IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
Title history

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship

Section Title: Title history
Table Section Text: None

No.	Champion	Championship change	Reign statistics	Notes	Ref.

Date	Event	Location	Reign	Days	Defenses

1	Shiro Koshinaka	February 6, 1986	Live event	Tokyo, Japan	1	102	1	Koshinaka defeated The Cobra in a tournament final to become the first champion.

2	Nobuhiko Takada	May 19, 1986	Live event	Tokyo, Japan	1	123	6

3	Shiro Koshinaka	September 19, 1986	Live event	Fukuoka, Japan	2	317	2

—	Vacated	August 2, 1987	—	—	—	—	—	Koshinaka vacated the championship due to injuring his right ankle.

4	Kuniaki Kobayashi	August 20, 1987	Live event	Tokyo, Japan	1	129	1	Kuniaki Kobayashi defeated Nobuhiko Takada to win the vacant championship.

5	Hiroshi Hase	December 27, 1987	Live event	Tokyo, Japan	1	152	3

6	Owen Hart	May 27, 1988	Live event	Sendai, Japan	1	28	1

7	Shiro Koshinaka	June 24, 1988	Live event	Osaka, Japan	3	265	6

8	Hiroshi Hase	March 16, 1989	Live event	Yokohama, Japan	2	70	0

9	Jushin Liger	May 25, 1989	Live event	Osaka, Japan	1	77	2

10	Naoki Sano	August 10, 1989	Live event	Tokyo, Japan	1	174	2

11	Jushin Thunder Liger	January 31, 1990	Live event	Osaka, Japan	2	200	1	Previously known as Jushin Liger.

12	Pegasus Kid	August 19, 1990	Live event	Tokyo, Japan	1	74	0

13	Jushin Thunder Liger	November 1, 1990	Live event	Tokyo, Japan	3	165	2

—	Vacated	April 15, 1991	—	—	—	—	—	Liger vacated the championship so a new champion could be decided in the Top of the Super Juniors tournament.

14	Norio Honaga	April 30, 1991	Live event	Tokyo, Japan	1	43	2	Honaga defeated Jushin Thunder Liger in the finals of the Top of the Super Juniors tournament.

15	Jushin Thunder Liger	June 12, 1991	Live event	Tokyo, Japan	4	58	0

16	Akira Nogami	August 9, 1991	Live event	Tokyo, Japan	1	88	1

17	Norio Honaga	November 5, 1991	Live event	Tokyo, Japan	2	95	1

18	Jushin Thunder Liger	February 8, 1992	Live event	Sapporo, Japan	5	139	3

19	El Samurai	June 26, 1992	Live event	Tokyo, Japan	1	149	3

20	Último Dragón	November 22, 1992	Live event	Tokyo, Japan	1	43	1

21	Jushin Thunder Liger	January 4, 1993	Fantastic Story in Tokyo Dome	Tokyo, Japan	6	628	5

—	Vacated	September 24, 1994	—	—	—	—	—	Liger vacated the championship due to fracturing his left ankle.

22	Norio Honaga	September 27, 1994	Live event	Osaka, Japan	3	145	6	Honaga defeated Wild Pegasus in a tournament final to win the vacant championship.

23	Koji Kanemoto	February 19, 1995	Live event	Tokyo, Japan	1	73	2

24	Sabu	May 3, 1995	Wrestling Dontaku 1995	Fukuoka, Japan	1	42	1

25	Koji Kanemoto	June 14, 1995	Live event	Tokyo, Japan	2	204	2	This match was also for Kanemoto's UWA World Welterweight Championship.

26	Jushin Thunder Liger	January 4, 1996	Wrestling World 1996	Tokyo, Japan	7	116	2

27	The Great Sasuke	April 29, 1996	Battle Formation	Tokyo, Japan	1	165	5	On August 5, 1996, Sasuke won an 8-man tournament to form the J-Crown, an octuple-belt championship that includes the IWGP Junior Heavyweight title; these titles were still considered separate, but were defended together.

28	Último Dragón	October 11, 1996	Live event	Osaka, Japan	2	85	7

29	Jushin Thunder Liger	January 4, 1997	Wrestling World 1997	Tokyo, Japan	8	183	4	Liger lost the WAR International Junior Heavyweight Championship from the J-Crown on June 6, 1997, but continued to defend the other 7 belts.

