| Championshipname: | IWGP Women's Championship |
| Currentholder: | Mayu Iwatani |
| Won: | April 23, 2023 |
| Promotion: | New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) World Wonder Ring Stardom |
| Created: | July 29, 2022 |
| Mostreigns: | All titleholders (1 time) |
| Firstchamp: | Kairi |
| Longestreign: | Mayu Iwatani (+ days) |
| Shortestreign: | Mercedes Moné (64 days) |
| Oldest: | Kairi |
| Youngest: | Mayu Iwatani |
| Heaviest: | Kairi (115lb) |
| Lightest: | Mayu Iwatani (110lb) |
| Pastnames: |
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The is a women's professional wrestling world championship owned by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling promotion. The title is defended on shows promoted by NJPW in Japan, with talent from NJPW's sister promotion World Wonder Ring Stardom featuring as its primary contenders.[1] The inaugural champion was Kairi. The current champion is Mayu Iwatani, who is in her first reign.
Ever since New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) was founded in 1972, the company had never had a women's championship. On July 29, 2022, it was announced by Takaaki Kidani, owner of World Wonder Ring Stardom and former chairman of NJPW through parent company Bushiroad, that Stardom's roster would compete for NJPW's first-ever women's championship, the IWGP Women's Championship, at the co-promoted event Historic X-Over, set to take place on November 20.[2] [3] The title is promoted as being managed by the IWGP Championship Committee, NJPW's kayfabe governing body.
On August 23 at the press conference for Historic X-Over, the dates and venues for the inaugural tournament were announced. The tournament featured seven wrestlers, with four Stardom wrestlers and three foreign wrestlers participating in the tournament with the finals taking place on November 20.[4] On August 27, four representatives from certain stables of Stardom (referred to by the promotion as "units") were decided to compete in the four available slots. The representatives were Giulia (Donna Del Mondo), Mayu Iwatani (Stars), Starlight Kid (Oedo Tai), and Utami Hayashishita (Queen's Quest).[5] The representatives either picked themselves or appointed another unit member to furtherly compete for the title. On November 20, at Historic X-Over, Kairi became the inaugural champion after defeating Iwatani in the finals. The title was defended for the first time on January 4, 2023, where Kairi retained the title over Tam Nakano during the first night of Wrestle Kingdom 17.[6]
The design of the IWGP Women's Championship belt was inspired by the design of the second-generation IWGP Heavyweight Championship, which was presented to the former champion Shinya Hashimoto during his 489 days reign in 1996.[7]
As of,, there have been three reigns between three champions. Kairi was the inaugural champion. She is also the oldest champion at 34 years old, while Mayu Iwatani is the youngest at 30. Iwatani's reign is the longest at + days, while Mercedes Moné's reign is the shortest at 64 days.
Iwatani is the current champion in her first reign. She won the title by defeating Moné at All Star Grand Queendom on April 23, 2023, in Yokohama, Japan.