Nagashima passed in December.
There’s an article on the Tokyo Sports website which notes that on December 10th, Katsuji Nagashima passed away at the age of 82.
Nagashima served as the director of New Japan Pro-Wrestling and World Japan Pro Wrestling.
Per his family, he lost consciousness at his home on December 4th and was rushed to a hospital. Nagashima regained consciousness, but he later passed away due to respiratory failure via emphysema, which is a chronic lung disease. A family member told Tokyo Sports the following:
He passed away peacefully at the end. He had a passion for professional wrestling (until the very end).
His funeral was on December 12th.
Nagashima worked for Tokyo Sports as a sports reporter and editor-in-chief of that department. He joined New Japan Pro-Wrestling in 1988. In addition to his director role, he worked in advertising for the company but departed in 2002.
After World Japan Pro Wrestling went defunct in mid-2004, Nagashima began writing about pro wrestling. He was connected to the boxing world as well and played a role in Muhammad Ali showing up to Antonio Inoki’s retirement match at the Tokyo Dome in 1998.
