WKF President Antonio Espinós met in Tokyo with Japanese Olympic Committee President Tsunekazu Takeda to analyse the current situation of Karate and to further enhance exchanges between the international governing body of the discipline and the sports institution of the Asian nation. 

WKF President Antonio Espinós met in Tokyo with Japanese Olympic Committee President Tsunekazu Takeda to analyse the current situation of Karate and to further enhance exchanges between the international governing body of the discipline and the sports institution of the Asian nation. 

On the last stage of his four-day visit to Japan, Mr. Espinós met with Japanese Olympic Committee President Tsunekazu Takeda in Tokyo in a fruitful meeting that stated the excellent relations between the two organizations and the growing impact of Karate among top sports institutions.

As Karate is preparing to make its Olympic debut at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, the association with the Japanese Olympic Committee is considered fundamental by the WKF, Mr. Espinós claimed, due to Karate’s strong roots with the birth nation of the ancient modality. 

“We are very grateful to Mr. Takeda and the institution he represents for the support that Karate has received during all these years. In Japan, the impact of Karate has always been remarkable, so much so that the history of the sport is highly connected to the history of the country. This connection and the coincidental values of Karate and Japanese culture together with the importance it has for the progress of the sport in the country are among the reasons why for us it is so crucial to have such a good relationship with our friends of the Japanese Olympic Committee, “ said Mr. Espinós.  

(Picture: From left to right: WKF General Secretary Toshihisa Nagura, WKF President Antonio Espinós, Japanese Olympic Committee President Tsunekazu Takeda and JOC Senior Executive Board member Yasuo Saito)