Hikaru Shida In Japan Producing Matches For AEW Women's Title Eliminator Tournament

On last night's episode of AEW Dynamite: Beach Break, 16 women were announced for the Women's Title Eliminator Tournament. NWA Women's World Champion Serena Deeb and Riho will kick off the first round of the U.S. of the bracket.

As for the Japanese side of the bracket, AEW Women's World Champion Hikaru Shida is currently in Japan. She is helping produce the matches, and she took to Twitter to explain her absence on Dynamite.

"Sorry I didn't show up on #AEWDynamite for a while but..... I'm working a lot for this!!!!! And [it has] reminded me of my producing shows [upside smiley face emoji]. Stay tuned for AEW ladies!!"

Proresu Today reported that the matches on the Japanese side of the bracket will be held in an empty venue in Japan with no fans. The winner of the Japanese bracket will travel to the U.S. to face the winner of the U.S. bracket.

Shida has experience in producing shows in Japan, and she has produced MAKAI projects as well as a YouTube series "NEO IZANAGI". Shida confirmed she is in Japan in a tweet this morning.

"I'm in Japan now!!!! Of course it's for AEW women's tournament!"

Sorry I didn't show up on #AEWDynamite for a while but..... I'm working a lot for this!!!!!
And it've reminded me of my producing shows🙃
Stay tuned for AEW ladies!!

AEW初の女子シングルトーナメントのために色々と動いてます！！
自主興行を思い出す🤪
お楽しみに！！！ pic.twitter.com/meB4YHkSTN

— HIKARU SHIDA 志田 光 (@shidahikaru) January 28, 2021

魔界のショートムービーが公開になりましたが、そうなんです！しばらく前から日本に戻っております！！
もちろんAEWトーナメントのためです！

I'm in Japan now!!!! Of course it's for AEW women's tournament! pic.twitter.com/cHwKg5DRHO

— HIKARU SHIDA 志田 光 (@shidahikaru) February 4, 2021