Heisei period
From PuroresuWiki
Heisei (平成) is the current era name in Japan. The Heisei era started on 1989/1/8, the first day after the death of the reigning Emperor, Hirohito. His son, Akihito, succeeded to the throne. In accordance with Japanese customs, Hirohito was posthumously renamed "Emperor Shōwa" on 1/31, just as were Mutsuhito (Emperor Meiji) and Yoshihito (Emperor Taishō).
Thus 1989 corresponds to Shōwa 64 up to the 7th day of the first month (1/7) and to Heisei 1 (平成元年 Heisei gannen, gannen means "first year") since the 8th day of the first month (1/8). 2010 is Heisei 22. A quick way to convert the current year to Heisei is to take the last two digits and add 12. Example for 2010: 10+12 = Heisei 22.
Heisei in puroresu history
The turn of the period coincidentally brought major changes to the world of purresu. In the late 1980s, the top two organizations, New Japan Pro-Wrestling and All Japan Pro-Wrestling, lost their primetime spots for television programs. Around the same time, a shoot style promotion UWF was founded. UWF's popularity would eventually lead to the rise of mixed martial arts events such as K-1 and PRIDE.
Also, the fist independent promotions, Pioneer Senshi and Frontier Martial-arts Wrestling were founded by Gō Ryūma and Ōnita Atsushi respectively. In 1991, a group of wrestlers split from FMW starts a new promotion W*ING.
In 1990, Super World Sports was founded with several former All Japan and New Japan wrestlers. The new group only lasted for about two years; however, the group split into two groups: WAR and NOW.
FMW and SWS led to the births of many promotions. Unlike the middle of the Shōwa period, when there were two or three major organization for male wrestlers and one or two for joshi puroresu, there have been more than fifty promotions in the Heisei era.
New Japan had a stable called Heisei Ishingun (平成維震軍) between 1993 and 1999. The group once feuded against the original Ishin Gundan (維新軍団), then known as Shōwa Ishingun (昭和維新軍).
