[tmd]

K4L: Would you like to see Kyokushin as an Olympic sport?

Hanshi: I would, but it is doubtful it would ever happen because Kyokushin is now too fragmented.

K4L: I heard that back when it was all one organisation, in the late eighties it was close to happening, is that true?

Hanshi: I will tell you the truth now. Yes back then the Olympic Committee were very keen, at the time Kyokushin had 10 million members worldwide, and I was asked by them to fly over to Switzerland to talk to them. They wanted a Europe versus Japan tournament to be held at their request in Germany and a three hundred man demonstration to be held at the Barcelona Olympics. I agreed and had everything in place and if everything went according to plan we could have been in but Sosai wanted the tournament to be held in Japan, for his own reasons. The committee said this was unacceptable and would not budge with Germany.

As a compromise I offered to organise a South Pacific team to fight against Europe in Germany but this was unacceptable to the committee, as they recognised the importance of having the home of Karate taking part. Sosai felt Germany might have been out of his direct "control" and would not budge and nor would the committee. It was a great shame because we could have been in the same position as Taekwondo is now. The whole thing ended up in a bit of a stalemate.

K4L: To many you are the father of karate, do you ever envisage retirement?

Hanshi: No I have no plans to retire, but I am only human and the day will have to come sometime.

K4L: Have you anything you would like to say directly to our members?
Hanshi: I am a humble man and I would like to talk about humility and some lessons I had. When I went for my Shodan, I thought I had done very well in my grading and waited for the results to be posted, when they did get posted my name was not there, I thought there must have been some mistake and perhaps as this was in Japanese, they were going to put mine in English because I’m so special! But I had failed, I was so down, deflated - if I had had the money I would have left Japan. I spent two weeks in my room without training, then one evening there was a bang on the door it was Sosai! Why haven’t you been training? Oh I have been very sick, I lied. Are you better now? He asked, Oh yes I said. I’ll be back training tomorrow. Right, he said, see that you are. And closed the door. And that was that I went back.

After about three weeks I plucked up the courage to ask why I had failed, he said it was a good grading but I was not "ready", at the time. I did not understand, I thought I had done all that the others had done but was stuck with this brown belt - I now understand what he meant by that!

The other lesson I recall also came when I was a brown belt. Ashihara and myself were both "fighters" in the dojo, we were the ones people hesitated to spar with, so when a stranger turned up to train we viewed him with a, we’ll show you sort of mentality - he was a Sandan, but we had never seen him before. After the kihon Sosai lined us up, Ashihara aimed straight for him and absolutely took him apart, right I thought, my turn next! I did the same, with a sort of young foolish pride we thought we had "seen him off", we were full of it, a pair of brown belts seeing off this Nidan. He wasn’t seen for three weeks, but then he turned up to train again, same thing as last time, Ashihara plonked himself opposite him but things were different! He bashed Ashihara to bits, smashed him all over the dojo I now made my way to the other side of the dojo out of the way and tried to hide but Sosai shouted, YOU! He then did exactly the same thing to me...we both learned a lesson that day!

My point is I would also say to K4L members be patient, I have had many groups fighting today from all over Europe and I am on very good terms with another faction in Japan with whom there is mutual respect.

If any group from another country wants to enter the British Open I contact my representatives in that country. If there is no problem as far as they are concerned then they are welcome, but if my representatives express a problem then I say not right now, not never, but not right now. However if my representative is not entering a team and the other organisation have not been disrespectful to either the IKF or BKK then I think again myself, about the entry and take it on its merits.

K4L: You have so many great stories; have lived an interesting life through your devotion to Karate, would you ever consider writing an autobiography?

Hanshi: I understand this question, I have been approached many times about this, but I have made a lot of promises in my years to keep certain things to myself. If I were to write such a thing it would have to be the truth, would have to be whole and that would compromise what I have promised so to me it is not possible.

K4L: Hanshi, you have a deserved reputation for being open, friendly and approachable. On behalf of K4L may I say what an honour it is you have taken the time on a busy day to speak to us, thank you and a very big OSU!!!!! From our members worldwide!

Hanshi: You are most welcome OSU!