Following the name of the champion(s): Indicates the number of times the wrestler has held that title at that point.
[...]
Indicates a gap in the listing where title changes are not known.
*
If used next to the names of the wrestlers, they may, in fact, not have held the title in the period indicated. If used next to the dates or places, either they are possibly wrong or the title changes are fictitious.
<
Title was held or changed hands no later than this. In these cases, it is known that a wrestler held the title at a certain time but not when he/she won it.
+
Broadcast date; the actual recording date is unknown.
@
Order uncertain. Different titleholders may be known for the same year, for example, but it is not known who held the title before whom.
#
Unofficial or disputable claims. These are usually matches that certainly took place, but where there is doubt that the wrestler shown should be recognized as a true title holder. These listings are also italicized in HTML files
Vacates six other titles on 97-11-05 after being forced by WWF to
vacate WWF World Light Heavyweight
Title; continues to hold IWGP Title; defeats WCW World Cruiserweight
champion Ultimo Dragon on 98-01-04 in Tōkyō (WCW title not on
the line).
With Guerrera injured, WCW orders Psicosis and La Parka to fight for
the belt, and Psicosis beats up Parka in backstage; Liger defeats Psicosis
in a title match.
Takaiwa Tatsuhito
2000-07-20
Sapporo
Tanaka Minoru
2000-10-29
Kōbe
Naruse Masayoshi
2001-07-20
Sapporo
Kendō Kashin [2]
2001-10-08
Tōkyō
Vacates in 02-02 when Kashin leaves New Japan.
Tanaka Minoru [2]
2002-02-16
Tōkyō
Defeats Kakihara Masahito.
Kanemoto Kōji [4]
2002-07-19
Sapporo
Tiger Mask (4th)
2003-04-23
Hiroshima
A former Michinoku wrestler trained by Sayama Satoru; vacates on 03-09-23.
Jadō
2003-10-13
Tōkyō
Eliminates Kanemoto Kōji in an 11-man royal
rumble.
Heat (Tanaka Minoru)[3]
2003-12-14
Nagoya
Tiger Mask [2]
2005-01-04
Tōkyō
Black Tiger (Ricky Romero)
2005-10-08
Tōkyō
Reigning NWA World champion; wins a double title match.
Tiger Mask [3]
2006-02-19
Tōkyō
Wins double title match.
Kanemoto Kōji [5]
2006-05-03
Fukuoka
NWA title not on line.
Minoru (Tanaka Minoru)[4]
2006-12-24
Tōkyō
Taguchi Ryūsuke
2007-06-06
Tōkyō
Inoue Wataru
2007-12-08
Ōsaka
Vacates on 08-06-16 in order to move up to the heavyweight division.
Tiger Mask [4]
2008-07-08
Tōkyō
Defeats Prince Devitt in a 12-man tournament final.
Low-Ki
2008-09-21
Kōbe
Tiger Mask [5]
2009-01-04
Tōkyō
Mistico
2009-08-15
Tōkyō
Tiger Mask [6]
2009-11-08
Tōkyō
Marufuji Naomichi
2010-01-04
Tōkyō
Prince Devitt
2010-06-19
Ōsaka
Ibushi Kōta
2011-06-18
Ōsaka
Vacates on 11-09-12 due to shoulder injury
Prince Devitt [2]
2011-09-18
Kōbe
Defeats KUSHIDA.
Low Ki [2]
2012-05-03
Fukuoka
Ibushi Kōta [2]
2012-07-29
Tōkyō
Low Ki [3]
2012-10-08
Tōkyō
Prince Devitt [3]
2012-11-11
Ōsaka
Ibushi Kōta [3]
2014-01-04
Tōkyō
KUSHIDA (Kushida Yūjiro)
2014-07-04
Tōkyō
Taguchi Ryūsuke [2]
2014-09-21
Kōbe
Kenny Omega
2015-01-04
Tōkyō
KUSHIDA [2]
2015-07-05
Ōsaka
Kenny Omega [2]
2015-09-23
Okayama
KUSHIDA [3]
2016-01-04
Tōkyō
BUSHI
2016-09-17
Tōkyō
KUSHIDA [4]
2016-11-05
Ōsaka
Takahashi Hiromu
2017-01-04
Tōkyō
KUSHIDA [5]
2016-06-19
Ōsaka
Will Ospreay
2017-10-09
Tōkyō
Marty Scurll
2017-11-05
Ōsaka
Will Ospreay [2]
2018-01-04
Tōkyō
Defeats Scurll, KUSHIDA, and Takahashi Hiromu in a 4-way match.
Takahashi Hiromu [2]
2018-06-09
Ōsaka
Vacates on 18-08-20 due to injury.
KUSHIDA [6]
2018-10-08
Tōkyō
Defeats Marty Scurll in tournament final.
Ishimori Taiji
2019-01-04
Tōkyō
Dragon Lee
2019-04-06
New York, NY, USA
Defeats Ishimori and Bandido in a 3-way match.
Will Ospreay [3]
2019-06-09
Ōsaka
Takahashi Hiromu [3]
2020-01-04
Tōkyō
Ishimori Taiji [2]
2020-08-29
Tōkyō
Takahashi Hiromu [4]
2021-01-05
Tōkyō
Vacates on 21-02-25 due to the pectoral injury.
El Desperado
2021-02-28
Ōsaka
Defeats El Phantasmo and BUSHI in a 3-way match.
Robbie Eagles
2021-07-25
Tōkyō
El Desperado [2]
2021-11-06
Ōsaka
Ishimori Taiji [3]
2022-05-01
Fukuoka
Takahashi Hiromu [5]
2023-01-04
Tōkyō
Defeats Ishimori, El Desperado, and Master Wato in a 4-way match.
