Dear WKO Branch Chiefs and Contacts,
Thank you for your continued efforts to promote the Budo Karate around the world.
Japan is in the midst of a humid heat wave, and Karatekas across the country are drenched in sweat and practicing hard day after day. It has been two months since my last message, and I hope you are spending your days in good health and with great fulfillment as always.
In Japan, after the All Japan Full Contact Karate Championship in May, the Karate Dream Festival 2024 International Championships and the 1st Karate Champion of Champions were simultaneously held on July 20th and 21st. The Karate Dream Festival was the first international competition in six years. The largest in history, 3,775 athletes from 23 countries and regions, including 338 foreign athletes competed in the international championships in the Kata and Kumite categories. This world’s largest Fullcontact karate mega-event had more than a total of 30,000 people attending, including competitors, families, Senseis, Sempais, and other related members. We shared our emotions at the venue, seeing the fierce battles, the paths of the competitors, and the efforts and support of their families and comrades.
I would like to express my deepest respect for the Karatekas of all ages, each with their own stories, and their culmination of every moment of every training.
Now, the 1st Karate Champion of Champions (KCC) was held in conjunction with this Dream Festival. This is a premier tournament that produces star athletes from the Fullcontact Karate World, with each of the 8 strongest males and females carefully selected from 106 countries and regions, competing for total prize money of 30 million yen.
The tatami for Karatekas, with the belief in simplicity and fortitude, has been filled with colorful lights and sounds that resonate with the heart and body. The intersecting images, the profound stage set, and the special effects, all together, captured the charm of karate from various angles, stimulated the sensibilities, and stirred up a lot of excitement.
In addition, athletes and officials who had finished their matches, including
Starting with the winners of the 182 categories of the above-mentioned Karate Dream Festival, came to the venue after their tournaments, and the venue quickly became overcrowded until there were standing audiences.
This KCC surely has become the bridge to new dreams for the junior and youth champions of the Dream Festival. Well done to all the competitors who fought with all their might in this extraordinary space, a true Champion of Champions. I would like to send my heartfelt congratulations to Mr. Yuki Okada and Ms. Mihiro Suzuki, who won the tournament. I also would like to mention Mr. Eventas Guzauskas and Ms. Brigita Gustaityte from Lithuania, who both came in second place. I felt that all the spectators gave their unstinted cheer for their strong will to not give up until the very end.
The KCC Special Referee Team for this premier tournament was assembled with premier members, mainly the past World Champions. The young referees, who were called up on an emergency basis during the preparation of this event, refereed more than 100 matches at the Karate Dream Festival to adjust the standards and prepare for the KCC tournament. I felt the pride of the champion from their attitude to make such serious preparations and respond to the efforts of the competitors. Great fight and great judges. Everything was of premium quality. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the competitors, coaches, and everyone else who supported this tournament.
The scale of the Dream Festival, the feeling of the summit at KCC, and the genuine sense of solidity seen at the past World Championships. In Shinkyokushinkai, we would like to draw out the full potential of Fullcontact Karate from all angles and take them to the next level. However, it is essential to innovatively nurture athletes who stand on those stages. We shall work together to produce the best competitors on a global scale.
The Fullcontact Karate movement, which is spreading worldwide, will enter an unpredictable stage with the 1st World Fullcontact Karate Championships scheduled for next May in Tokyo. The selection tournaments in each region will be actively held around the world. Following Japan and Europe, the South Pacific tournament is also coming soon. I believe that Shihan David Jacobs, who has been newly appointed as the South Pacific regional representative, will demonstrate his leadership, and I ask for the cooperation of everyone in the region. Additionally, in November, selection tournaments will be held in Asia, Central and South America, and the second European selection tournament will be held in Belgium.
I hope that all the Shinkyokushin competitors participating in these preliminaries will carry the prestige of Shinkyokushinkai on their shoulders and earn a ticket to the World Championship. To each country and regional federation, please prepare for the fateful day, in the spirit that Shinkyokushinkai, the leaders of this grand movement, will reach the pinnacle of this championship and dominate all the categories, to mark the beginning of a new era.
Lastly, I received a sad news on May 30th. Shihan Arpad Kalmar, the Branch Chief of Hungary had suddenly passed away. Moreover, I heard that he collapsed during the European Championship that he attended. Speaking of Shihan Arpad, he was known not only for his accomplishments as a Karateka, but also for his remarkable success as a journalist. I believe there are many people who were photographed by him, not only in Europe but also in Japan. I was speechless at the sudden news of his death and could not believe it. I can only imagine the heartache of Shihan Arpad’s family and the Hungarian Branch. I would like to express my sincere condolences and pray for his soul. Shihan Arpad, please rest in peace.
Let’s continue to work together as branch chiefs and all concerned parties around the world to spread the presence of Fullcontact Karate in the international sports world.
OSU
Kenji Midori
WKO President