Message from Mr. Nakahara Nobuyuki,8th Chairman of the JKA
He Became the Heart of the JKA
Master Funakoshi was a man of extraordinary spirit and force, the one who introduced karate, which today is often described as ‘Zen in motion,’ to the world.
He was also the one who changed the character for kara in karate from 
(‘China’)* to another character whose reading is exactly the same but whose meaning is very different: 
(‘emptiness;’ the central philosophi-cal insight of Buddhism).
*(‘Kara,’ a name which specifically refers to the Tang Dynasty [617-908 AD] was until the early decades of the 20th century the popular name for ‘China’ in Japan.)
(‘China’)* to another character whose reading is exactly the same but whose meaning is very different: (‘emptiness;’ the central philosophi-cal insight of Buddhism).*(‘Kara,’ a name which specifically refers to the Tang Dynasty [617-908 AD] was until the early decades of the 20th century the popular name for ‘China’ in Japan.)
It was he who became the heart of the JKA—the one around whom, more than half a century ago, the organization was formed. And it is to his spirit, and his teaching, that the JKA will forever remain true.
The JKA is the Keeper of Karate’s Highest Tradition, the teacher of the art in its purest form. There are literally hundreds of schools of karate in Japan and around the world, but none is like the JKA. None teaches karate in quite the same way.
Four Different Approaches to Karate
At the various schools where you can go to learn the art of karate today, you will find that it is taught in four different ways.
The first way is as a kind of gymnastic exercise, as a simple program of muscle toning and body training.
The second way is as a sport, or ‘game,’ where you wear boxing-type gloves and often a protective face mask, and win by gaining points ac-cording to the rules. But the rules keep changing, depending on who is sponsoring the tournament for whom. And so to keep winning you have to keep learning new and different techniques.
The third way is as body-contact combat using gloves and sometimes other protective equipment, which can lead to a form of crowd-pleasing, blood-stirring entertainment, such as in Thai kick-boxing, K-1 or Pride.
And the fourth way is as a martial art, or Budo (the martial way); in other words, as a way of life. This is the way of the JKA.
JKA Karate Is Bushido
Though technically JKA karate is a refined form of Shotokan Karate, the karate perfected by Supreme Master Funakoshi, in a larger, deeper sense it is Bushido; it is karate based on the way, and molded by the spirit,of the ancient Japanese samurai warrior.
In that karate, the ultimate goal is not to someday become an Olympic champion;the goal is to develop the ability to knock down an opponent with one kick or blow.
To achieve that goal, aspirants must devote themselves to hard and virtually endless practice in the ‘inseparable trinity’ of the three fundamentals: kihon (basic techniques), kata, and kumite.
Through this practice, they inevitably grow in strength, spirit and discipline.Eventually they become formidable fighters. And all the while they are learning patience, compassion, loyalty, independence, deference, and integrity.
JKA Kumite Match Rules Are Simple and Natural
The JKA imposes only the absolute minimum of restrictions for safety’s sake. We do not wear gloves or masks or any kind of protective clothing in kumite. There are no weight classes as in boxing. There is no scoring and calculating of arbitrary points either.
The only thing that counts is whether or not the judges decide that you—tall or short, large or small, heavy or light—have defeated your opponent by accurately delivering a decisive blow with your fist or foot to a designated vital part of his or her body.
The JKA created these rules, the first match rules in the world of karate, back in 1957 when it held the first All Japan Karate Championship.
Since that time the rules have never been changed, not in any way. There is no way they could be changed. They are so simple and natural that they are inevitable: win or lose with the first deadly blow—without actually hitting your opponent.
Established after World War II
The JKA was established immediately after World War II, in 1949, with Supreme Master Funakoshi Gichin, founder of the Shotokan school of karate, as Chief Instructor.
It was established as an organization whose purpose was to train true karate masters—to teach karate as a way of life. It was not established as an organization whose purpose was merely to arrange matches.
In 1957, the JKA was approved by the Japanese Ministry of Education, under the Japanese legal system, as the sole nationwide public corporation in karate with a tax-free legal status.
Today the JKA is recognized all over the world as the largest and most important karate organization on earth. We are often compared to the Kodokan, the global center of judo.
We have our own (wholly-owned) four-story headquarters building in the heart of central Tokyo, with more than 1,500 square meters of floor space.
There we maintain a full-time staff of eighteen highly-trained, highly-paid professional instructors and four interns, under the supervision of the duly-elected Chief Instructor, Master Sugiura Motokuni.
