An upcoming international pro-wrestling event to take place in Pyongyang at the end of August is a chance to create a better environment for Japanese-North Korean relations, the Japanese pro wrestler turned politician Antonio Inoki told a press conference on Thursday.

Speaking at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan in Tokyo, Inoki hoped that the event would lead to eliminating prejudice and preconceptions by deepening exchanges between two nations.

The event will take place on August 30 – 31 and is organized by Inoki and North Korea’s International Martial Arts Games Committee Chairman Jang Ung.

“In a closed situation without any interactions, sports and