Abbreviation JKAE Chief Instructor Yoshinobu Ohta | Type Sports federation Official language English | |
Membership | ||
JKA England (JKAE) is the official Japan Karate Association (JKA) organisation for Shotokan karate in England and Wales. Every year JKAE holds Spring and Autumn courses inviting instructors from the JKA honbu dojo to teach.
Contents
History
JKAE was officially formed in 2003 by several clubs from KUGB. Following the death of Enoeda, formerly chief representative of JKA in the UK and head of KUGB, there was a disagreement between the JKA, the KUGB, Andy Sherry (the next highest ranked instructor) and Yoshinobu Ohta (Enoeda's assistant). The result was that JKAE was formed with Ohta as chief instructor and the KUGB withdrew from the JKA with Andy Sherry as their chief instructor. Some KUGB clubs transferred to JKAE to form the new association, they possibly wanted to remain affiliated to the JKA or perhaps had a stronger sense of loyalty to Ohta. The division had a strong geographic correlation: most northern clubs chose KUGB and most southern clubs chose JKAE.
Instructors
Chief instructor is Yoshinobu Ohta, ranked at 7th Dan. He is a graduate of Takushoku University and attended the JKA instructor's classes at the JKA honbu dojo in Tokyo. Ohta was the assistant of Keinosuke Enoeda for 20 years, from 1982.
Technical Committee Members are Gary Stewart, 6th Dan, Roy Tomlin, 6th Dan and Adel Ismail, 6th Dan.
Competition
JKAE holds an annual national competition. From 2004 to 2008 this was held at Guildford Spectrum sports centre. From 2009 this has been held at K2 Sports Centre in Crawley.
The style of kumite competition rules is shobu ippon (one point match).