Spreading the Kokufu-Bunka Form of Budo Karate
Our goal—the ultimate aim of everything we do—is to spread throughout the world kokufu-bunka karate-do: karate based on the ancient tradition of Japanese Bushido.
It is the purest form of karate, the highest tradition in the art, and it is our purpose to train amateur men and women in Japan and abroad in that art in a deep and thorough, disciplined way.
It is also our purpose to promote youth education throughout the world, both in physical and mental terms, through the teaching of that art.
And finally, it is our purpose to provide all those who practice true karate with an open, supportive, welcoming place in the midst of the isolation, alienation and frenzied complexity of modern society—a place where they can come together on a totally equal footing regardless of age, sex, nationality, race, social status, or profession.
In closing may I send the very best wishes from all of us at the JKA to all true karate-ka. And the JKA’s Senior Advisor, Mr. Nakasone Yasuhiro, former Prime Minister of Japan and world-famous statesman, has personally asked me to make a special point of sending his best wishes too.
Nakahara Nobuyuki
Chairman, Japan Karate Association;
Emeritus Member of the Policy Board, Bank of Japan;
9th degree black belt
Chairman, Japan Karate Association;
Emeritus Member of the Policy Board, Bank of Japan;
9th degree black belt
Organization of the JKA
The Japan Karate Association is the only independent karate entity legally and officially recognized by the Japanese government as an association of members (Shadan Hojin) for the promotion of karate. There is only one other authorized entity which falls under the umbrella of the JKA: the JKA World Federation (JKA/WF). No other organization shares this status. Likewise, the JKA is not dependent upon or subordinate to any other group, organization or entity. However, there are instances in which the JKA cooperates of its own volition with other organizations in an equal stance.
For the most part, the JKA is centrally organized and coordinated through Tokyo JKA HQ, although there are both National and Regional headquarters in most areas around the world.
The basic structure of the JKA’s executive committee is shown below.
JKA Organization
| Senior Advisor | Nakasone Yasuhiro (Former Prime Minister of Japan) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Kusahara Katsuhide | ||
| Chief Instructor | Ueki Masaaki | ||
| Vice Chief Instructor | Oishi Takeshi | ||
| Acting Executive Director | Oishi Takeshi | ||
| Board of Directors | Araki Kiyoshi | Izumiya Seizo | Takahashi Yasuoki |
| Iwamatsu Yoshihiko | Ueki Masaaki | Oishi Takeshi | |
| Ogura Yasunori | Kano Tadahiko | Kusahara Katsuhide | |
| Naka Tatsuya | Matsubara Hideo | Nishino Syuhei | |
| Matsuura Koichiro | Mituhori Haruki | Mera Junichi | |
| Yano Kenji | Yoshida Kanji | ||
| Auditors | Ouchi Takami | Sugita Jun | |
| Counsellors | Hoshino Muneyasu | Sato Yuji | Otsu Naonosuke |
| Company Friends | Kon Matsuo | ||
Shihankai
| Chief Instructor | Ueki Masaaki | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Vice Chief Instructor | Oishi Takeshi | ||
| Technical Advisor | Mori Masataka | Mikami Takayuki | |
| Honorary members of Shihankai Committee | Sato Yuji | Sakai Ryusuke | Tanaka Masahiko |
| Iida Norihiko | |||
| Members of Shihankai Committee | Ueki Masaaki | Osaka Yoshiharu | Oishi Takeshi |
