Abbreviation JKF | Formation January 13, 1969 | |
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Type Sports National Governing Body Legal status A public organization, approved by the Cabinet of Japan Purpose Bringing unified order to Karate and development of karate as a sport in Japan Headquarters 1-1-20 Tatsumi, Koto-ku, Tokyo, Japan 135-8538 | ||
The Japan Karate Federation (JKF), a.k.a. Japan Karatedo Federation, is a national governing body of sport karate in Japan. The JKF is officially affiliated with the Japan Olympic Association (JOC), World Karate Federation (WKF), Japan Sports Association (JSA) and Japanese Budō Association (JBA). The styles recognized by the JKF are Wadō-ryū, Shotokan-ryu, Shito-ryu and Goju-ryu. The headquarters is located in Tokyo, Japan.
Contents
Early Years
In 1959, the original Japan Karate Federation, formally known as the Federation of All Japan Karatedo Organizations (FAJKO), was formed to be an unifying organization to bring karate schools together by the Karate world leaders, who were its chairman Mr. Choko Sai, a head the Shudokan of Kanken Tōyama and vice chairmen Mr. Konishi from Shindō Jinen-ryū, Mr. Hiroshi Kinjo from Kanbukan, Mr. Otsuka Hinorori from Wado-Ryu, Mr. Tatsuo Yamada from Japan Kenpo Karate and Mr. Shinkin Gima from Shotokan-ryu. The Japan Karate Federation Championships lead to the coalition (Daido Danketsu 大同団結) of the karate world. The original Japan Karate Federation adopted Bōgutsuki karate in kumite rule.
New Formation
On October 1, 1964, the original Japan Karate Federation, which changed its own name to Japan Karate Renbukai, handed over its organization name to the new united league, such as Mr. Gōgen Yamaguchi of Goju-ryu from Goju-kai, Mr. Ōtsuka Hironori of Wadō-ryū from Wado-Kai, Mr. Nakayama Masatoshi of Shotokan-ryu from Shotokan, Mr. Mabuni Kenei and Iwata Manzao of Shitō-ryū from Shito-kai, in addition to the Japan Karate Rengokai, which was founded by Mr. Ryōichi Sasakawa. The new JKF was formed by those six founding members in 1964 and unified all the Karate organizations in Japan. Japan Karate Renbukai later changed its name to the JKF Renbukai, and then became an official member of the new JKF as a group, encompassing Bōgu uniformed Karate. Japan instilled "a uniform order in Karate", recognizing the four major schools, such as Goju-kai, Wado-Kai, Shotokan and Shito-kai. In 1967, Ryoichi Sasakawa became the chairman and went on to incorporate the JKF, submitted to the Ministry of Education.
On January 13, 1969, the JKF was officially incorporated as a central umbrella body for the four partner organizations and recognized under the Cabinet of Japan. In December in the same year, the All Japan Karate Championships were held at the Nippon Budōkan in Tokyo. The JKF also works with organizations using the traditional styles of karate. In the current Kotairen, Chutairen is launched under the Gakuren, an umbrella sports association.
On October in 1970, the JKF becomes a member of the World Karate Federation (WKF). On March 29, 1972, JKF becomes a member of the Japan Sports Association (JSA).
In 1978, the JKF first participated in the national sports event of the National Sports Festival in Matsumoto, Nagano. In 1981, Karate becomes an official game event of the National Sports Festival. Traditionally, karate organizations followed disparate competition rules. Japan Karate Association (JKA) attempted to standardize such rules. They addressed conflicts between the factions that follow Kyokushin, (full-contact karate), Kum, (flow of Kyokushin) and non-member organizations such as Seidokaikan.
On December 11, 2009, the JKF started building the new Karate building named "Japan Karate Kaikan" as its headquarters of the JKF in Koto-ku, Tokyo. The JKF became a member of the Nippon Budokan (Japan Martial Arts Council). The JKF has been officially participating at the Asian Games, East Asian Games and the IOC-sponsored World Games as an official competition. The construction of the new Japan Karate Kaikan was completed and opened in November 2011.
As a member of the Japan Olympic Association (JOA), the JKF has been putting efforts to include Karate into the Olympics as an official game along with other affiliated Karate organizations.
In May 2016, it was announced that The Emperor’s Cup and The Empress’s Cup will be given to the champions of Japan Cup Karatedo. The ceremony of notification was held at the Imperial Household Agency and the Emperor’s Cup and the Empress’s Cup were commissioned in the presence of Mr. Michiyasu Takahashi, Deputy Commissioner of the Japan Sports Agency on May 17, 2016.
On August 3, 2016, the IOC approves Karate as one of the five new sports for Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics.
Dan Ranking System
The JKF officially recognizes the Dan, a Black Belt degree ranking system, from 1st Dan to 10th Dan and requires the students to take a physical test up to 8th Dan. Since 2014, the JKF has also installed the additional basic ranking system called Kyū from 5th Kyū to 1st Kyū, and it requires a student to earn 1st Kyū first in order to earn 1st Dan.
Dan Grades
Dan Examination
Dan examination is consist of Kata and Kumite.
Shitei Kata
Cooperation group
Friendly group
Competition group
Ambassadors
On April 2, 2016, the JKF officially appointed Shin Koyamada, a Hollywood actor, producer and martial artist as the Karate Ambassador at the headquarters in Tokyo, Japan.