News from Okinawa May 18, 2022 Dear WMKA members around the World, The Covid-19 pandemic is still hurting many people around the world. I hope you are not affected by it too much and doing OK in your daily life where you live. I will post “Okinawa Karate World Tournament 2022” as news from Okinawa. Okinawa is holding the Karate Events from August 1st to 9th. The two main contents of the event are “Karate Tournament (Kata/form)” and “Karate Seminar”. The contents of the Karate event may be changed, or it may be cancelled or postponed based on the COVID-19 situation. The Okinawa Governor is the president of the Karate Events Executive Committee. President Yoshitaka Taira is one of six-Vice presidents from all Okinawa karate and Kobudo organizations. WMKA Okinawa Headquarters will send 12 personnel including president Taira and vice president Arakaki to the Expert Committees as Seminar instructors, Judges or staff. Accountant Ms. Mayumi Horikawa Renshi 6th Dan won the Okinawan Preliminary Rounds and will attend the Main Tournament as one of three participants from the Okinawa Adult Female Senior in August.  The Karate Tournament (Kata/form) consists of Preliminary Rounds and Main Tournament. You can choose any Category you like based on your Karate-kei (Ryuha) and your age.  Karate-kei (Ryuha) is classified into five groups:  ① Shuri-te kei /Tomari-te kei ② Naha-te kei ③ Uechi-ryu kei ④ Kobudo (Bo) ⑤ Kobudo（Sai）. Age is classified into four groups for male and female:  ➀Juniors Male (15 to 17) ② Adults Male Ⅰ (18 to 39) ③ Adults […]

News from Okinawa　　January 1, 2022 Dear WMKA members around the world, A Happy New Year 2022 ! Ａratama nu Tushi Muke-ti Gusu-yo-  Waka Waka tu Tushi Tuimiso-chi Sai !  I would like to express my heartfelt congratulations to all of you for the glorious and hopeful New Year.  It was a “Dream come true ! ” for all WMKA members around the world that we could erect the Memorial Monument for Founder Shoshin Nagamine last year. The monument is located in Tomari district of Naha City where he was born on July 15,1907. On top of that, his Monument stands side by side with the Monument for Matsumora Kosaku who is known as “Restorer of Tumai-di” within Tomari Shinyashiki park in Naha City.    Though “Okinawa, “Birth Place of Karate” is small island, we had an indigenous self-defense and peaceful martial art called “Te” which means “Hand” . It gradually evolved & spread to the whole world, regardless of age, gender, nationality, race, thoughts or religion.  Karate was officially authorized as one of the Olympic sports at Tokyo 2020 and recognized as world Karate. Mr. Kiyuna Ryo, an athlete from Okinawa won the Karate Kata competition and brought back the first Karate Gold Medal to Okinawa.  The Covid-19 virus is still hurting many people around the world since last year.  Many WMKA members  also are affected, not only in your daily life and jobs but also your Karate life. I assume many of you have closed your dojos and don’t know […]

Dear WMKA members,

We are cancelling the “Monument Unveiling” for Founder Shoshin Nagamine in November this year due to the current situation relating to the Corona virus vaccination status and because of immigration control restrictions in Japan that are difficult to predict for the near future.