| Takahashi Yasuoki | Kanou Masahiko | Kashimoto Kazuyoshi | |
| Hashiguchi Shinobu | Yano Kenji | Otsu Naonosuke | |
| Mori Toshihiro | Imura Takenori | Araki Kenro | |
| Kawawada Minoru | Ogura Yasunori | Imamura Tomio | |
| Izumiya Seizo | Shiina Katsutoshi | Nishino Syuhei | |
| Kanjikai | Ueki Masaaki | Osaka Yoshiharu | Oishi Takeshi |
| Mori Toshihiro | Imura Takenori | Araki Kenro | |
| Kawawada Minoru | Ogura Yasunori | Imamura Tomio | |
| Shihankai Member | |||
| Hanzaki Yasuo | Naka Tatsuya | Kumagaya Shozo | |
| Matsukura Toru | Yokouchi Takehisa | Goukon Ikuo | |
| Kasahara Tetsuo | Katano Yutaka | Nishitoba Junichiro | |
| Matsubara Hideo | Hata Yoshihide | Nozaki Tsutomu | |
| Ichihashi Takuzo | Nakayama Hiroshige | Kawasumi Haruo | |
| Nagamori Shigeru | Kawakami Hiroki | Iwata Yoshiaki | |
| Mera Junichi | Yazawa Toshihiko | Mashimo Haruhiko | |
| Takahashi Kazuo | Nakayama Hiroaki | Sasaki Masaki | |
| Nemoto Isao | Sawada tadao | Koide Masao | |
| Shirai Kyoji | Shinomiya Yuji | Komiya Koji | |
| Shoji Kaiei | Tanigawa Yukio | Kouda Iwao | |
| Sasamoto Juro | Seto Kensuke | Okajima Toshio | |
| Kato Buko | Matsui Hideto | Kawasaki Isao | |
| Tanaka Shizuo | Kochi Norisato | Watanabe Kuniyoshi | |
| Sakurai Yasuo | Noda Yasuhiko | Watanabe Yasuyuki | |
| Taniguchi Takao | Aihara Tomoyuki | Nakatsuka Kiyoshi | |
| Fukami Akira | Yasuzato Masayoshi | Iwabuchi Hiroshi | |
| Kishine Choji | Yamamoto Eiichi | Fujita Masaharu | |
| Kanai Seikon | Miura Kazuharu | Otani Shosuke | |
| Makanai Masanobu | Furukawa Teruo | Kondo Masahiko | |
| Kamino Masaru | Nozaki Susumu | Koga Keizo | |
| Yamamoto Katsuhiro | Mitsuhori Haruki | Takahashi Kuniya | |
| Orime Tetsuya | Taniyama Takuya | Nishimura Kazuhiro | |
| Nakajima Masashi | Saeki Minoru | Nishimura Takaatsu | |
| Koyama Shojiro | Kisaka Katsuharu | Takahashi Syu | |
| Ochi Hideo | Sawada Kazuhiro | Sergio Gneo | |
| Naito Takeshi | Stan Schmidt | Ken Wittstock | |
| Jorgen Bura | Ted Hedlund | Jose Pacheco | |
| Aoki Osamu | |||
International Board of Directors
| Honorary Chairman | Kusahara Katsuhide | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Instructor | Ueki Masaaki | ||
| Executive Director | Ogura Yasunori | ||
| Directors | Koyama Shojiro (North, Central America Region) | Jean-Pierre-Cusson (North, Central America Region) | Inoue Mitsuo (South America Region) |
| Omura Fujikiyo (Asia-Pacific Region) | Ochi Hideo (Europe Region) | Jorgen Bura (Europe Region) | |
| Dr. Amr El-Kadi (Mid-East) | Manvoumbi Mombo Wapatcha (Africa Region) | Edward Mtshali (Africa Region) | |
| Mori Masataka (Instructors Committee) | Mikami Takayuki (Instructors Committee) | Tanaka Masahiko (Instructors Committee) | |
| Oishi Takeshi (Instructors Committee) | Osaka Yoshiharu (Instructors Committee) | Kano Masahiko (Instructors Committee) | |
| Kawasaki Isao (Instructors Committee) | Tsuyama Katsuhiro (Instructors Committee) | Yano Kenji (Instructors Committee) | |
| Mori Toshihiro (Instructors Committee) | Kurasako Kenro (Instructors Committee) | Kawawada Minoru (Instructors Committee) | |
| Ogura Yasunori (Instructors Committee) | |||
Instructor Training Graduates
The following is a list of people who have completed the JKA’s special instructor training program. Please note that some of these individuals are no longer members of the JKA.
