Yoshihashi did not pick up any wins in NJPW in 2008. This is normal for rookies in the promotion. However, on making his Riki Pro debut on November 3 he teamed up with Kazuchika Okada to beat the team of Kuniyoshi Wada and Yusaku Obata.[5] On February 12, 2009, Yoshihashi won his first match in NJPW by teaming with Hiroshi Tanahashi and Yuji Nagata and defeating Kazuchika Okada, Hirooki Goto and Shinsuke Nakamura.