(NOAH) "I will aim for victory with my whole heart!" Minoru Tanaka mini interview (Junior Global League)

6th September 2018
Noah.co.jp

Q: In the Global Junior Tag League, you could not advance to the finals despite being the champion. YO-HEY and HAYATA have advocated this singles league.

TANAKA: Normally the winning team challenges for the belts, but they wanted a single legue without mentioning the junior tag belts at all, so I was annoyed.

Q: On the 18th August in Kawasaki, you successfully defended against HAYATA & YO-HEY for the second time.

TANAKA (answer doesn't translate well)

Q: The single Junior league will be held for the first time in three years. I think that you have participated in various single league battles, such as "Best of The Super Juniors" in the past?

TANAKA: Actually, I have won a single league only twice. "JJC League Battle" (1999) and "Best of the Super Juniors" in 2006. It has been only twice, and unlike the title match, I didn't get the results that can said to be great when it comes to a league. But, since I came to Noah to win the singles GHC Junior belt, I will come close to that if I control this league, so I will aim for the championship.

Q: Hi69 is in the same block as you, and you will have a showdown on the 15th September in Hakata?

TANAKA: If you want to win the prize, you must first knock down all the guys in the same block, and not think about whether they are in the same unit or if they are your tag partners.

Q: Aside from Hi69, who else do you have your eyes on?

TANAKA: In this block and other blocks, I am not concious of any caution. I said when I came to Noah a year ago, rather than to control the league, it was "I've come to get the GHC Junior". I will get rid of everyone in the way.

Q: Hidaka, who you defended against on the 2nd September along with Takuya Sugawara, is in the same block.

TANAKA: Hidaka is former Battlearts, and we are the same age, although I debuted three years earlier. We have had dozens of matches since 1997 when he debuted, so it seems that he is he is the easiest in B block, but the hardest partner. The final match for me against him is in Yokohama, I want to sort it all out there.

Q: On the 2nd September at Sumo Hall, Kotaro Suzuki said "Noah Junior is the weakest now", what do you think about that?

TANAKA: In the ring at Sumo Hall he said "everyone involved in Noah junior", (Minoru Tanaka then says about the flying kick he did, but it doesn't translate well). Overwhelming Suzuki is not the theme.

Q: Please give your enthusiasm for the league?

TANAKA: Although I am not good at league matches, I am excited and will aim for the victory with my whole heart.

Link to original article from Noah.co.jp (in Japanese)