New Japan have today announced that due to a private issue, the company has terminated the contract of Tomoaki Honma. The company haven’t elaborated but it usually takes something quite serious for a Japanese wrestler to leave a company while under contract.

Honma had been with New Japan since early 2007 when he joined Makabe’s heel group GBH, and when Nakamura performed a coup d’état and took over GBH in 2009 (turning it into CHAOS), Honma was the only one who remained with Makabe and the two became fan favourites. I’ll post more details on his exit if they ever come to light.