30	El Samurai	July 6, 1997	Live event	Sapporo, Japan	2	35	0

31	Shinjiro Otani	August 10, 1997	The Four Heaven in Nagoya Dome	Nagoya, Japan	1	181	5	On November 5, 1997, Otani vacated all J-Crown belts but the IWGP Junior Heavyweight title after the WWF retook control of its Light Heavyweight title, effectively ending the J-Crown.

32	Jushin Thunder Liger	February 7, 1998	Live event	Sapporo, Japan	9	403	8

33	Koji Kanemoto	March 17, 1999	Live event	Hiroshima, Japan	3	164	3

34	Kendo Kashin	August 28, 1999	Jingu Climax	Tokyo, Japan	1	44	1

35	Jushin Thunder Liger	October 11, 1999	Final Dome	Tokyo, Japan	10	49	1

36	Juventud Guerrera	November 29, 1999	Nitro	Denver, Colorado	1	7	0

37	Jushin Thunder Liger	December 6, 1999	Nitro	Milwaukee, Wisconsin	11	227	3	Psychosis replaced Guerrera in the match due to Guerrera suffering a fractured right arm.

38	Tatsuhito Takaiwa	July 20, 2000	Summer Struggle 2000	Sapporo, Japan	1	101	2

39	Minoru Tanaka	October 29, 2000	Get a Right!!	Kobe, Japan	1	264	2

40	Masayuki Naruse	July 20, 2001	Dome Quake	Sapporo, Japan	1	80	1

41	Tokimitsu Ishizawa/Kendo Kashin	October 8, 2001	Indicate of Next	Tokyo, Japan	2	116	2	Won the title under the name Tokimitsu Ishizawa, but defended it under the name Kendo Kashin.

—	Vacated	February 1, 2002	—	—	—	—	—	Kashin left NJPW and returned the title to the IWGP Executive Committee.

42	Minoru Tanaka	February 16, 2002	Fighting Spirit 2002	Tokyo, Japan	2	153	3	Defeated Masahito Kakihara to win the championship.

43	Koji Kanemoto	July 19, 2002	Summer Fight Series 2002	Sapporo, Japan	4	278	6

44	Tiger Mask	April 23, 2003	Strong Energy 2003	Hiroshima, Japan	1	153	4

—	Vacated	September 23, 2003	—	—	—	—	—	The championship was vacated so it could be contested for in a battle royal.

45	Jado	October 13, 2003	Ultimate Crush	Tokyo, Japan	1	62	1	Jado defeated Dick Togo, El Samurai, Gedo, Heat, Jushin Thunder Liger, Katsushi Takemura, Koji Kanemoto, Masahito Kakihara, Masayuki Naruse and Tiger Mask in a battle royal to win the vacant championship.

46	Heat	December 14, 2003	Battle Final 2003	Nagoya, Japan	3	387	11	Previously known as Minoru Tanaka.

47	Tiger Mask	January 4, 2005	Toukon Festival: Wrestling World	Tokyo, Japan	2	277	3

48	Black Tiger	October 8, 2005	Toukon Souzou New Chapter	Tokyo, Japan	1	134	1	This match was also for Black Tiger's NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship.

49	Tiger Mask	February 19, 2006	Acceleration	Tokyo, Japan	3	73	1	This match was also for Black Tiger's NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship.

50	Koji Kanemoto	May 3, 2006	New Japan Cup 2006 Special	Fukuoka, Japan	5	235	1

51	Minoru	December 24, 2006	Battle Xmas! Catch the Victory	Tokyo, Japan	4	194	4	Previously known as Minoru Tanaka/Heat.

52	Ryusuke Taguchi	July 6, 2007	New Japan Soul C.T.U Farewell Tour	Tokyo, Japan	1	155	4

53	Wataru Inoue	December 8, 2007	New Japan Alive	Osaka, Japan	1	191	3

—	Vacated	June 16, 2008	—	—	—	—	—	The championship was vacated when Inoue moved to the heavyweight division.

54	Tiger Mask	July 8, 2008	New Japan Trill	Tokyo, Japan	4	75	0	Tiger Mask defeated Prince Devitt in a tournament final to win the vacant championship.

