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Sensei Aseif Masood receives his 3rd Dan Black Belt

🔥 Another Milestone for KO Fight Studio! 🔥

Bangkok has truly become a stage for greatness! Just one day after Senpai Arafat Rahman secured an impressive 3rd place in the under 60kg category, our very own Sensei Aseif Masood has achieved his 3rd Dan Black Belt (San Dan) in Shinkyokushin Karate! This remarkable accomplishment came after a rigorous grading session, conducted under the esteemed Daihyo Kenji Midori Shihan, President of the World Karate Organization WKO Shinkyokushinkai.

Sensei Aseif’s grading tested his spirit, technique, and resilience to the fullest, with intense kihon, kata, and full-contact kumite rounds, each demanding the highest levels of skill and discipline. His success in earning the 3rd Dan is a testament to his unwavering dedication and the countless hours he’s poured into perfecting his craft.

Two unforgettable achievements back-to-back: Senpai Arafat’s podium finish and Sensei Aseif’s milestone rank — shine a light on the excellence of KO Fight Studio and the power of WKO Bangladesh on the international stage. We couldn’t be prouder! 🇧🇩🔥👊

14,222 Views
WKO
WKO Bangladesh secures 3rd Place at the 19th All Asia Full Contact Karate Championship!

🥉 Incredible Achievement for Bangladesh! 🥉

Our very own Senpai Arafat Rahman has claimed 3rd place in the under-60kg weight category at the 19th All Asia Full Contact Karate Championship! 🌏🏆 His hard work, resilience, and unwavering spirit have not only made KO Fight Studio and WKO Bangladesh proud, but he has also put Bangladesh on the map, standing strong among Asia’s finest! 🇧🇩👊

This victory is a testament to the power of dedication and the strength of Shinkyokushin Karate. Senpai Arafat’s achievement reminds us that with heart and honor, anything is possible. Let’s give him a huge Osu! and celebrate this milestone together!

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WKO
WKO Bangladesh at the 19th All Asia Full Contact Karate Championship!

We are immensely proud to have Senpai Siaam Ibn Ali (2nd Dan) and Senpai Arafat Rahman (1st Dan) representing Bangladesh on this grand stage! Under the leadership of Shihan Abdullah Mohammad Hossain, our team is ready to demonstrate the power, spirit, and dedication of Shinkyokushin Karate in the heart of Asia. 🇧🇩👊

🗓 Date: 10th November 2024
📍 Location: Rangsit University, Bangkok, Thailand

Join us in supporting our warriors as they go head-to-head with the best fighters from across Asia in this intense, full-contact showdown. Let’s rally behind them and show the world the strength of WKO Bangladesh! #Osu! 🙌

14,873 Views
WKO
To the 1st WFKO Championship: Message from WKO President (November 2024)

Thank you for your continued efforts in the development of the WKO.

It is already two months until the end of this year. In Japan, summer is longer due to global warming, and the arrival of bright autumn leaves will be short-lived, with winter likely to arrive soon.
What is it like now in dojos around the world? I believe there are some members who just started karate. Slipping on the sleeves of their new pure white dogi and feeling the stiff texture of the fabric. I hope they enjoy karate and foster rich friendships in their dojos.

Looking back on this summer, at the end of August, Mr. Janos Zsuga, the Country Representative of Hungary, and the chairman Mr. Toshiaki Hasebe invited me to the Hungarian Camp. It was a large-scale event with more than 500 participants, and a gorgeous line-up with two-time World Champion Mr. Yuji Shimamoto, 13WC Kumite Champion Mr. Kembu Iriki, and 13WC Kata Champion Mr. Taishi Watanabe also joined from Japan.
Men and women of all ages, those who just started karate, and those highly skilled in karate, all had a fulfilling time as they fired up their spirits and trained their bodies and minds through basic training, starting with Seiken Zuki.

In Hungary, Shihan Gyorgy Karmazin suddenly passed away during practice in 2017, a world legend Shihan Furko Kalman passed in 2021, and Shihan Arpad Kalmar, who had a wide network of connections as the country’s public relations had gone this spring. The country has reached a major turning point in its history.
I was grateful to visit Hungary on this special occasion to pay my respects to these late Shihans. I visited the grave of Shihan Karman, who supported our activities during the turbulent period after Sosai Oyama passed away, and a WKO Grading Committee member who had always given a strict but warm eye to those who challenged the Grading Examination. In the place where the hot summer sun shines, there was a glossy tombstone with a portrait of young Shihan Kalman wearing a beret, and I quietly prayed clasping my palms together after offering beautiful white flowers. The sound of a bell from far away in the blue sky, and I placed my hand on the tombstone. It reminded me of the day when Shihan Kalman held my hand with a smile. It felt as if I was wrapped in the big, rugged warmth.
On behalf of all Branch Chiefs around the world, I sent our gratitude to Shihan Karmazin and Shihan Arpad , the Shihans who had led Hungary and the world for many years.

