Kancho Shokei
Matsui - President of the IKO Kyokushinkaikan
Shokei (Akiyoshi) Matsui
started Kyokushin Karate at the age of 13. In 1976, he joined the Kita
Nagare-Yama Dojo in the Chiba prefecture of Japan, managing to achieve Shodan
(first degree) Black Belt in a little over a year. In 1980, Matsui placed fourth
in the 12th All Japan Open Karate Championships when he was just 17. Soon after,
he became Chief Instructor of the International Kyokushin Headquarters School,
"Honbu" Dojo in Tokyo, Japan.
Both in 1981 and 1982, Matsui took 3rd
Place in the All Japan Open Karate Championships and then 8th place at the same
event in 1983. He earned worldwide recognition and admiration for his amazing
spirit, strength, and determination when he took a remarkable Third place finish
at the 3rd World Open Karate Tournament in 1984. He succeeded in winning the All
Japan Championships in each of 1985 and 1986, and then successfully completed
the ultimate Kyokushin challenge, the "100 Man Kumite" in record time. In Japan,
he became known as the man of "unparalleled genius", one who comes along but
once in an eon, and then in 1987 became the youngest ever Champion of the
World.
In May of 1992, Matsui opened his own school in Asakusa, Tokyo and
was later appointed Branch Chief by Sosai Mas Oyama. On April 26, 1994, founder
Sosai Mas Oyama regrettably passed away, leaving the Directorship of the
worldwide organization to Matsui, who became "Kancho" (Director). In the wake of
the Sosai's untimely death, and despite the well-documented backlash concerning
his appointment, Kancho Matsui forged ahead that year staging the 11th All Japan
Weight Tournament and the 27th All Japan Championships, the latter with a record
16,000 spectators in attendance. The following year, he produced the hugely
successful, 6th World Open Karate Tournament, to which 168 fighters from all
over the world competed and more than 25,000 spectators witnessed.
Kancho
Shokei Matsui has planned, produced and presented numerous groundbreaking
martial arts events to the world, including inaugurating the "World Cup"-Team
Karate Championships, the "Women's World Karate Championships", the "World
Weight Category Karate Championships", the "International Senior Karate
Championships", the "International Kata Championships" and the "International
Youth Karate Championships", to which nearly 2000 competitors aged 4-17 from
around the world participated. These events are in addition to continuing the
grand legacy Mas Oyama began by presenting the once-every-four-year, World Open
Karate Tournament, and event that has grown to become the largest, most revered
and renowned martial arts competition the world has ever seen.
Currently, the International Karate Organization has over 12 million
members in 125 countries. While simultaneously managing the organization from
its headquarters in Japan, Kancho Matsui travels to Branches around the globe to
teach and spread the spirit of the Kyokushin Way to countries and cultures
everywhere.
International Karate Organization Kyokushinkaikan
Kancho Shokei Matsui
Kancho Shokei Matsui's 2011 New Year Address |
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