Dear Branch Chiefs and Contacts,
Thank you for your continued support towards the development of the WKO.
It has been almost six months since the 13th World Karate Championship which left us the great excitement.
In Japan, the cold winter winds have given way to the soft sunshine of spring. The beautiful cherry blossoms will soon be in full bloom. I hope all the Branch Chiefs and Contacts around the world are doing well at this moment.
Serious international conflicts are prolonged, but our thoughts are always with the people in the affected areas. While thinking about the Ukrainian members who have been training even under difficult situations, I pray for the earliest recovery of the peace. We shall keep sharing the burden and the hardship with our comrades, as this international conflict concerns all of us living in this world.
In WKO, the new 4-year cycle activity term started after we successfully achieved the 13th World Karate Championship last autumn. I wish all the competitors, who embody the world’s strongest Karate, would continue to give their utmost efforts to be the winner of the next 14th World Karate Championship in 2027. The one person who is entitled to be the world champion is the one who trains the most in the world. What the contestants who failed a step short in the last championship need to do is train themselves as much as they can. You need to train in high quality, in large amounts. You must not give up the challenges in each moment of each day. Don’t let yourself give up. It is important to build up the number of victories in overcoming yourself. This can be said not only to competitors but also to the instructors and coaches. Those who teach should have as much strong passion as their students, and make utmost efforts to train them to the best. By striving together with the Competitors from around the world, we shall reach to be the strongest.
Now, the long-awaited World Fullcontact Karate Championship is finally settled to be held on 31st May and 1st June 2025 at ARIAKE Arena in the center of Tokyo. This Championship was originally planned to take place in 2020, simultaneously with the Tokyo Olympic Games, but had been postponed due to the Corona pandemic. Hearing the news of the holding of this event, the preparations for the selection tournaments have started in each region.
Recently, I participated in an online meeting with the WFKO European board members and Councilors of EFKO to discuss the framework of the selective tournament and its preparations. The Councilors include renowned Shihans, such as Shihan David Pickthall (IFK), Shihan Antonio Pinero (KWF), Shihan Sem Schilt, Shihan Paul Lorist, and Shihan Jonathan Tineo. Having those major international federations’ participation in the WFKO project, we are gradually heading the way toward the gentle unification of Fullcontact Karate worldwide.
I look forward to hearing updates on the progress of selective tournaments in each region. In Japan, we will select the Japan National Team Members through the 9th All Japan Fullcontact Karate Championship on the 25th and 26th of May. Let’s make this global festival of Fullcontact Karate a great success together.
Lastly, in Japan, the Karate Dream Festival 2024 International Championships and Karate Champion of Champions are scheduled in July, and the preparations for the events are getting very hectic at the Headquarters. We also plan to accept the overseas competitors at the 56th All Japan Championship, which will be held in October.
Although we have just finished the World Championship, we will have a year filled with the occasions of international exchanges. I am already looking forward to seeing many of you.
OSU
Kenji Midori
WKO President