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by Natsumi Kuroyama, November 15th, 1998 
[Tako Kakuta is no stranger to the world of puroresuring although his
most current experiences have been with Western-style professional
wrestling. Born in Osaka, Japan in 1966, he has been a broadcast
journalist involved with puroresuring and professional wrestling for over
twelve years. Today, he is a reporter and interviewer with the
International E-Wrestling Association and at one time, served as the IEWA's
Interim President. Recently, PN Magazine reporter Natsumi Kuroyama was
able to spend some time with Mr. Kakuta and files the following
interview.]NM: Konnichiwa, Mr. Kakuta, thank you for taking the time to meet with me today. TK [smiling]: Thanks a lot, Ms. Kuroyama, it is a great honor for me to be here and represent the IEWA. NM: How did you first get involved with wrestling? Was it in Japan? TK: Actually, I was lucky enough to study journalism abroad, in the United States, and I was able to work for a regional wrestling federation based in the New England states. I wasn't a wrestling fan back then, but as a foreign student you have to take whatever work you can get. And I liked it, so I stayed with it. NM: And how did you become involved with the IEWA? TK: When the IEWA started up, it was not the behemoth it is now. They were happy for everyone to sign on, and I've had experience covering wrestling. They couldn't pay me much guaranteed money in the beginning so they paid me mostly in royalties. Considering the IEWA's success, I can't complain about my finances these days [laughs]. NM: Do you prefer working as an on-air personality or in an administrative capacity such as when you served as Interim President? TK: Definitely as on-air. Being interim President was a panic move made by the staff when Ms. Wagner stepped down. And as President you are always the target. You can't please anyone. And you have no idea how whiny some high-paid superstars can be [grins] NM: Has the IEWA made a conscious effort to recruit Japanese talent? TK: Obviously. Especially in the women's division we recruited a lot of Japanese talent. Women's wrestling is much more sophisticated in Japan than in the USA, and the success of Ms. Kenyuki, Ms. Yasuda, the Yamada Sisters and other Japanese athletes in the IEWA clearly reflects this. Ms. Kenyuki winning the world title was clearly no coincidence. The men's division is following suit, having hired Mr. Wanizame and the Tokyo Express, and the Japan Connection are former tag team champions. As a staff member and former interim President, I have to say that Asian athletes are usually more pleasant to deal with and less bigheaded than their American counterparts, and in many cases display superior athleticism. NM: "Demon Boy" Ishrinku has had quite a colorful career here in IEWA as well as competing in Japan. What do you think of him? TK: Mr. Ishrinku is an incredibly resilient athlete and was a worthy IEWA tag team champion. He is not the most outspoken person, true, but he is easier to handle than you might think backstage. He doesn't demand fancy limousines or large locker rooms. He just wants to go out and wrestle his match, his way. I respect that in an athlete, no matter how extravagant he may seem. NM: Rumor has it that Ishrinku may be leaving the IEWA to compete full-time in Japan. Can you confirm those rumors? TK: Mr. Ishrinku will return to Japan full-time, yes. The IEWA has agreed to release him from contract early, partially due to the safety hazard he showed to be at When Black Roses Bloom, yet Mr. Ishrinku will always be welcomed back in the IEWA. NM: While he is a gaijin, many consider The Banshee to be a puroresuring star. Has he had any difficulty adapting to the Western wrestling style? TK: No, I don't think so. See, most "World" federations are in reality just American mainstream promotions. Not so the IEWA. We have wrestlers from all over the globe. We currently have wrestlers from the US, Egypt, Australia, Mexico, Canada, Japan, you name it! We have just completed our North Africa tour and will be touring Scandinavia over the winter. The IEWA is a melting pot of nationalities and wrestling styles, and the Banshee's American heritage paired with his background in Mexico is not more or less unusual than most other wrestlers. His rise to a World Tag championship in such a short time clearly shows that he feels like a fish in the water here in the IEWA [smiles] NM: Was it a conscious decision to re-hire TORA Wanizame? His past tenure in the IEWA as Kabuki Master was brief but some believe he was brought into the IEWA specifically to feud with The Banshee. Is this true? TK: Mr. Wanizame contacted us about re-signing with the IEWA. You would have to ask Mr. Wanizame for his exact reasons, but I believe a relationship with Ms. Yasuda played a big part in him re-inking with us. NM: Do names like Ishrinku, Banshee and Wanizame help the IEWA in bringing in fans and fostering support amongst the Japanese audience? TK: Yes and no. Sure, Japanese fans identify themselves easier with one of them. They like Firebird Specials and Hurricanranas. But they also like the thump of a Powerbomb. Scott Norton's world title reign reflects this. Japanese fans adopt foreigners easier than American fans. True, Japanese fans are happy when their own do well. But look at the awe in their eyes when a Tarmon Godd walks down the aisle. NM: Are there any current puroresuring stars you would like to see join the IEWA roster? TK: Oh, there are always some. Ms. Kenyuki, being a former world champion, would be a very welcomed addition, should she ever return to the ring. Mr. Wanizame already contacted us about the possibility of signing other Zokugan wrestlers. Mr. Suzuki is one of the most influential Japanese wrestlers in the past year, or maybe even Mr. Yoshida. But it is very tiring for an athlete to travel between Japan and wherever the IEWA currently tours, often many times a month. If we could sign a puroresu star to wrestle exclusively for the IEWA, it may be more viable. There are talks with some big stars right now, but I cannot reveal any names right now [grins] NM: Related to that question, the IEWA is well-known for the strength of its women's division. Do you foresee any future cooperation with Japanese women's organizations such as RINGST*RS? TK: RINGST*RS and the IEWA have been in contact for a while now, and cooperations aren't out of the question. However, after the relationships of the IEWA with the GDWA and WSIW, both of which ended very unsatisfying, we are very cautious about any agreements. NM: Recently, you were attacked by a female wrestler named Amy Devlin at an IEWA event. Do you feel that Western-style wrestling is more dangerous for the broadcast crew than puroresuring might be? TK: Yes, definitely. In Japan staff members are held in much higher regard. Take a look at the Yamada Sisters, they have always treated me with respect. Sure, we live dangerously at times. But we earn good money and have less working hours than most people. Don't forget that. NM: Does the IEWA intend on holding any cards in Japan in the near future? TK: Yes, definitely. Early 1999, the IEWA will hold two cards, Egg Dome and Budokhan Hall, possibly in conjunction with other federations. A few smaller houseshows may be added if the response is positive. We are also planning to tour other parts of Asia. Former puroresu wrestler Ms. K'uang-yin, who is very popular in Japan, has been hired by the IEWA for promotional purposes, and we will have a card in Thailand as well. NM: Arigato gozaimasu, Mr. Kakuta, we appreciate the time you have taken to spend with us. Ki o tsukete. TK [smiling]: Thank you, it was a great pleasure. 
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