| Name | Grad | |
|---|---|---|
| Mikami Takayuki | 1957 | |
| Takaura Eiji | 1957 | |
| Tsushima Toshio | 1958 | |
| Yaguchi Yutaka | 1958 | |
| Ouchi Kyo | 1959 | |
| Sato Masaki | 1959 | |
| * | Saito Shigeru | 1959 |
| Inaba Mitsue | 1960 | |
| Kano Masahiko | 1960 | |
| Watanabe Gunji | 1960 | |
| * | Ogata Kyoji | 1960 |
| Kisaka Katsuharu | 1961 | |
| Nakaya Ken | 1961 | |
| Ogawa Eiko | 1961 | |
| Ueki Masaaki | 1961 | |
| * | Enoeda Keinosuke | 1961 |
| Miyazaki Satoshi | 1961 | |
| * | Mori Osamu | 1961 |
| * | Takahashi Yoshimasa | 1961 |
| * | Majima Kenshiro | 1962 |
| Sakai Ryusuke | 1962 | |
| Jitsuhara Shoji | 1963 | |
| Ochi Hideo | 1963 | |
| Takahashi Yasuoki | 1963 | |
| * | Itaya Michihisa | 1963 |
| Oishi Takeshi | 1965 | |
| * | Tabata Yukichi | 1965 |
| Takashina Shigeru | 1966 | |
| Higashi Kunio | 1967 | |
| Iida Norihiko | 1967 | |
| * | Okamoto Hideki | 1967 |
| Takahashi Shunsuke | 1967 | |
| Yano Kenji | 1967 | |
| Baba Isamu | 1970 | |
| Horie Teruo | 1971 | |
| Nishino Shuhei | 1971 | |
| * | Hayakawa Norimasa | 1971 |
| Kanegae Kenji | 1972 | |
| Osaka Yoshiharu | 1972 | |
| Sasaki Yoshitaka | 1972 | |
| Sato Teruo | 1974 | |
| Mori Toshihiro | 1975 | |
| Imura Takenori | 1977 | |
| Kurasako Kenro | 1977 | |
| Kawawada Minoru | 1978 | |
| Komaki Masaki | 1978 | |
| Omura Fujikiyo | 1978 | |
| Fukami Akira | 1979 | |
| Kaneko Taneaki | 1979 | |
| Sakata Masashi | 1979 | |
| Abe Miwako | 1980 | |
| Tsuchii Takayuki | 1980 | |
| Yamamoto Hideo | 1980 | |
| Ogura Yasunori | 1982 | |
| Imamura Tomio | 1983 | |
| Kashiwagi Nobuyuki | 1984 | |
| Koike Tsuyoshi | 1984 | |
| Yokomichi Masaaki | 1984 | |
| Izumiya Seizo | 1986 | |
| Shiina Katsutoshi | 1986 | |
| Hanzaki Yasuo | 1987 | |
| Nakamura Yoko | 1987 | |
| Naka Tatsuya | 1989 | |
| Noda Kenichi | 1990 | |
| Taniyama Takuya | 1990 | |
| * | Imai Hiromitsu | 1991 |
| Takahashi Satoshi | 1992 | |
| Kobayashi Kunio | 1993 | |
| Ogata Koji | 1994 | |
| Walter Crockford | 1996 | |
| Ikenaga Atsushi | 1996 | |
| Hirayama Yuko | 1998 | |
| Okuma Koichiro | 1998 | |
| Iwasawa Mayumi | 1998 | |
| Ubukata Koji | 2003 | |
| Yamada Satomi | 2004 | |
| Nemoto Keisuke | 2004 | |
| Okuie Satomi | 2004 | |
| Kurihara Kazuaki | 2004 | |
| Shimizu Ryosuke | 2004 | |
| Kumeta Riki | 2007 | |
| Takahashi Yuko | 2008 | |
| Inokoshi Yusuke | 2008 | |
| Chubachi Koji | 2009 | |
| Ueda Daisuke | 2010 | |
| Shiina Mai | 2010 | |
| Iimura Rikiya | 2012 | |
An asterisk (*) denotes individuals who have passed away
| Independent | Nishiyama Hidetaka | ||
|---|---|---|---|
The following individuals no longer have any affiliation with the JKA:
Expelled
| Name | Former Instructor | Former Member |
|---|---|---|
| Abe Keigo |  | |
| Aramoto Nobuyuki | | |
| Asai Tetsuhiko | | |
| Inaba Tsuneyuki | | |
| Isaka Akito | | |
| Ishimine Minoru | | |
| Kagawa Masao | | |
| Kagawa Masayoshi | | |
| Kanayama Kyosho | | |
| Mizuno Yoshihisa | | |
| Naito Takashi | | |
| Shin Naomitsu | | |
| Tamon Penpa | | |
| Tanaka Chougo | | |
| Yahara Mikio | | |
| Yamaguchi Toru | | |
| Kanazawa Hirokazu | |
Quit
| Name | Former Instructor | Former Member |
|---|---|---|
| Kase Yasuharu | | |
| Kasuya Hitoshi | | |
| Katsumata (Suzuki) Yutaka | | |
| Shirai Hiroshi | | |
| Tatetsu Meicho | | |
| Asano Shiro | | |
| Kato Sadashige | |
NOTE: For Japanese names throughout this website, we follow the Japanese custom of indicating surname first, followed by the given name.
