Quoted By:
>Wrestling colleague of man killed in bear attack speaks of his grief:
>“The days we took turns driving the truck and touring the country will never return.”
>Hot spring in Kitakami, Iwate
>One week has passed since the tragic incident on October 23 in Kitakami, Iwate Prefecture, where a male employee was killed after being attacked by a bear at a hot spring inn.
>The man, who lost his life, had long worked in women’s professional wrestling as a referee.
>A ring announcer who had known him for over 30 years shared his deep sorrow.
>Marigold Ring Announcer Okki Okita:
>“It’s not just sadness—it’s frustration, too.”
>Okki Okita (52), who works as a ring announcer for the women’s wrestling promotion Marigold, said that the death of referee Katsumi Sasazaki (60)—who always upheld a “wrestler-first” philosophy—was a tremendous loss to the industry.
>Marigold Ring Announcer Okki Okita:
>“Some wrestlers push themselves beyond their limits, and it’s the referee’s job to stop them. Sasazaki-san was an exceptional referee, recognized by everyone for his skill.”
>On October 16, Sasazaki was cleaning an outdoor bath at Semi Onsen in Iwasakishinden, Waga Town, Kitakami City, when he was attacked by a bear. His body was found the next day in a nearby forest.
>For Okita, Sasazaki was a “comrade-in-arms” with whom he had walked side by side in women’s professional wrestling for over 30 years.
>Sasazaki had left pro wrestling—and Okita’s side—in 2025 to pursue a dream.
>He gave up his apartment in Tokyo and, starting in March, lived and worked with his wife and two young daughters at Semi Onsen.
>Marigold Ring Announcer Okki Okita:
>“He told me, ‘Even if it’s out in the countryside, I want to live in a house of my own.’ It was the first time in over 30 years of knowing him that he’d ever talked about his dream. He said, ‘If I don’t give up pro wrestling, I can’t put my family first.’”