55	Low Ki	September 21, 2008	New Japan Generation	Kobe, Japan	1	105	1

56	Tiger Mask	January 4, 2009	Wrestle Kingdom III in Tokyo Dome	Tokyo, Japan	5	223	4

57	Místico	August 15, 2009	G1 Climax 2009: New Lords, New Laws	Tokyo, Japan	1	85	2

58	Tiger Mask	November 8, 2009	Destruction '09	Tokyo, Japan	6	57	0

59	Naomichi Marufuji	January 4, 2010	Wrestle Kingdom IV in Tokyo Dome	Tokyo, Japan	1	166	5

60	Prince Devitt	June 19, 2010	Dominion 6.19	Osaka, Japan	1	364	7

61	Kota Ibushi	June 18, 2011	Dominion 6.18	Osaka, Japan	1	85	2

—	Vacated	September 12, 2011	—	—	—	—	—	The championship was vacated after Ibushi was sidelined with a shoulder injury.

62	Prince Devitt	September 19, 2011	Kantaro Hoshino Memorial Show	Kobe, Japan	2	227	4	Devitt defeated Kushida to win the vacant championship.

63	Low Ki	May 3, 2012	Wrestling Dontaku 2012	Fukuoka, Japan	2	87	1

64	Kota Ibushi	July 29, 2012	Last Rebellion	Tokyo, Japan	2	71	2

65	Low Ki	October 8, 2012	King of Pro-Wrestling	Tokyo, Japan	3	34	0

66	Prince Devitt	November 11, 2012	Power Struggle	Osaka, Japan	3	419	4

67	Kota Ibushi	January 4, 2014	Wrestle Kingdom 8 in Tokyo Dome	Tokyo, Japan	3	181	4

68	Kushida	July 4, 2014	Kizuna Road 2014	Tokyo, Japan	1	79	0

69	Ryusuke Taguchi	September 21, 2014	Destruction in Kobe	Kobe, Japan	2	105	2

70	Kenny Omega	January 4, 2015	Wrestle Kingdom 9 in Tokyo Dome	Tokyo, Japan	1	182	3

71	Kushida	July 5, 2015	Dominion 7.5 in Osaka-jo Hall	Osaka, Japan	2	80	1

72	Kenny Omega	September 23, 2015	Destruction in Okayama	Okayama, Japan	2	103	1

73	Kushida	January 4, 2016	Wrestle Kingdom 10 in Tokyo Dome	Tokyo, Japan	3	257	5

74	Bushi	September 17, 2016	Destruction in Tokyo	Tokyo, Japan	1	49	0

75	Kushida	November 5, 2016	Power Struggle	Osaka, Japan	4	60	0

76	Hiromu Takahashi	January 4, 2017	Wrestle Kingdom 11 in Tokyo Dome	Tokyo, Japan	1	158	4

77	Kushida	June 11, 2017	Dominion 6.11 in Osaka-jo Hall	Osaka, Japan	5	120	2

78	Will Ospreay	October 9, 2017	King of Pro-Wrestling	Tokyo, Japan	1	27	0

79	Marty Scurll	November 5, 2017	Power Struggle	Osaka, Japan	1	60	0

80	Will Ospreay	January 4, 2018	Wrestle Kingdom 12 in Tokyo Dome	Tokyo, Japan	2	156	3	This was a four-way match, also involving Hiromu Takahashi and Kushida.

81	Hiromu Takahashi	June 9, 2018	Dominion 6.9 in Osaka-jo Hall	Osaka, Japan	2	72	2

—	Vacated	August 20, 2018	—	—	—	—	—	The championship was vacated after Takahashi suffered a neck injury.

82	Kushida	October 8, 2018	King of Pro-Wrestling	Tokyo, Japan	6	88	0	Kushida won the vacant title in a match against Marty Scurll.

83	Taiji Ishimori	January 4, 2019	Wrestle Kingdom 13 in Tokyo Dome	Tokyo, Japan	1	92	2

84	Dragon Lee	April 6, 2019	G1 Supercard	New York City, U.S.	1	7+	0	This was a three-way match, also involving Bandido.

Sentence(s)

At 628 days, Liger's sixth reign is the longest in the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship.

final_sentence: At 628 days, Liger's sixth reign is the longest in the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship.