Holding of the 1st All Japan Fullcontact Karate Championship, and the cessation of the All Japan Weight Division Championship
As the first step of actual activities for the Japan Fullcontact Karate Organization (JFKO), which our organization is affiliated to with the aim of making Karate an Olympic Sport, the holding of a unified competition was decided at the JFKO Regular Board Meeting held on September 20th. The name of the event will be “The 1st All Japan Fullcontact Karate Championship”. It will be held next May in Osaka, in men & women weight categories (4 each). For further details, please confirm the JFKO official website.
On the occasion of the founding of this organization, we played an active role as one of the incorporators along with the Japan Karate Judge Organization (JKJO) and the All Japan Kyokushin Union, and due to this fact, it was decided that this tournament will be mainly managed by Shinkyokushinkai, shouldering a heavy responsibility in cooperation with other affiliated organizations. Due to this event being the memorial 1st tournament aimed at making Karate, especially Fullcontact Karate an Olympic Sport, it is a huge responsibility, and in terms of the significance of reporting our activities worldwide, our organization must cooperate and join hands to make this a great success.
Due to such policy, Shinkyokushinkai will not hold the annual All Japan Weight Division Championship, the 31st of its kind (scheduled to be held in 2014), and will provide full cooperation to the JFKO tournament. This was decided at our Regular General Assembly held this August, and this decision was made as a result of various debates and discussions.
In terms of the history of this tournament, it was created and introduced with the idea to harmonize Budo Karate and Sports Karate, for the future inclusion of Karate in the Olympic Games. At the 1st tournament (at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium) held on April 22, 1984, where 96 competitors divided in 3 categories of light, middle, and heavyweight fought very passionately, the event attracted over 3,000 spectators and was held in great success, with the harmonization of Budo and sport, the art of Budo to always have respect still intact, and the true charm of Budo, “small can beat big”. Thereafter, 30 years have passed. At Shinkyokushinkai, in order to build a dream stage for children practicing Karate, and to further establish Fullcontact Karate, which has now grown to become a worldwide art/sport in society, we support the inclusion of Karate in the Olympic Games, and actively promote such activities. As a result of sincerely facing and accepting the responsibilities our organization will need to carry out, such as the principles of the tournament at its establishment, JFKO, and for all who practice Fullcontact Karate, we have reached a decision for future growth and development, the cessation of the All Japan Weight Division Championship from next year, and to put full concentration on the JFKO tournament.
Due to this decision, Shinkyokushinkai will do its best and cooperate with the organizations affiliated to JFKO to make the tournament a great success, and at the same time, we will strive to make the “small can beat big” open weight All Japan Championship and World Championship a tournament of even greater honor and quality. Also, in order for Shinkyokushinkai to win all men and women categories at the memorial 1st tournament, we will make further efforts to strengthen our competitors.
The All Japan Weight Division Championship in Osaka was supported and loved by all related parties, especially the Kansai Region, and built its own unique history in the past 30 years. In this period, many star players were born, and numerous stories full of drama touched the hearts of many. I sincerely hope that such cooperation and support can be given to the first step of our new activities from next year, the All Japan Fullcontact Karate Championship.
Kenji Midori
Shinkyokushinkai President