Joe Higuchi

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Joe Higuchi
Birth nameKanji Higuchi (樋口 寛治, Higūchi Kanji)
Born(1929-01-18)January 18, 1929
Raul Romero and Tojo Yamamoto
Debut1954[1]
RetiredAs wrestler: 1960
As referee: 1997[1][2]

Kanji Higuchi (樋口 寛治, Higūchi Kanji, January 19, 1929 – November 8, 2010), better known as Joe Higuchi (ジョー樋口, Jō Higuchi) was a Japanese

All Japan Pro-Wrestling. The first official Japanese referee in the NWA, he was known as one of the best referees in the business[3] and the most popular referee in Japanese Puroresu history.[4]

He was inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum as a member of the Class of 2018.[5]

Early life

Higuchi Kanji was born on January 19, 1929, in

Yokohama, Japan. He was a judo practitioner in his youth and became a judo instructor for the GHQ after World War II. Working as a trainer for the mostly-American soldiers, he was able to learn English and gained the nickname "Joe".[3]

JWA

Higuchi had trained in professional wrestling with

Raul Romero and Tojo Yamamoto and in 1954, he joined the All Japan Pro-Wrestling Association (which was run by Toshio Yamaguchi and Umeyuki Kiyomikawa) as a professional wrestler. In 1956, he competed in the Japanese Light Heavyweight division tournament where he finished as the third ranked Light Heavyweight in Japan.[6] He also joined the JWA, which of whom he competed with in the 1950s and retired as an in-ring competitor in 1960.[4]

Having learned English during his time with the GHQ, Higuchi returned to the JWA as the interpreter and point of contact for gaijin (foreign) wrestlers.[7] He made his debut as a referee in 1965.

All Japan Pro Wrestling

An AJPW original from its inception in 1972, Higuchi gained fame as the senior referee of the promotion, a position he held from 1972 to 1990. He was also a prominent backstage official for the company and was the "go between" during talent exchanges between AJPW and

"Dr. Death" Steve Williams at Nippon Budokan in Tokyo on March 1, 1997.[8]

On the independently produced DVD WCCW and the Von Erichs, Heroes of World Class, it was stated by WCCW booker Gary Hart that Joe Higuchi was the All Japan official that contacted WCCW when the body of David Von Erich was found while on tour in Japan.

Pro Wrestling Noah

Following Giant Baba's passing in 1999, many of the AJPW talent departed the company to form

Pro Wrestling Noah. With his history in the business, Higuchi was brought into Noah by executive and former AJPW ring announcer Nakada Ryu as a member of the board of directors[9] He became the statutory auditor in the promotion and was also the on-air chairman of the GHC Heavyweight Championship committee in 2001.[1]

On November 8, 2010, Higuchi, known as one of Japan's greatest referees,[10] passed away at the age of 81.[11]

Legacy

During his career, Higuchi refereed more than 20,000 matches over 32 years.[9] On December 5, 2010, Pro Wrestling Noah held the "Joe Higuchi Memorial Show" in Tokyo, Japan in Higuchi's honour.[10] He was posthumously given a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2010 Tokyo Sports Puroresu Awards[12] and was inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum as a member of the Class of 2018[5] and the inaugural member of the new referee category.[13]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Kreikenbohm, Philip. "Joe Higuchi " Wrestlers Database " CAGEMATCH – The Internet Wrestling Database". www.cagematch.net.
  2. ^ "Wrestling Observer Newsletter". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. July 1, 2003 – via Google Books.
  3. ^ a b c "Joe Higuchi, Japan's Great Communicator". October 16, 2007.
  4. ^ a b "日本選手権予選". www.showapuroresu.com.
  5. ^ a b "The Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum". Wrestling-Titles.com.
  6. ^ "JWA: 1956 Japanese Weight Division Championships". Puroresu Dojo.
  7. ISBN 9781605421537
    – via Google Books.
  8. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip. "Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Steve Williams " Matchguide " CAGEMATCH – The Internet Wrestling Database". www.cagematch.net.
  9. ^
    ISBN 9781582618180
    – via Google Books.
  10. ^ a b "The Furious Flashbacks – NOAH Joe Higuchi Memorial Show – 411MANIA". 411mania.com.
  11. ^ "訃報". プロレスリング・ノア公式サイト.
  12. ^ "Puroresu Awards: 2010s".
  13. ^ http://www.pwhf.org/ https://archive.today/20180127174654/http://www.pwhf.org/
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