JPN
The first solo event for the Ito Respect (RG) group, "Ito Respect Group Summit 2026," was held on Saturday, September 5th at United Cinemas Toyosu Screen 1 in Tokyo
Aiming to officially establish the unit, the event was planned by Ito RG himself, consisting of Ito Maki, Furusawa Kian, and Rian, and tickets sold out immediately. The event was a huge success from the opening
The event was emceed by Ito and proceeded much like a real summit. First, Ito announced his "plans." He then meticulously analyzed the current challenges and reasons why his goal of "establishing an official unit for Ito RG" has not yet been achieved
Since Ito joined Stardom in January, Furusawa joined in the same month, and then Rian joined Ito RG in May. After announcing that the number one selling apparel item in the first half of 2026 was the "Slightly Better Quality Ito Respect Army T-shirt," she passionately stated that Furusawa and Rian's SNS followers also increased dramatically after Ito RG joined
With tears welling up in her eyes, Ito expressed her gratitude to the assembled fans, saying, "When I was an idol, I was so unpopular that I even took naps during autograph signing events. I'm so happy that the times have finally caught up with me. Thank you so much. I want to make you all happy."
Furusawa is not to be outdone. Using a handwritten board, she gave a presentation about the circumstances of Ito RG joining the group and the changes that have occurred since she joined, passionately declaring, "My goal is to make this the best unit in women's professional wrestling!"
Rian also unveiled her own self-made prospectus. She stated her determination, saying, "I want to have a big vision explosion," "I want to become a professional wrestler who can earn a lot of money," and "From now on, I want to become someone who can liven things up with my own power, without relying on Ito's strength."
In the subsequent Q&A session, the group members candidly answered questions from fans. In response to the question, "How many members would you like to add?", Ito said, "It's not just about adding more members. What I want to do is something that no one has ever accomplished before," and then added, "I'll add Toraryu (Kiyoka). After all, Shuri isn't here today (laughs). That makes four people." She then named Toraryu, who belongs to God's Eye
When asked about the venue for next year's Ito RG Summit, Ito expressed his desire to hold it in a theater with a capacity of 400 people. He then revealed his grand ambition, saying, "This is just something I have in my head, but I'm thinking of making a movie next. Maybe something about space?"
Next was the "IRG Quiz" segment, where fans in the audience participated and tested their knowledge of the group. The quiz included a variety of questions, from "Is Maki Ito a stage name? True or False?" to "On May 31st in Kyoto, which side did Rian wear her pigtails on?" The three winners were presented with certificates handmade by Rian
After the break, they transformed into stage costumes primarily in black, designed by Furusawa, who had attended a fashion design school. They then performed Ito RG's official theme song, "Setsunairo." The audience became one with them, and they performed three sets, including an encore
The event, which had been filled with great excitement, was finally drawing to a close. But a surprise awaited at the very end. As Ito began to say "Thank you..." during his closing remarks, President Taro Okada appeared. The venue erupted in boos
Up until now, when Ito RG had appealed to him to make the unit official and had come to him directly, he had dismissed him with comments such as, "You're just a wrestler, do you think you have the right to be disrespectful to the president!"
The president made a comment that seemed to stir up the audience, saying, "Even the customers are all so rude," but then he sincerely praised her, saying, "I was able to see that you filled this event to capacity and did a great job. As you all know, she has been very active since joining Stardom. I think that it was a good thing that she joined Stardom, and I think so too."
The president had previously stated that he would approve the event's official status if it sold out. However, on this day, he changed his tune. "This sold-out event is only natural. You are Japan's top female wrestler. You shouldn't be complacent just because an event with this many people was a success. Everyone here already loves Maki Ito, and everyone who loves (Furusawa and Rian) loves them both. I want you to spread the word about how great the Ito Respect Army is to even more people. That's what Stardom needs to do to become the world's number one organization," he pleaded, and the fans in the audience looked convinced
Taking advantage of the atmosphere, President Okada declared, "Therefore, the company will give you one last test before officially recognizing you," and imposed the task of "accumulating a total of over 1 million views of your TikTok videos." "So, you are not officially recognized," he said, postponing official recognition as of today.
Then Ito said, "That sounds kind of fun. It's something we had to do sooner or later anyway. So, let's give it a try. The three of us will create an account, work hard to get 1 million views, get it officially recognized, make a song and hopefully make it a hit! Please support us!"
The event concluded with the chant, "Ito Respect Squad, forever!", bringing to a close the intense event packed with the charms of Maki Ito, Kian Furusawa, and Rian
