| Japan Karate Association | |
| Abbreviation: | JKA |
| Size: | 105px |
| Type: | Sports federation |
| Formation: | May 27, 1949 |
| Headquarters: | 2-23-15 Koraku, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo JAPAN 112-0004 |
| Membership: | Japan Karate Federation, World Karate Federation[1] |
| Leader Title: | Shuseki Shihan (Chief Instructor) |
| Leader Name: | Masaaki Ueki, 10th Dan (Deceased July 14 2024) |
| Language: | Japanese, English |
| Website: | www.jka.or.jp |
The Japan Karate Association (日本 空手 協会; Nihon Karate Kyokai; JKA; sometimes referred to simply as Kyokai 協会 in Japan) is one of the oldest global Shotokan karate organizations in the world.[2]
Gichin Funakoshi played a major role in introducing karate from Okinawa to Japan, adjusted to reduce injury and merged with approaches for athletic training. On May 27, 1949, some of his senior students including Isao Obata, Masatoshi Nakayama, and Hidetaka Nishiyama, formed a karate organization dedicated to research, promotion, events management, and education: the Japan Karate Association.[3] Funakoshi, then around 80 years old, held a position equivalent to chief instructor emeritus, with Nakayama as the chief instructor.
The JKA emerged from karate clubs at Japanese universities located in the Tokyo region. Most of these universities, however, distanced themselves from the JKA during the 1950s. Takushoku University always kept strong ties with the JKA, being the alma mater of many of the senior JKA instructors, such as Nakayama, Nishiyama, Okazaki, Asai, Kanazawa, and Enoeda, who were responsible for the JKA's consolidation during the 1960s and 1970s.[3] [4]
General uneasiness on how karate was taught by the JKA instructors and disagreements on Funakoshi's funeral arrangements in 1957 motivated some of the senior karateka connected with Funakoshi, but not associated with the JKA, such as Shigeru Egami, Genshin Hironishi, and Tsutomu Ohshima, to form their own organizations, such as Shotokai and Shotokan Karate of America).[5] They claimed to practice a version of Shotokan karate closer to what Funakoshi taught, as compared to the JKA style. The JKA Shotokan approach is also based on Funakoshi's karate, but with significant adaptations introduced mostly by Nakayama, who was JKA chief instructor until his death in 1987.[3] [6] [7] Under Nakayama's leadership, a generation of respected instructors spread karate worldwide, guided from the JKA headquarters in Tokyo.[3]
Nakayama's books, which include Dynamic Karate and the Best Karate series,[8] [9] are fundamental reference materials on Shotokan karate as practiced under the JKA. Clive Nicol, in his classic book Moving Zen, describes the karate practice at the JKA's honbu dojo (headquarters training hall) in Tokyo during the early 1960s, from his unique perspective as a western karate student going from white to black belt in a few years.[10]
The JKA experienced several divisions from the 1970s onwards. Notable splinter groups formed as follows:
Due to these divisions, there is today the notion of a separate JKA karate style—that is, Shotokan karate that follows the JKA tradition to a large extent, but is taught by instructors who are not officially affiliated with JKA (though most of them are former JKA instructors and graduates).
In 1956, the JKA started its kenshusei instructor intern training program at the JKA honbu dojo, in Yotsuya, Tokyo, which had been built in 1955. This program was instituted by Nakayama Masatoshi. The training program has promoted the consistency and quality control of JKA training practices over the years, graduating some of the world's most well known karateka (practitioners of karate), as listed below.[16]
The following table lists JKA kenshusei training program graduates in order of year of graduation. The reported rank of graduates no longer with the JKA is that from their current organization. Such rank is not necessarily recognized by the JKA.
