Declaration of Power

Promotional poster for the event, featuring various NJPW wrestlers

**Declaration of Power** was a professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), which took place on October 10, 2022, in Tokyo at Ryōgoku Kokugikan. The event was main evented by Jay White defending the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship against his former Bullet Club stablemate Tama Tonga. Due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the tour had some restrictions in the attendance, after the Japanese Government lifted the State of Emergency.

## Production

### Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, other wrestling promotions began to cancel or postpone their shows in an attempt to prevent further spreading of the COVID-19 virus. At the end of February, following recommendations by the Japanese Ministry of Health regarding the coronavirus outbreak, NJPW canceled the events between March 1 and March 15 including the promotion's Anniversary Event and the first and the second round of New Japan Cup. On March 23, NJPW also canceled the 2020 Sakura Genesis event, which was originally scheduled to take place on March 31. On April 8, NJPW canceled more events from April 11 through May 4, leading to the cancelation of both nights of 2020 Wrestling Dontaku and would also cancel the whole Best of the Super Juniors tournament as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on May 6. Various wrestlers such as David Finlay, El Phantasmo, KENTA, the Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa), Jay White, Juice Robinson, Will Ospreay, Rocky Romero, and Robbie Eagles were unable to work on NJPW events due to travel restrictions because of the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, NJPW wrestlers and staff created the *NJPW Together* project in order to do bring content to NJPW World with interviews and old archived matches. On May 6, NJPW announced that their Wrestle Dynasty event would be postponed to 2021, due to the effects of the 2019-20 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. On June 8, during an online press conference, NJPW Chairman Naoki Sugabayashi announced that the promotion would start to held shows on June 15, starting with the *Together Project Special* and the return of the 2020 New Japan Cup between June 16 and July 11, with all shows being held behind closed doors. It was also that the finals of the New Japan Cup and the Dominion in Osaka-jo Hall would be the first shows to allow fans into the arena, but only a third of the venue's normal capacity, after the Japanese Government lifted some restrictions on many regions in Japan.

### Storylines

The Declaration of Power featured professional wrestling matches that involve different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylines. Wrestlers portray villains, heroes, or less distinguishable characters in the scripted events that build tension and culminate in a wrestling match or series of matches.

The Declaration of Power will be headlined by Jay White making his second title defense of the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship against his former Bullet Club stablemate Tama Tonga. On February 19 at No Surrender, the Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa) unsucessfully challenged The Good Brothers for the Impact World Tag Team Championship, after they were betrayed by Jay White. Subsequently, the Guerillas of Destiny were kicked out of Bullet Club and White reinstated The Good Brothers as members for the first time in nearly a decade. Afterwards, Tonga and Loa continued feuding with Bullet Club and aligned themselves with NJPW's home unit, with Tonga not forgetting their betrayal. In July, with White being the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, he entered the 2022 G1 Climax with the goal of winning the tournament as the reigning world heavyweight champion. However on August 16, his plans were derailed by Tama Tonga, who defeated White in their last round-robin match, advancing to the semi finals, instead of White. Two days later, following a tag team match, between White and Tonga, which his team won, he posed with White's IWGP World Heavyweight Championship belt. Afterwards, in a post match interview, White accepted Tonga as his next challenger.

On August 18, Kazuchika Okada defeated Will Ospreay in the finals to win the 2022 G1 Climax. Following the win, Okada nominated Jonah as his opponent for the event due to Jonah defeating him, during the 2022 G1 Climax, which was Okada's only loss in the tournament.

On June 21, at *New Japan Road*, KUSHIDA made his return to NJPW, challenging Taiji Ishimori to a title match for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship, which was denied by the champion, stating that he needed to prove himself. Afterwards, in a backstage interview, KUSHIDA confirmed that he re-signed with the promotion. Ever since, despite impressive performances in the following matches, including a direct pinfall over Ishimori in a tag team match on August 18, Ishimori denied KUSHIDA's challenge and during the *Burning Spirit* tour, Ishimori stated that in order for KUSHIDA to have his title shot, he would give him a non-title match at Declaration of Power to prove himself. On September 20, KUSHIDA was pulled out from an event in the *Burning Spirit* tour, due to a suspected skin disease. On October 7, NJPW announced that KUSHIDA would be pulled out from the event, due to being recovering from an hand, foot, and mouth disease. Afterwards, Ishimori would be challenged to a match by Master Wato on *Twitter*,in which, Ishimori accepted his challenge with the match being made offcial on October 8.

On August 16, Shingo Takagi entered the final of the 2022 G1 Climax, with a chance to advance to the semfinals, but a loss against El Phantasmo eliminated him from the tournament. Afterwards, Phantasmo began trying to embarrass Takagi, after proclaiming to be his "daddy". On September 25, both faced each other in a six-man tag team match, where Takagi scored a direct pinfall over Phantasmo. Following the match, in a post-match interview, Takagi challenged him to a match for his KOPW trophy, and as the two confronted one another backstage, both agreed to a "Who's Your Daddy match" at Declaration of Power.

On September 26, NJPW announced that Ren Narita would make his return in three years at the event, following the conclusion of his excursion in the LA Dojo with Katsuyori Shibata.