For Immediate Release:

IKO Kyokushinkaikan and Japan Karate Federation ally to bring Karate to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games

On April 16, 2015, the IKO Kyokushinkaikan held a joint news conference with the Japan Karate Federation (JKF) at the Japan Karate Federation Center, Kouto-Ku, Tokyo, Japan. The purpose of the conference was to announce the commencement of a joint effort, as collaborator organizations, to further develop Karate, with the combined goal to enter Karate as an official competition at the 2020 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in Tokyo.

In attendance from JKF were President Kaicho Takashi Sasagawa and Vice-President Shigeo Kurihara, from WKF (World Karate Federation) General Secretary Toshihisa Nagura, and from IKO Kyokushinkaikan, President Kancho Shokei Matsui, Executive Director Masatoshi Yamada, and International Director Katsuhito Gorai.

JKF President Kaicho Sasagawa made the initial statement: "Kancho Matsui and I agree, to further develop Karate with the combined goal to enter Karate as an official competition in the Olympic Games. While we mutually recognize and respect our independent organizations, we will endeavor to pursue the mutual goal, that is to officially enter Karate in the Olympic Games, under WKF competition rules. In order to achieve this goal, we will collaborate and support each other. This is the focus of our news conference today."

Kancho Matsui made the ensuing statement: "I am pleased to announce that the IKO and JKF became collaborator organizations, with support from JKF President Kaicho Sasagawa and executive members from both our organizations. We are determined to further develop Karate in society, with the combined goal to enter Karate as an official competition at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo."

In witness of national news organizations and executives from IKO, JKF and WKF organizations, Kaicho Sasagawa and Kancho Matsui signed the agreement and began the formal process as collaborator organizations.

The IKO Kyokushinkaikan remains an independent organization, and will maintain its core philosophy of Full-Contact Karate. Full-Contact Kyokushin Karate practice and competition will remain IKO Kyokushinkaikan's primary objective, and Championships, such as the World Open Karate Tournament and All Japan Open Karate Tournament will stand as our pinnacle events. Kaicho Sasagawa further announced that our IKO All Japan Open Tournament would be officially sanctioned by the JKF. Kancho Matsui announced that IKO members interested in participating in the Olympic Games and in competing in JKF championships would be supported by IKO through IKO-organized training seminars led by invited JKF instructors, and IKO would make effort to create opportunities to exchange Karate techniques between the two organizations, in order to support IKO potential candidates who challenge in this field.

4/16/2015