JKA Growth and Development

Growth & Development (1957-1989)

Karate’s popularity continued to grow. In October 1957, the 1st JKA All Japan Karate Championship was held in Tokyo. At this first tournament, the first karate match rules tournament in history, the number of divisions was limited to four: men’s individual (general) kumite and kata, and men’s group (Prefectural) kumite and kata.

Once this annual tournament system was established, it wasn’t long before there were JKA karate branches in towns, schools and as many as 40 prominent universities in Japan. In 1958, Master Nakayama was appointed Chief Instructor. In 1961, His Majesty the Crown Prince of Japan (now His Majesty the Emperor of Japan) attended the 5th JKA All Japan Karate Championship. JKA karate was getting noticed.

Over the years, the tournament divisions expanded to include: a university division (1969), a women’s kata division (1974), a youth division within the general division (1975), an entirely separate youth division for ele-
mentary, junior high and high school students, and a women’s kumite division (1985). In addition, the number of participants grew enormously.

During this period, the JKA further developed its karate instruction sys-
tem, and while greatly expanding its branch dojo throughout Japan, began sending (as early as 1958) some of its most highly-accomplished professional instructors overseas to America, Europe and the Middle East to teach and establish dojo. Karate was becoming a big hit outside Japan too.

In 1975, with karate’s prospective entry into the Olympics in mind, the first JKA-sponsored international tournament, the IAKF (International Amateur Karate Federation) World Cup was held in the U.S.; over the following several years it was held three additional times. However, in order to pre-
serve the true technique and spirit of ippon-shobu (downing the opponent with one blow), the JKA ultimately established a new tournament, the Shoto World Cup Karate Championship Tournament. In 1985, the first in-
ternational Shoto World Cup was held in Japan, a testimony to how much karate had become an international art.

This period witnessed spectacular development in the art of karate.
As a result of continuous training among instructors, the karate techniques were developed into a complete system. For the first time there emerged a clear, scientific, and practical “best” form for each kumite stance, posture and movement. There also emerged a clear delineation between the “correct” and “incorrect” way to execute each stance, punch, kick or technique.

Once these techniques developed, many instructors went overseas to spread the art of karate around the world. The JKA was the first karate organization to set up dojo outside Japan. This is the reason the JKA is so prominent and powerful overseas.

Furthermore, the JKA became the only karate organization to send
its qualified full-time instructors to teach karate at universities. In con-
trast, some other universities simply have one of their old students hold karate classes.

In 1986, Nakahara Nobuyuki, a distinguished business leader and former Tokyo University Karate Club member, was appointed the eighth Chairman of the JKA.

Sadly, as JKA karate was reaching a pinnacle, Master Nakayama passed away, in 1987. He was 74 years old.
Sep 10, 1957 Yamazaki Iwao becomes second JKA Chairman
Oct 20, 1957 The 1st JKA All Japan Karate Championship held at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium. Becomes annual event thereafter
Apr 10, 1958 Master Nakayama Masatoshi becomes Chief Instructor
Jun 2, 1959 Masutani Shuji becomes third JKA Chairman
Jun 11, 1961 Crown Prince attends 5th JKA All Japan Karate Championship
May 1, 1964 Japan Karate Federation established
1964 8th JKA All Japan Karate Championship cancelled for Tokyo Olympics
Jun 20, 1965 From 8th JKA All Japan Championship, all championships held at Nippon Budokan
Dec 4, 1965 JKA headquarters dojo moves to Koraku
Jun 10, 1966 Tanaka Kakuei becomes fourth JKA Chairman
Jun 10, 1968 Masutani Shuji returns as fifth JKA Chairman
Jun 19, 1972 Kosaka Zentaro becomes sixth JKA Chairman
Oct 30, 1973 JKA headquarters dojo moves to Ebisu
Aug 20, 1975 IAKF World Cup held in U.S. Held every other year for four times
Nov 21, 1975 JKA resigns from Japan Karate Federation
1981 JKA returns to Japan Karate Federation as supporter of each karate style
Oct 10, 1984 Iizuka Takeshi becomes seventh JKA Chairman
Sep 29, 1985 Shoto World Cup Karate Championship Tournament held at Budokan. Held every other year since
Jun 1, 1986 Nakahara Nobuyuki becomes eighth JKA Chairman
Apr 15, 1987 Master Nakayama Masatoshi passes away (age 74)