| Name | Year of Graduation | Rank | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mikami Takayuki | 1957 | 9th dan | USA JKA/AF Southern |
| Takaura Eiji | 1957 | ||
| Kanazawa Hirokazu | 1957 | 10th dan | Founder SKIF, deceased Dec 9, 2019 |
| Tsushima Toshio | 1958 | ||
| 1958 | 9th dan | USA ISKF Mountain States | |
| Ouchi Kyo | 1959 | ||
| Sato Masaki | 1959 | ||
| 1959 | ||
| Inaba Mitsue | 1960 | ||
| Kano Masahiko | 1960 | ||
| Watanabe Gunji | 1960 | ||
| 1960 | ||
| Kisaka Katsuharu | 1961 | 8th dan | USA - JKA New Jersey since 1967 (current) |
| Nakaya Ken | 1961 | ||
| Ogawa Eiko | 1961 | ||
| Ueki Masaaki | 1961 | 9th dan (2011) | HQ Shihan Chief Instructor Worldwide (Deceased July 14 2024) |
| 1961 | 9th dan | Deceased March 29, 2003 | |
| 1961 | 8th dan | Deceased May 31, 1993 |
| 1961 | ||
| 1961 | ||
| 1962 | ||
| Sakai Ryusuke | 1962 | 8th dan | |
| Masaaki Ueki | Unknown | 10th Dan grade | HQ Full-Time Instructor (Deceased july 14 2024) |
| Jitsuhara Shoji | 1963 | ||
| Ochi Hideo | 1963 | 9th dan | DJKB ("JKA Germany") |
| Takahashi Yasuoki | 1963 | ||
| Itaya Michihisa | 1963 | 6th dan | South America JKA - "Deceased 1972" |
| 1965 | 9th dan | Japan JSKA | |
| Oishi Takeshi | 1965 | ||
| 1965 | ||
| Takashina Shigeru | 1966 | 8th dan | USA JKA/WFA Deceased September 3, 2013 |
| Kawazoe Masao | 1967 | 8th Dan (Also Chief Instructor ITKF) | |
| Higashi Kunio | 1967 | ||
| Iida Norihiko | 1967 | ||
| Okamoto Hideki | 1967 | 8th dan | Egypt - "Deceased 2009". |
| Takahashi Shunsuke | 1967 | 8th dan | Chief Instructor TSKF Australia |
| Yano Kenji | 1967 | ||
| Okuda Taketo | 1967 | 10th dan | Butoku-kan (Brazil) |
| Baba Isamu | 1970 | ||
| Horie Teruo | 1971 | ||
| Nishino Shuhei | 1971 | ||
| 1971 | ||
| Kanegae Kenji | 1972 | ||
| Osaka Yoshiharu | 1972 | 8th dan | HQ Full-Time Instructor |
| Sato Teruo | 1974 | ||
| Mori Toshihiro | 1975 | ||
| Imura Takenori | 1977 | 7th dan | HQ Full-Time Instructor |
| Kurasako Kenro | 1977 | 7th dan | HQ Full-Time Instructor |
| 1978 | 7th dan | HQ Full-Time Instructor | |
| Komaki Masaki | 1978 | ||
| Omura Fujikiyo | 1978 | 7th dan | JKA Thailand |
| Fukami Akira | 1979 | ||
| Kaneko Taneaki | 1979 | ||
| Sakata Masashi | 1979 | ||
| Abe Miwako | 1980 | ||
| Tsuchii Takayuki | 1980 | ||
| Yamamoto Hideo | 1980 | ||
| Ohta Yoshinobu | Attendee | 7th Dan | Head JKA England |
| Ogura Yasunori | 1982 | 7th dan | HQ Full-Time Instructor |
| Imamura Tomio | 1983 | 7th dan | HQ Full-Time Instructor |
| Kashiwagi Nobuyuki | 1984 | ||
| Koike Tsuyoshi | 1984 | ||
| Yokomichi Masaaki | 1984 | ||
| Izumiya Seizo | 1986 | 6th dan | HQ Full-Time Instructor |
| Shiina Katsutoshi | 1986 | 6th dan | HQ Full-Time Instructor |
| Hanzaki Yasuo | 1987 | 6th dan | HQ Full-Time Instructor |
| Nakamura Yoko | 1987 | ||
| 1989 | 7th dan (2012) | HQ Full-Time Instructor | |
| Noda Kenichi | 1990 | ||
| 1990 | 7th dan | HQ Full-Time Instructor | |
| 1991 | ||
| Takahashi Satoshi | 1992 | 5th dan | HQ Full-Time Instructor |
| Kobayashi Kunio | 1993 | 5th dan | HQ Full-Time Instructor |
| Ogata Koji | 1994 | 5th dan | HQ Full-Time Instructor |
| Walter Crockford | 1996 | 5th dan | JKA Canada |
| Ikenaga Atsushi | 1996 | ||
| Hirayama Yuko | 1998 | 6th dan (as of 2012) | HQ Secretariat |
| Okuma Koichiro | 1998 | 6th dan | HQ Full-Time Instructor |
| Iwasawa Mayumi | 1998 | 3rd dan | HQ Secretariat |
| Enda O'Toole | 1998 | 3rd dan | |
| Aragaki Misako | 2003 | 3rd dan | HQ Secretariat |
| Ubukata Koji | 2003 | ||
| Yamada Satomi | 2004 | ||
| Nemoto Keisuke | 2004 | ||
| Okuie Satomi | 2004 | ||
| Kurihara Kazuaki | 2004 | ||
| Shimizu Ryosuke | 2004 | ||
| Kumeta Riki | 2008 |
This list is incomplete. For instance, it does not include some members who were expelled or resigned from the JKA see below:
The list at the JKA's website, which includes most members who left or were expelled, may also be incomplete. The JKA has not included some former members who have completed the course and are not currently affiliated with JKA. In addition, during the troubled period between 1990 and 1999 each JKA faction held its own instructors' course. Currently, the JKA does not recognize graduates from the instructors' courses led by the JKS (Japan Karate Shoto Federation, which also held the name JKA between 1990 and 1999).
