Dear WKO Branch Chiefs and Contacts,

Thank you everyone for your continued cooperation in WKO’s activities.

The year is about to come to an end. The temperature has dropped in Japan, and even putting on a Dogi before practice feels chilly. Meanwhile, the delayed autumn foliage, likely due to global warming, is coloring the streets with vibrant reds and yellows , enhancing the festive atmosphere as Christmas songs fill the air.
How are you all spending this time of the year? As we reflect on the past year, I hope you can find moments of warmth, joy, and peace amidst the busyness of the season , spending meaningful time with your family and friends.

This year was another year of great progress for the WKO. In the summer, the Dream Festival 2024 International Championships recorded the largest number in history of 3,755 participants. On the same day, a premier stage of the Fullcontact Karate world, the 1st Karate Champion of Champions, was launched with fans that filled the venue. We shared a new perspective on the scale of Fullcontact Karate and the sense of the top.
In addition, the year following the 13th World Championship marked the first year of a four-year cycle for our activities. It was remarkable and reassuring to witness the emergence of strong young fighters at the regional selection tournaments worldwide, who will lead the next generation.
On the other hand, it was deeply saddening to hear the news of the passing of our senior Shihans one after another from the beginning of this year, such as Shihan Masahiko Yamada of Japan, Shihan Miranda Hoyos of Bolivia, and Shihan Arpad Kalmar of Hungary. However, seeing the strong and determined to continue their legacy in each country efforts and branch has truly been a source of inspiration.

How was 2024 for you?

In our Fullcontact Karate activities, the WFKO (World Full Contact Karate Organization) recently announced information for the 1st World Fullcontact Karate Championship, which will be held in Ariake, Tokyo on May 31st and June 1st next year. As this championship also serves as the 8th World Karate Championship in Weight Categories for the WKO, let us proceed with the preparations, fulfilling our responsibilities as the coordinating organization of WFKO, with a strong sense of ownership and initiative.

Regional selection tournaments for the WFKO Championship have been proceeding worldwide. Starting with Japan, the qualifiers have completed in Europe, South Pacific, Asia, Central Asia, South America, Central America, and the Middle East, leaving with North America and Africa. With the final qualifier in Africa scheduled for late January, the lineup of competitors on the global stage of Fullcontact Karate’s grand festival is finally coming together. Unfortunately, we must ask for the patience of the Russian Karatekas a little longer.

In November, I visited Asia and Europe for their selections. Both were outstanding tournaments, the Asia tournament organized by Shihan Fumiaki Nagashima, Branch Chief in Thailand, and the Europe tournament organized by Shihan Koen Spitaels, Branch Chief of Belgium. During my stay, I received tremendous support from the Shihans and all those involved, for which I am deeply grateful. Thank you.
In addition, the Japanese delegation visited South and Central America, where they reported witnessing the great efforts put into organizing the superb tournaments.
I would like to express my gratitude and respect to all those who supported in organizing each regional selection tournament.

The 1st World Full-Contact Karate Championship is a unified competition where various styles and organizations come together. As the organizer, WFKO is both a sporting organization and an international federation. I hope the competitors will fully demonstrate the skills and techniques they have learned from their respective practical training organizations at this competition.
As preparations for this tournament move forward, I imagine that WKO branch chiefs, contacts, athletes, and others may sense an unfamiliar feeling. The diversity created by numerous styles and organizations is a significant cultural characteristic of Full contact Karate, and the uniqueness of each group adds vibrancy to it. At the same time, the gradual rise of national federations, going beyond the boundaries of styles and organizations, will start to feel more familiar at this championship. The intersection of the bond in individual styles and organizations, alongside the growing bond in countries and regions, may give rise to a fresh feeling of synchronization. As we prepare for this tournament, let us fine-tune this fresh sense and nurture the movement toward unity in the new world of Fullcontact Karate.
We must value the needs of this era and, as “All WKO,” unite with a spirit of service to ensure the success of this tournament. To the competitors, let us form strong solidarity, recognize each other’s presence on the world stage, and compete through rigorous training, striving together so that WKO can dominate the top positions in this tournament.

In closing, alongside devastating natural disasters and ongoing international conflicts, we are witnessing frequent acts of violent crime hidden behind the convenience of a highly information-driven society, symbolized by the internet. In consequence, our international community lacks stability, and human society is confronted with difficulties that expose our inner weaknesses and vulnerabilities.
The WKO will continue to contribute to world peace through the global promotion of Karate, a martial art in which the stronger we become, the more kind we become.
I sincerely hope for the earliest resolution of the difficult international conflicts and that the world will soon be filled with smiles.

As the year draws to a close, I wish you a Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year.

WKO President Kenji Midori