Sports and Peace Party
Encyclopedia
The Sports and Peace Party (スポーツ平和党 Supōtsu Heiwa Tō) was a political party run by Antonio Inoki
, a pro wrestler and former member of the House of Councillors. He continued to wrestle and promote while serving as a legislator. The party fielded 10 candidates in the 1989 election. http://www.nytimes.com/1989/07/21/world/japan-s-opposition-tailors-itself-to-the-mainstream.html?pagewanted=2
Inoki met with Saddam Hussein
for the release of prisoners from Iraq
before the Gulf War. As is the traditional gift for a visiting head-of-state, Saddam gave Inoki a pair of golden swords.
He served in the Diet until 1995, when he failed to win re-election, after accusations of Yakuza
involvement and bribery lead to a decline in his popularity. However, the party also fielded candidates in 1998.
Antonio Inoki
is a Japanese professional wrestling promoter and retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist who now resides between New York City and Tokyo. He was also the founder and former owner of New Japan Pro Wrestling before selling his controlling share in the promotion to Yukes...
, a pro wrestler and former member of the House of Councillors. He continued to wrestle and promote while serving as a legislator. The party fielded 10 candidates in the 1989 election. http://www.nytimes.com/1989/07/21/world/japan-s-opposition-tailors-itself-to-the-mainstream.html?pagewanted=2
Inoki met with Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
for the release of prisoners from Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
before the Gulf War. As is the traditional gift for a visiting head-of-state, Saddam gave Inoki a pair of golden swords.
He served in the Diet until 1995, when he failed to win re-election, after accusations of 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...
involvement and bribery lead to a decline in his popularity. However, the party also fielded candidates in 1998.