Thank you, and may you rest in peace.

During my stay in the country, I received a lot of hospitality from the members of the Hungarian branch. Thanks to the kindness, we had a fulfilling and memorable time. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Mr. Zsuga, Mr. Hasebe , Mr. Jozsef Kaloczi, and all members of the branch.

In Japan, the traditional All Japan Championship was successfully organized on October 5th and 6th at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium. As the first year in the four-year cycle centered on the World Championships, the event was marked by impressive performances from the new generation. In the men’s division, Nariyoshi Tada claimed his first victory, while in the women’s division, Mihiro Suzuki triumphed following her defeat at the World Championships and KCC. Prize-winning teenagers also caught our eyes, including Mr. Ryuji Toda in second place.
Mr. Keijiro Tsukamoto, the eldest son of two-time World Champion Mr. Norichika Tsukamoto, had also made great strides. It was as if Shihan Tsukamoto from 30 years ago in 1994, the year of Sosai Oyama’s passing , when he earned his first rankings in the 11th All Japan Weight Category Championships and also ranked in the 26th All Japan Championships had been recreated.
Seeing the juniors of Shihan Suzuki and Shihan Tsukamoto shine on the big stage 30 years later, just as they led our organization during the turbulent times, I felt the passage of time. I ask all Branch Chiefs for continued dedication to nurturing future athletes, as I look forward to the rise of a new generation worldwide.

The 1st World Fullcontact Karate Championship will be held in Ariake, Tokyo on May 31st and June 1st next year. This Championship will be a step toward making Fullcontact Karate an Olympic sport and recognizing it in the world of international sports. Shinkyokushinkai will lead this movement , and we definitely aim top in the tournament.
This is a battle of the pride of each country, but also for the prestige of Shinkyokushinkai, so let’s prepare for the decisive battle as the WKO. The selection tournaments for this championship have been active in each region, and the competitors representing Japan and the South Pacific region are lined up. The selection tournaments in Southeastern Asia, Central Asia, South America, Europe (second selection), and Central America will all be held in November. The Middle East, Africa, and North America have also reported their selection process.
We anticipate the difficulties in managing Fullcontact Karate competitions requiring the coordination of multiple organizations, but we ask for your perseverance and cooperation in leading the tournament to success. I wish that all participants in the selection tournaments will give the best of their ability and aim for the honor of being the best in the world in Fullcontact karate.
I am looking forward to seeing all of you in Tokyo next year.

Finally, protracted international conflicts such as the war in Ukraine and the increasingly tense situation in the Middle East will impact the World Fullcontact Karate Championship next year. The path to international activities remains closed to Russian Karatekas. Although Mr. Yuri Shabanov, our Country Representative of Russia understands the restriction, we heard the pain of having been blocked out from international activities. We pray for the earliest termination of war and world peace.

Let’s continue to work together to make WKO even better than it is now.

WKO President
Kenji Midori

15,196 Views
WKO
WKO Bangladesh at the 19th All Asia Full Contact Karate Championship!

We are proud to announce that WKO Bangladesh will be represented at this prestigious event, led by Shihan Abdullah Mohammad Hossain! Our team of dedicated fighters will showcase the strength, spirit, and skill of Shinkyokushin Karate on an international stage.

Date: 10th November 2024
Location: Bangkok, Thailand

Let’s come together to support our warriors as they take on the best of Asia in this full-contact showdown! Osu!

19,729 Views
WKO
Message from WKO President (August 2024)

Dear WKO Branch Chiefs and Contacts,

Thank you for your continued efforts to promote the Budo Karate around the world.

Japan is in the midst of a humid heat wave, and Karatekas across the country are drenched in sweat and practicing hard day after day. It has been two months since my last message, and I hope you are spending your days in good health and with great fulfillment as always.

