Debuting in All Japan Pro Wrestling in 2007, and assisting Tetsuya Naito to the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in his first appearance in NJPW April 2016, SANADA would be an asset to Los Ingobernables De Japon over close to seven years.  With former partner EVIL, he won two back to back World Tag Leagues, and followed both wins up with IWGP Tag Team Championship reigns. Adding BUSHI, and then Shingo Takagi to the fold as a trio, he became a former three time NEVER Openweight 6 Man Tag Champion as well.

February 2022 saw him capture his first NJPW singles title in the IWGP US Championship, but a fractured orbital bone forced him to relinquish the title, and began a slump from which he needed to make changes to emerge.

In New Japan Cup 2023, Taichi would draw the fire SANADA needed to end his slump. After SANADA defeated LIJ teammate Tetsuya Naito in the cup, he announced his intention to leave LIJ, and join Taichi’s new faction of what was now Just Five Guys. On March 21 2023, SANADA won the New Japan Cup, before pinning IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada at Sakura Genesis to complete a seven year journey to the top.