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The Road to Karate – A Budoka’s Way To Live
By Hiroshi Shoji. Shihan of the Japan Karate Association.

Part 28 Joining The IAKF (2)

The member organisations comprising the IAKF are not only groups affiliated with the JKA and its overseas organisations, but also organisations from various countries whose aim was to promote traditional Karate. We shared the view that politics or any authoritative power should not interfere with sports. The IAKF’s first world championship was organised by the All American Karate Federation. It was successful with participation from 52 countries. Regrettably Karate was internationally divided into two main streams, IAKF and WUKO. Japan was directly affected by the split. The Japan Karate Association had been endeavouring to develop Karate-do in Japan towards the goal to unify Karate, and had been cooperating with other parties concerned. But at this point in time, we faced the situation where we had to choose one of the two streams. From the international viewpoint of Karate-do that had come to the turning point, we needed to take rather drastic action.

The instruction of Karate overseas, which was once carried out by the Japanese instructors at their discretion, had come to the stage where the retail of Karate techniques alone was no longer sufficient. As shown by the high standards of overseas competitors exhibited at the world championship, the result of the teaching in Karate by the Japanese instructors was now coming to fruition. It is no longer possible to maintain control over Karate-do just with the self-indulgence of the Japanese instructors that Karate is a Japanese martial art. In order for the instruction in Karate-do overseas to last longer, Karate instructors must earn respect from overseas members as a person and teach not only the technical aspect of Karate-do but also be able to exhibit what the true Karate is through their humanity. Rearing such people who are excellent as persons will be a key to a success in the future development of Karate-do.

Our pursuit and achievement in the objective of the IAKF and continued efforts to improve the substance of the IAKF will eventually lead to the natural demise of the WUKO. With this in mind, we are working hard. But it does not mean at all that we are exclusive. At present, the Japan Karate Association is the only organisation in Japan, which is a member of the IAKF. Anyone or any organisation from any country, not belonging to the JKA, will be welcome to join the IAKF. Whilst the JKA continues to exist in Japan, we are in the process of establishing the Japanese chapter of the IAKF to which anybody could belong.

Those who have been trained nowadays with so many competitions in place that they can participate do not have a strong sense of belongingness to one particular style. Even at the JKA we sometimes invite instructors from other styles. As long as we keep moving forwards under the unified competition rules in Japan, there will no longer exist among the Karate people a sense of fighting against different styles. The differences in styles are not so important to them and all they have is a sense of sharing the comradeship among them, seeking the same path. Likewise, if the true Karate-do, nurturing the spirit of the true Budo, is taught uncompromisingly overseas, the future task of unifying Karate-do throughout the world will be achieved relatively easily without any major obstacle.

Read our Tribute to Shoji Sensei from November 2003

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