New Japan has been recognised in the 2012 Wrestling Observer Awards, with New Japan and its wrestlers winning in tons of categories this year. Just rewards for one of the finest years from New Japan since the 1990s golden age. Below are the awards won by New Japan, not listed are several others where New Japan wrestlers like Devitt and Makabe (and Tanahashi in addition to all those he won, only The Rock was deemed more charismatic!) just missed out on first place in other categories.

LOU THESZ/RIC FLAIR AWARD (WRESTLER OF THE YEAR)
1. HIROSHI TANAHASHI (419) 3,328
2. C.M. Punk (294) 2,325
3. Kazuchika Okada (75) 1,221

MOST OUTSTANDING WRESTLER
1. HIROSHI TANAHASHI (394) 2,695
2. Kazuchika Okada (114) 1,326
3. Daniel Bryan (153) 1,273

FEUD OF THE YEAR
1. HIROSHI TANAHASHI VS. KAZUCHIKA OKADA (275) 1,753
2. Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen (238) 1,689
3. The Rock vs. John Cena (121) 1,136

MOST IMPROVED
1. KAZUCHIKA OKADA (517) 2,948
2. Michael Elgin (52) 887
3. Rush (64) 576

PROMOTION OF THE YEAR
1. NEW JAPAN PRO WRESTLING (497) 3,452
2. Ultimate Fighting Championships (91) 1,388
3. World Wrestling Entertainment (85) 1,357

PRO WRESTLING MATCH OF THE YEAR
1. TANAHASHI VS. SUZUKI 10/8 TOKYO (277) 2,014
2. John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar 4/29 Chicago(87) 1,202
3. Davey Richards vs. Michael Elgin 3/31 Ft. Lauderdale (146) 1,185

BEST MAJOR WRESTLING SHOW
1. NEW JAPAN KINGS OF PRO WRESTLING 10/8 TOKYO (425)2,618
2. WWE Extreme Rules 4/29 Chicago (118) 1,348
3. WWE WrestleMania 4/1 Miami (13) 1,033

BEST WRESTLING MANEUVER
1. KAZUCHIKA OKADA RAINMAKER 201
2. Antonio Cesaro Neutralizer 92
3. Daniel Bryan Yes/No/LeBell lock 82

BEST BOOKER
1. GEDO & JADO 592
2. Joe Silva 154
3. Mike Quackenbush 58