KARATEDO INTO THE OLYMPICS – LETTER OF REQUEST TO MR SHINZO ABE, PRIME MINISTER OF JAPAN

On December 22, 2014, six officials visited the Prime Minister’s official residence and submitted a letter to Mr Shinzo Abe, the Prime Minister of Japan, to address a petition to the IOC and JOC for the inclusion of Karatedo as an official sport in the coming 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games: Mr Takashi Sasagawa (JKF President), Mr Toshihisa Nagura (WKF General Secretary), Mr Yoshihide Suga (Chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary for the Promotion of Karatedo, the Chief Cabinet Secretary of Japan), Mr Wataru Takeshita (APFPK General Secretary), Mr Masahisa Sato (APFPK) and Mr Hiroyoshi Sasagawa (APFPK).

The meeting was fruitful and congenial. Mr Sasagawa and Mr Nagura explained the attractions and advantages of Karatedo as an Olympic sport. They informed the Prime Minister of the efforts by the JKF to promote Karatedo in collaboration with the WKF, IF recognised by the IOC. Prime Minister Abe was pleased to hear from them and assured them that he understood the situation very well.

Please see the letter of request to Mr Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan here.