NJPW announces partnership ‘designed to teach Japanese language through pro wrestling’

NJPW Japanese 101
Graphic for NJPW & JapanesePod101 partnership. (Image credit: NJPW)

NJPW has entered into a new partnership that is “designed to teach the Japanese language through pro wrestling.”

The promotion announced today that it is partnering with JapanesePod101.com, a language-learning tool that helps English speakers study Japanese by guiding them through real Japanese conversations. The service has both free and paid tiers.

In the coming weeks, JapanesePod101.com will offer collaborative videos with NJPW that are focused on teaching users the type of language that is used in Japanese pro wrestling culture. NJPW announced:

  • New Japan Pro-Wrestling is pleased to announce a new collaborative project with JapanesePod101.
  • Through an extensive library of video and social content together with carefully curated online lessons, JapanesePod101 is a long established leader in online Japanese language learning.
  • A series of collaborative videos in the coming weeks and months will allow NJPW fans to get to grips with some of the Japanese language spoken by fans, wrestlers and in venues, allowing for deeper immersion in the Japanese pro-wrestling culture. For regular JapanesePod101 viewers and users, this collaborative content will serve as an introduction to a key part of Japanese sporting and popular culture they might not have explored before.

NJPW’s overtures toward international fans —

NJPW has courted English-speaking fans through establishing international social media accounts and an English-language version of its website, along with offering English commentary for big events on NJPW World. Next month, the first night of this year’s G1 Climax will take place in Chicago. NJPW is also holding a fan fest surrounding that event.

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Joseph Currier
Joseph Currier

Joseph Currier is the lead editor of F4WOnline.com, directing daily news coverage and writing articles on professional wrestling. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, obtaining a journalism degree in 2016. Joseph joined F4W during his time at UMass and has now been writing about the industry for nearly a decade.

In addition to his work with F4W, Joseph has previously contributed to Sports Illustrated's wrestling coverage. He lives in Massachusetts and is a diehard fan of the Boston sports teams and Liverpool Football Club.