“プロレスvs国土交通省”異種格闘技戦のトークイベント「モチベUP」の秘訣は？(2026年7月12日)

Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Director-General of the Minister's Secretariat, Masayoshi Kuroda (Kuro-chan) "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for waiting. The forbidden inter-species martial arts match between two organizations that have never crossed paths before! The battle between New Japan Pro-Wrestling and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism is about to begin!!!" "Entering from the blue corner, Vice Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Satoshi Mizushima." "Entering from the red corner, President of New Japan Pro-Wrestling, Hiroshi Tanahashi." The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism in Kasumigaseki, Tokyo, was enveloped in an atmosphere of excitement reminiscent of a pro-wrestling arena. A talk event resembling an "inter-species martial arts match" between New Japan Pro-Wrestling and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism was held. At the center of it all was Hiroshi Tanahashi, who retired from professional wrestling on January 4th of this year, much to the regret of his many fans. For many years, he led New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and was hailed as a "once-in-a-century talent." Now, as the president of New Japan Pro-Wrestling, he is dedicating himself to the organization's development and the training of future generations. Hiroshi Tanahashi, President of New Japan Pro-Wrestling "(Q. Congratulations on your retirement match on January 4th) Thank you. But I'm fine, I'm not tired. When I took office, I had three principles for talented wrestlers: 'Don't get tired, don't get discouraged, don't give up.' I put a sign behind my desk that said 'Don't get tired,' but someone said, 'President, that's a black company!' They told me, 'You need to acknowledge your employees' fatigue,' and we almost became 'Black New Japan.'" "(Q. Is it still up?) No, I took it down right away. They said, 'President, you can do as you please.' I was free not to get tired." "Developing top wrestlers is really a competition, so I'm just looking forward to seeing who will take the top spot." On July 6th, Tanahashi visited the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism to attend a talk event about "work." The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism is one of the largest ministries in Kasumigaseki, formed in 2001 through the merger of four ministries, including the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Construction, as part of the reorganization of central government ministries. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism oversees a wide range of areas, including public transportation by land, sea, and air, roads, housing, and logistics. Its staff numbers approximately 60,000, including those in regional offices. Among them, the person most eagerly awaiting Mr. Tanahashi's visit was Vice Minister Satoshi Mizushima, the top administrative official of the Ministry. Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Vice Minister Satoshi Mizushima "This gown is handmade. I made it using a bathrobe I had at home, inspired by Antonio Inoki's fighting spirit gown. The scarf is Antonio Inoki's fighting spirit scarf, but I thought a white belt wouldn't be interesting, so I bought some dye and dyed it myself. I typed the 'fighting spirit' lettering on the back myself on my computer and pasted it on. I feel completely like a professional wrestler. I have to raise my own spirits for my match against Tanahashi, otherwise I won't stand a chance against the 'once-in-a-century talent'." "(Q. Do you usually wear this while working?) Not at all." The talk event, requested by Vice Minister Mizushima, a big pro-wrestling fan, was part of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism's work-style reform initiative, and aimed to ask Tanahashi about the secrets to boosting work motivation, one of the concerns of the staff. Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Vice Minister Satoshi Mizushima: "Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule." New Japan Pro-Wrestling, President Hiroshi Tanahashi: "Thank you for today. You look great in your tracksuit." Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Vice Minister Satoshi Mizushima: "You look great. Thank you." At first glance, these two things—professional wrestling and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism—seem unrelated, but they actually have something in common. Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Vice Minister Satoshi Mizushima: "Professional wrestling is a sport that begins with receiving the opponent's moves. It wouldn't be professional wrestling if you avoided or dodged the opponent's moves. You receive the opponent's attacks with your own well-trained body. Showing that incredible power to the audience—that's what I understand to be the essence of professional wrestling. In administration, we have to reconcile various interests in s...