Karateka such as Dave Hazard (UK),[17] Ennio Vezzuli (Brazil), Nigel Jackson (South Africa), Peté Pacheco (Portugal), Malcolm Fisher (Canada), Leon Montoya (Colombia), Richard Amos (UK, US), Pascal Lesage (France) and others, are mentioned in karate forums as having completed the JKA instructors' course (or having had substantial participation in it) but do not appear on the list of graduates as published in 2008 on the JKA's website.[18]
In addition, the list does not include graduate instructors from the instructor programmes of splinter groups such as JKS and KWF, examples being Otsuka Masamichi (KWF - Japan),Langley Scott (JKS, now HDKI Ireland),Koike Yutaka (JKS - Japan), Inada Yasuhisa (JKS - Japan), Kyle Kamal Helou (JKS - Lebanon), Matsue Takeo (JKS- Japan),Makita Takuya (JKS - Japan),Nagaki Shinji (JKS - Japan).
Although Gichin Funakoshi wrote that there are no contests in Karate, Nakayama Masatoshi's teachings led to a more competitive approach to the training and in 1957 the first All Japan Karate Championship was held, and has been held annually since.
In addition, the JKA has organised a number of international tournaments amongst which the following have been considered to be the JKA's World Championships:
| Year | Tournament name | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 1st IAKF World Championships |  | |
| 1977 | 2nd IAKF World Championships |  | |
| 1980 | 3rd IAKF World Championships | ||
| 1983 | 4th IAKF World Championships |  | |
| 1985 | 1st ShotoCup | | |
| 1987 | 2nd ShotoCup |  | |
| 1990 | 3rd ShotoCup | ||
| 1992 | 4th ShotoCup | | |
| 1994 | 5th ShotoCup | | |
| 1996 | 6th ShotoCup | | |
| 1998 | 7th ShotoCup |  | |
| 2000 | 8th ShotoCup | | |
| 2004 | 9th ShotoCup | | |
| 2006 | 10th Funakoshi Gichin Cup World Karate-do Championship | | |
| 2009 | 11th Funakoshi Gichin Cup World Karate-do Championship CANCELLED[19] | | |
| 2011 | 12th Funakoshi Gichin Cup World Karate-do Championship |  | |
| 2014 | 13th Cup World Karate-do Championship | | |
| 2017 | 14th Funakoshi Gichin Cup Karate World Championship | Ireland |
| Year | Champion | Runner-Up | 3rd Place | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Takashi Oishi |  Billy Higgins | ||
| 1977 |  De Michelis | Willrodt | ||
| 1980 | Dusan Dacic | Hoffman | ||
| 1983 | Guazzaroni | Hosny Gabr | ||
| 1985 | Masaaki Yokomichi | Takayuki Tsuchii/Masao Kagawa | ||
| 1987 | George Best/Marco Barone | |||
| 1990 | Masao Kagawa | Ronnie Christopher |  Fillipo Allata /  Jensen | |
| 1992 | ||||
| 1994 | Pavlo Protopapa | Jeannot Mulolo | Colin Smith / Katsutoshi Shiina | |
| 1996 |  Don Sharp | Toshihito Kokubun | ||
| 1998 | Toshihito Kokubun | Pierre Toudjip / Jeannot Mulolo | ||
| 2000[20] | Toshihito Kokubun | Johan LaGrange | ||
| 2004[21] | Miroslav Femic | Ohkuma Kouichiro / Johan LaGrange | ||
| 2006[22] |  Chinzo Machida | Nemoto Keisuke / Ohkuma Kouichiro | ||
| 2011[23] | Nemoto Keisuke /  Andrey Mazurov | |||
| 2014[24] | Nemoto Keisuke / Supa Ngamphuengphit | |||