A Brief History of the Japan Karate Association
According to conventional accounts, a similar law forbidding the possession or use of weapons was re-issued and enforced by the Satsuma clan, who had invaded Okinawa in the early 1600’s and brought it under the rule of the Japanese Shogunate. It is believed that in this environment karate developed as a form of unarmed combat for protecting oneself and one’s country, and it was taught and practiced in secret.
Then came the birth in 1868 of Okinawan karate master Funakoshi Gichin. He dedicated his whole life to promoting the values of the art, and introduced the way of karate-jutsu to Japan, where it spread across the country. By 1949, his followers had established an association for the promotion of karate; they called it Nihon Karate Kyokai, or Japan Karate Association. It was the beginning of the JKA…
More on the history of the JKA:
The Early Years (1949-1957)
On April 10, 1957, the JKA became a legal entity when Japan’s Ministry of Education (now Ministry of Education, Science, Sports, and Culture) officially recognized the JKA as an association of members for the promotion of karate and the spread and enrichment of actual karate practice. Twelve years later, another karate organization was also given legal status, based not on membership but on contribution by an individual foundation, mainly for the purpose of arranging karate matches.
Roughly two weeks after official status was granted, Supreme Master Funakoshi passed away at the age of 89. After almost a decade of milestones, it was the end of an era. But the real growth of karate was yet to come.
Growth & Development (1957-1989)
Over the years, the tournament divisions expanded to include: a university division (1969), a women’s kata division (1974), a youth division within the general division (1975), an entirely separate youth division for elementary, junior high and high school students, and a women’s kumite division (1985). In addition, the number of participants grew enormously.
During this period, the JKA further developed its karate instruction system, and while greatly expanding its branch dojo throughout Japan, began sending (as early as 1958) some of its most highly-accomplished professional instructors overseas to America, Europe and the Middle East to teach and establish dojo. Karate was becoming a big hit outside Japan too.
In 1975, with karate’s prospective entry into the Olympics in mind, the first JKA-sponsored international tournament, the IAKF (International Amateur Karate Federation) World Cup was held in the U.S.; over the following several years it was held three additional times. However, in order to preserve the true technique and spirit of ippon-shobu (downing the opponent with one blow), the JKA ultimately established a new tournament, the Shoto World Cup Karate Championship Tournament. In 1985, the first in-
ternational Shoto World Cup was held in Japan, a testimony to how much karate had become an international art.
ternational Shoto World Cup was held in Japan, a testimony to how much karate had become an international art.
This period witnessed spectacular development in the art of karate.
As a result of continuous training among instructors, the karate techniques were developed into a complete system. For the first time there emerged a clear, scientific, and practical “best” form for each kumite stance, posture and movement. There also emerged a clear delineation between the “correct” and “incorrect” way to execute each stance, punch, kick or technique.
As a result of continuous training among instructors, the karate techniques were developed into a complete system. For the first time there emerged a clear, scientific, and practical “best” form for each kumite stance, posture and movement. There also emerged a clear delineation between the “correct” and “incorrect” way to execute each stance, punch, kick or technique.
Once these techniques developed, many instructors went overseas to spread the art of karate around the world. The JKA was the first karate organization to set up dojo outside Japan. This is the reason the JKA is so prominent and powerful overseas.
Furthermore, the JKA became the only karate organization to send its qualified full-time instructors to teach karate at universities. In contrast, some other universities simply have one of their old students hold karate classes.
In 1986, Nakahara Nobuyuki, a distinguished business leader and former Tokyo University Karate Club member, was appointed the eighth Chairman of the JKA.
Sadly, as JKA karate was reaching a pinnacle, Master Nakayama passed away, in 1987. He was 74 years old.
Overcoming Challenges (1990-1999)
In 1994, the JKA published the first in a series of five authoritative text-books on kata. This series quickly became the “bible” of karate kata.
Then came the court rulings. In 1995, as members had long expected, the JKA won the case in Tokyo Local Court. In 1998, it won again in Tokyo Higher Court. Then in June 1999, the Japan Supreme Court rejected the appeal of the seceded group, and the case was closed once and for all. As a result, the legal executive register was restored to the state it was in before the faction had so forcefully changed it.
In the end, the JKA had not only weathered the challenge, but had grown stronger because of it. It had gained more internal cohesion and a stronger sense of identity than ever before.