In Japan, after the All Japan Full Contact Karate Championship in May, the Karate Dream Festival 2024 International Championships and the 1st Karate Champion of Champions were simultaneously held on July 20th and 21st. The Karate Dream Festival was the first international competition in six years. The largest in history, 3,775 athletes from 23 countries and regions, including 338 foreign athletes competed in the international championships in the Kata and Kumite categories. This world’s largest Fullcontact karate mega-event had more than a total of 30,000 people attending, including competitors, families, Senseis, Sempais, and other related members. We shared our emotions at the venue, seeing the fierce battles, the paths of the competitors, and the efforts and support of their families and comrades.
I would like to express my deepest respect for the Karatekas of all ages, each with their own stories, and their culmination of every moment of every training.

Now, the 1st Karate Champion of Champions (KCC) was held in conjunction with this Dream Festival. This is a premier tournament that produces star athletes from the Fullcontact Karate World, with each of the 8 strongest males and females carefully selected from 106 countries and regions, competing for total prize money of 30 million yen.

The tatami for Karatekas, with the belief in simplicity and fortitude, has been filled with colorful lights and sounds that resonate with the heart and body. The intersecting images, the profound stage set, and the special effects, all together, captured the charm of karate from various angles, stimulated the sensibilities, and stirred up a lot of excitement.
In addition, athletes and officials who had finished their matches, including
Starting with the winners of the 182 categories of the above-mentioned Karate Dream Festival, came to the venue after their tournaments, and the venue quickly became overcrowded until there were standing audiences.

This KCC surely has become the bridge to new dreams for the junior and youth champions of the Dream Festival. Well done to all the competitors who fought with all their might in this extraordinary space, a true Champion of Champions. I would like to send my heartfelt congratulations to Mr. Yuki Okada and Ms. Mihiro Suzuki, who won the tournament. I also would like to mention Mr. Eventas Guzauskas and Ms. Brigita Gustaityte from Lithuania, who both came in second place. I felt that all the spectators gave their unstinted cheer for their strong will to not give up until the very end.

The KCC Special Referee Team for this premier tournament was assembled with premier members, mainly the past World Champions. The young referees, who were called up on an emergency basis during the preparation of this event, refereed more than 100 matches at the Karate Dream Festival to adjust the standards and prepare for the KCC tournament. I felt the pride of the champion from their attitude to make such serious preparations and respond to the efforts of the competitors. Great fight and great judges. Everything was of premium quality. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the competitors, coaches, and everyone else who supported this tournament.

The scale of the Dream Festival, the feeling of the summit at KCC, and the genuine sense of solidity seen at the past World Championships. In Shinkyokushinkai, we would like to draw out the full potential of Fullcontact Karate from all angles and take them to the next level. However, it is essential to innovatively nurture athletes who stand on those stages. We shall work together to produce the best competitors on a global scale.

The Fullcontact Karate movement, which is spreading worldwide, will enter an unpredictable stage with the 1st World Fullcontact Karate Championships scheduled for next May in Tokyo. The selection tournaments in each region will be actively held around the world. Following Japan and Europe, the South Pacific tournament is also coming soon. I believe that Shihan David Jacobs, who has been newly appointed as the South Pacific regional representative, will demonstrate his leadership, and I ask for the cooperation of everyone in the region. Additionally, in November, selection tournaments will be held in Asia, Central and South America, and the second European selection tournament will be held in Belgium.

I hope that all the Shinkyokushin competitors participating in these preliminaries will carry the prestige of Shinkyokushinkai on their shoulders and earn a ticket to the World Championship. To each country and regional federation, please prepare for the fateful day, in the spirit that Shinkyokushinkai, the leaders of this grand movement, will reach the pinnacle of this championship and dominate all the categories, to mark the beginning of a new era.

Lastly, I received a sad news on May 30th. Shihan Arpad Kalmar, the Branch Chief of Hungary had suddenly passed away. Moreover, I heard that he collapsed during the European Championship that he attended. Speaking of Shihan Arpad, he was known not only for his accomplishments as a Karateka, but also for his remarkable success as a journalist. I believe there are many people who were photographed by him, not only in Europe but also in Japan. I was speechless at the sudden news of his death and could not believe it. I can only imagine the heartache of Shihan Arpad’s family and the Hungarian Branch. I would like to express my sincere condolences and pray for his soul. Shihan Arpad, please rest in peace.

Let’s continue to work together as branch chiefs and all concerned parties around the world to spread the presence of Fullcontact Karate in the international sports world.
OSU

Kenji Midori
WKO President

19,052 Views

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