Shoichi Arai
Encyclopedia
Shoichi Arai (December 19, 1965 – May 16, 2002) was a Japan
ese professional wrestling
promoter who ran Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling
from 1995 until its demise in 2002. He entered the circuit as the company's ring announcer in the early days and was best known for his high-pitched voice that ran down countdowns during various death-matches.
sold the company to him in April 1995 and took a sabbatical from wrestling. During his reign, he began toning down the amount of death-matches in favour of a more entertainment based product, similar to Vince McMahon
's World Wrestling Federation
. When Onita returned in 1997, he was displeased with the company's new direction. Eventually, he put an end to death-matches entirely and this resulted in Onita leaving FMW for good in November 1998. From that point on, FMW would suffer a decline. With poor attendance figures and little revenue, the company was slowly becoming a shadow of its former self.
Things got much worse in October 2001, when their number one star, Hayabusa
, suffered a broken neck in a match against Mammoth Sasaki. Attempting an Asai Moonsault, Hayabusa's foot slipped off the rope, resulting in him landing directly on his head, paralyzing him instantly. Arai, who was doing commentary on the match, would then rush down to the ring to try to aid his major star and friend. Hayabusa was one of only a few in the FMW roster to consider Arai as a friend. Having lost their top star, interest in the company waned, forcing Shoichi Arai to declare bankruptcy for FMW on February 15, 2002. Arai was not only three million dollars in debt because of FMW, but he also owed the Yakuza
another million dollars that he was unable to pay back.
Arai would begin to go into hiding from the Yakuza, as Kodo Fuyuki would take the dates that were stilled booked by FMW over. While in hiding, he had planned to write a book about his experiences of running FMW. Arai would trash Atsushi Onita for his ego and womanizing throughout his career, as well as admit the truth towards many other former FMW wrestlers. The book would be an attempt to make as much money as possible to pay back the Yakuza. Around this time, his wife would also leave him. In conversations with Hayabusa, Arai would bring up plans to kill himself, because of the life insurance he had on himself would pay his former wife and child enough money to no longer be in debt and have to worry about the Yakuza.
in Mizumoto Park
in the Katsushika Ward of Tokyo, hanging himself using the neck-tie of his business suit. He was found by a jogger at 6:20 AM. Arai's death would lead to an insurance policy for his ex-wife and child. Sadly, the life insurance that Arai's ex-wife and child would receive was still not enough, and years later the Arai family was still paying back the money owed to the Yakuza.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese professional wrestling
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
promoter who ran Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling
Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling
Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling was a Japanese professional wrestling promotion founded on July 28, 1989 by Atsushi Onita that specialized in hardcore wrestling involving weapons such as barbed wire and fire. They held their first show on October 6, 1989...
from 1995 until its demise in 2002. He entered the circuit as the company's ring announcer in the early days and was best known for his high-pitched voice that ran down countdowns during various death-matches.
Biography
Arai took over ownership after Atsushi OnitaAtsushi Onita
Atsushi Onita is a Japanese former politician and active professional wrestler best known for his work in Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling...
sold the company to him in April 1995 and took a sabbatical from wrestling. During his reign, he began toning down the amount of death-matches in favour of a more entertainment based product, similar to Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
's World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
. When Onita returned in 1997, he was displeased with the company's new direction. Eventually, he put an end to death-matches entirely and this resulted in Onita leaving FMW for good in November 1998. From that point on, FMW would suffer a decline. With poor attendance figures and little revenue, the company was slowly becoming a shadow of its former self.
Things got much worse in October 2001, when their number one star, Hayabusa
Eiji Ezaki
is a former Japanese professional wrestler better known as the masked Hayabusa , who worked primarily for Atsushi Onita's Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling promotion.-Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling :...
, suffered a broken neck in a match against Mammoth Sasaki. Attempting an Asai Moonsault, Hayabusa's foot slipped off the rope, resulting in him landing directly on his head, paralyzing him instantly. Arai, who was doing commentary on the match, would then rush down to the ring to try to aid his major star and friend. Hayabusa was one of only a few in the FMW roster to consider Arai as a friend. Having lost their top star, interest in the company waned, forcing Shoichi Arai to declare bankruptcy for FMW on February 15, 2002. Arai was not only three million dollars in debt because of FMW, but he also owed the Yakuza
Yakuza
, also known as , are members of traditional organized crime syndicates in Japan. The Japanese police, and media by request of the police, call them bōryokudan , literally "violence group", while the yakuza call themselves "ninkyō dantai" , "chivalrous organizations". The yakuza are notoriously...
another million dollars that he was unable to pay back.
Arai would begin to go into hiding from the Yakuza, as Kodo Fuyuki would take the dates that were stilled booked by FMW over. While in hiding, he had planned to write a book about his experiences of running FMW. Arai would trash Atsushi Onita for his ego and womanizing throughout his career, as well as admit the truth towards many other former FMW wrestlers. The book would be an attempt to make as much money as possible to pay back the Yakuza. Around this time, his wife would also leave him. In conversations with Hayabusa, Arai would bring up plans to kill himself, because of the life insurance he had on himself would pay his former wife and child enough money to no longer be in debt and have to worry about the Yakuza.
Death
On the morning of May 16 2002, Arai committed suicideSuicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
in Mizumoto Park
Mizumoto Park
is a park in Katsushika ward, Tokyo, Japan. It is considered the biggest park with water landscapes within the 23 Special wards of Tokyo. The park is known for the diverse kinds of plants and wild birds, and as an attraction spot during the Hanami season.-Data:...
in the Katsushika Ward of Tokyo, hanging himself using the neck-tie of his business suit. He was found by a jogger at 6:20 AM. Arai's death would lead to an insurance policy for his ex-wife and child. Sadly, the life insurance that Arai's ex-wife and child would receive was still not enough, and years later the Arai family was still paying back the money owed to the Yakuza.