The Zainichi Torii Osasis Shriner's Club of Tokyo invites former world heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis and seven wrestlers to appear on a show to entertain U.S. servicemen. The wrestlers include Bobby Bruns(U.S.), Andre Adoree (France), Ovira Asseli
09/30
The Zainichi Torii Osasis Shriner's Club of Tokyo promotes the card at Ryogoku Memorial Hall in Tokyo to entertain the U.S. servicemen. The card, sponsored by the Japanese Red Cross, features Bobby Bruns(U.S.), Andre Adoree (France), Ovira Asselin(Canada)
10/15
Rikidozan joins pro-judokas Masahiko Kimura, Toshio Yamaguchi, and Koukichi Endo in announcing their desire to become professional wrestlers. They begin training at the Shriner's Club.
10/23
A legendary judoka Masahiko Kimura defeats Helio Gracie by TKO in Brazil with the President and Vice-President of Brazil in attendance.
10/28
Rikidozan has his first match as a pro-wrestler against Bobby Bruns to a ten minute time limit draw at Nichidai Hall.
11/18
Joe Louis hosts an outdoor show at Korakuen Stadium. Rikidozan wrestles Obira Asselin to a ten minute time limit draw.
Rikidozan goes to Hawaii, where he trains at Oki Shikina's gym.
02/17
Rikidozan wins his first match in the U.S., pinning Cheif Little Wolf in 8:40 at Honolulu Civic Auditorium.
04/01
Kokichi Endo arrives in the U.S. along with Masutatsu Ooyama, who later founds Kyokushin Kaikan karate. The two are taken in by the Great Togo, who dubs them the Togo Brothers, a name they would use on numerous U.S. tours.
06/12
In Rikidozan's first match on the U.S. mainland, he pins Ike Aikens at the San Francisco Cow Palace.
06/23
Rikidozan teams with Primo Carnera in a shot at the world tag team champions Ben & Mike Sharpe at the Cow Palace. The match ends in a time limit draw.
06/26
Rikidozan loses his first match, being pinned by Leo Nomellini at the Cow Palace.
Rikidozan returns to Japan after 13 months in America. He fought over 260 matches during his tour, losing to only three men in singles competition: Leo Nomellini, Tom Rice, and Ike Aikens. He lost only twice in tag competition.
07/18
Toshio Yamaguchi promotes the first wrestling card promoted by Japanese at Osaka Prefectural Gym. He wreslted against a former sumo wreslter Kiyomikawa.
07/30
Rikidozan founds Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance (JWA). He has actually founded the Japan Pro Wrestling Promotion a short time earlier but this was the official ceremony establishing Japan's first full time pro-wrestling organization. Shinsaku Nitta was chosen as the president of the Promotion, and Tadamasa Sakai as the chairman of the Alliance.
Rikidozan returns to Hawaii for an eight man tournament with the winner getting a shot at the World Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz. Rikidozan emerges as the winner.
Toshio Yamaguchi and Kiyomikawa promote a two-day card in Osaka as Japan vs. US Puroresu Match under the name of All Japan Pro-wrestling Alliance.
02/17
The Sharpe Brothers (Ben & Iron Mike), the world tag team champions, come to Japan.
02/19
JWA promotes their first cards at Kuramae Kokugikan (old Sumo Hall) for three days. Masahiko Kimura and Yamaguchi also wrestle on the cards. The first day is aired by both NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation, the semi-govermental broadcasting network) and NTV (Nippon Television Network). NTV also aired the second and third days. The tag matches between Rikidozan & Kimura and the Sharp Brothers, main event of the first and the last days, are still talked about today. In front of the "street television" that NTV setup for people who couldn't afford television, there were thousands of people just to watch Rikidozan.
03/14
Toshio Yamaguchi starts All Japan Pro-Wrestling Alliance in Osaka.
05/10
A legendary judoka Masahiko Kimura starts International Pro-Wrestling Force in Kumamoto.
09/11
A former rikishi Yoshinosato debuts as a pro-wrestler.
11/19
Sankei Shinbun Newspaper promotes women's show with Mildred Burke, the women's world champion, and six other American wrestlers. With four Japanese wrestlers, they have three consecutive soldout shows at Kuramae Kokugikan (old Sumo Hall). Because of the popularity of women's wrestling, more than six women's promotions are founded this year. The Pan Ikari & Chopin Ikari, who have started female pro-wrestling in Japan in 1948, start Japan Women's Wrestling Club. The Matsunaga Brothers start All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling Associataion, the former body of today's All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling.
12/12
A former rikishi Toyonobori becomes a pro-wrestler.
12/22
Rikidozan defeats Masahiko Kimura to be the first Japanese Heavyweight Champion in a contraversial match. Kimura, on his biography, explains this match was supposed to be a work as a draw but Rikidozan suddenly started shooting on him during the match.
All Japan Women's Pro-wrestling Alliance is founded. This was similar to the old NWA, which was a union of the promoters that controls the championships, etc.. In the following month, the Alliance had the championships for the singles' titles in seven weight divisions and the tag titles in two weight divisions.
The Japanese Championship Tournaments starts. Yoshinosato defeats Isao Yoshiwara in tournament final to be the first Japanese Light Heavyweight Champion.
10/24
On the second day of the Japanese Championship, Surugaumi defeats Michiaki Yoshimura in the final of an 8-man tournament to be the first Japanese Junior Heavyweight Champion. In the heavyweight division, Azumafuji draws with Toshio Yamaguchi. They wrestle a rematch on 10/301956.
10/30
In a rematch, Azumafuji defeats Toshio Yamaguchi to win the Japanese Heavyweight Tournament. Azumafuji wins the title shot against Rikidozan's Japanese Heavyweight Title. The match did not take place, however.
Yoshinosato & Kokichi Endo defeat Azumafuji & Hiichi Nagasawa in Tokyo to become the first All Japan Tag Team Champions.
10/02
Lou Thesz comes to Japan. He is the first World Heavyweight Champion to visit Japan.
10/07
On the first World Heavyweight Title match ever in Japan, Rikidozan wrestles against the champion Lou Thesz to a time limit draw in front of 30,000 people in the audience at Korakuen Stadium (not to be confused with the small Korakuen Hall. Korakuen Stadium was the main baseball stadium of Tokyo before Tokyo Dome was built).
All Japan Women's Pro-wrestling Alliance, which has started losing its authority in previous year, folded. The Ikari Brothers leave the business. Women's puroresu loses popularity and goes back from sports arena to striptease theaters.
JWA promotes their first cards at Kuramae Kokugikan (old Sumo Hall) for three days. 