| 2017 |  Rodrigo Rojas | Okada Yasunori | Ueda Daisuke/Haga Yusuke |
| Year | Champion | Runner-Up | 3rd Place | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Fugazza | Strauff | ||
| 1977 | Mikio Yahara | Fugazza | ||
| 1980 | Mikio Yahara | Karamitsos | ||
| 1983 | Yoshiharu Osaka | Mikio Yahara | Saedd El Herem | |
| 1985 | Masao Kagawa | Akira Fukami | ||
| 1987 | Masao Kagawa | Okazaki Hiroyoshi | ||
| 1990 | Tomoyuki Aihara | Masao Kagawa | ||
| 1992 | Tomoyuki Aihara | Imura Takenori | Yuji Hashiguchi | |
| 1994 | Imura Takenori | Okazaki Hiroyoshi | Tomoyuki Aihara | |
| 1996 | Imura Takenori | Yuji Hashiguchi | Tomoyuki Aihara | |
| 1998 | Yuji Hashiguchi | |||
| 2000 | ||||
| 2004 | Kobayashi Kunio | |||
| 2006 | Kurihara Kazuaki | Kobayashi Kunio | Saitoh Yuki | |
| 2011 | Kurihara Kazuaki | Naoto Maruoka | Hideki Hukuhara | |
| 2014 | Kurihara Hidemoto | Daisuke Ueda | Kurihara Kazuaki | |
| 2017 | Kurihara Kazuaki | Kurihara Hidemoto | Hakizume Yushi |
| Year | Champion | Runner-Up | 3rd Place | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | NA | NA | NA | |
| 1977 | NA | NA | NA | |
| 1980 | NA | NA | NA | |
| 1983 | NA | NA | NA | |
| 1985 | NA | NA | NA | |
| 1987 | NA | NA | NA | |
| 1990 | Yuko Hasama | L. Zelissen | Karen Findley / Keiko Kawano | |
| 1992 | Yukiko Yoneda | Yoshimi Naoko | Sakurako Sasaki / Keiko Kawano | |
| 1994 | Hiromi Hasama | Mayumi Baba | Kimiyo Nakamura / Daud Nilawati | |
| 1996 | Hiromi Hasama | Mayumi Baba | Shoko Sakuragi / Yuko Okuda | |
| 1998 | Mayumi Baba | Caroline Quansum | Colette Glynn / Hiromi Hasama | |
| 2000 | Hiromi Hasama | Yuko Okuda | Christy Cauvin / Mayumi Baba | |
| 2004 | Okuie Satomi | Takahashi Yuko | Tatjana Nikolic /  Krisztina Zsigmond | |
| 2006 | Yuko Takahashi | Okuda Yuko | Tracy Pearce / Storm Wheatley | |
| 2011 | Asumi Isiduka | Glusa Akdag | Sergeeva Alla /  Josmaira Quiroz | |
| 2014 | Taguchi Satoshitama | Yuki Ito /  Cifkova Petra | ||
| 2017 | Shiina Mai | Amano Minori |  Castaneda Jeanette / Akiyama Kyoko |
| Year | Champion | Runner-Up | 3rd Place | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | NA | NA | NA | |
| 1977 | Hiromi Kawashima | Keiki Hayakawa | R Senior | |
| 1980 | Hiromi Kawashima | Hiroko Moriya | Schweiber | |
| 1983 | Hiroko Moriya | Yuko Sakada | Yoko Nakamura | |
| 1985 | Yoko Nakamura | Kikue Yamamoto | Yurika Yoshida | |
| 1987 | Yuki Mimura | Yoko Nakamura | Hiroe Sekimori | |
| 1990 | Yuki Mimura | Lena Svensson-Pyrée | Maiko Asano | |
| 1992 | Yoko Nakamura | Miyo Gunji | Miwa Akiyama | |
| 1994 | Yoko Nakamura | Ompi Omita | Haruna Ikutake | |
| 1996 | Yoko Nakamura | Miyo Gunji | Nakata Terumi | |
| 1998 | Miyoko Fujiwara | Miyo Gunji | Karin Prinsloo | |
| 2000 | Nakata Terumi | Miyo Gunji | Chiharu Azuma | |
| 2004 | Nakata Terumi | Misako Aragaki | Oshima Nozomi | |
| 2006 | Misako Aragaki | Nozomi Oshima | Shirota Takaki | |
| 2011 | Nozomi Oshima | Miki Nakamachi | Serino Fukasaku | |
| 2014 | Miki Nakamachi | Takagi Ayano | Hikawa Nao | |
| 2017 | Ayano Nakamura | Yuna Sato | Rio Hayakawa |
