suspend his earnings for one whole year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow4NH2mJxyw
Taka Michinoku is an active member of the NJPW roster and Suzuki-gun, recently pairing up with UK sensation and stablemate Zack Sabre Jr. as the Englishman’s Japanese hype man – sort of like his own Paul Heyman. NJPW has yet to respond to the incident.
