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| Kenji Midori | |
|---|---|
| Name | Kenji Midori |
| Birth date | 1962 |
| Birth place | Nagano Prefecture, Japan |
| Nationality | Japanese |
| Occupation | Karateka, instructor |
| Known for | Founder of World Karate Organization Shinkyokushinkai |
Kenji Midori is a Japanese karate master and the founder of the World Karate Organization Shinkyokushinkai, recognized for his competitive success in full-contact kyokushin tournaments and for leading a major international martial arts organization. Midori rose through the ranks of the Kyokushin movement during its postwar expansion, competing alongside and against prominent figures and promoting Shinkyokushin practice across Asia, Europe, and the Americas. He has been influential in referee, coaching, and organizational roles within bodies connected to full-contact karate traditions.
Midori was born in Nagano Prefecture, Japan, and began training in martial arts in adolescence, studying under instructors from the Kyokushin lineage and training at dojos influenced by senior practitioners such as Masutatsu Oyama, Hideyuki Ashihara, and other prominent Kyokushin figures. His formative years included participation in regional tournaments organized by bodies linked to the original Kyokushin headquarters and exposure to training methods used by schools in Tokyo, Osaka, and Hokkaido. Midori pursued kata and kumite under senior instructors who had connections to international exchanges with delegations from Brazil, Russia, Poland, and South Korea, shaping his competitive and pedagogical approach.
Midori established himself in full-contact competition, participating in national and international events such as the All-Japan Open Karate Championships, the World Open Karate Tournament, and invitational competitions held in Europe and Asia. He fought contemporaries who were notable in the Kyokushin world, including competitors from delegations representing Yoshiji Soeno-affiliated groups and athletes from schools trained under figures like Shokei Matsui and Hiroto Okazaki. His tournament record includes podium finishes and recognition in heavyweight divisions at events that drew participants from Brazilian Kyokushin contingents, Polish teams, and Russian challengers. Midori also served as an official and judge at championship events sanctioned by organizations with ties to the Kyokushin tradition and neighboring full-contact circuits, interacting with leaders from the International Karate Organization and other major associations.
Following organizational changes within the Kyokushin community, Midori established the World Karate Organization Shinkyokushinkai to preserve and promote a specific interpretation of full-contact Kyokushin practice. The new organization positioned itself in relation to established entities such as the International Karate Organization (IKO), factions led by figures like Shokei Matsui, and alternative Kyokushin branches including groups influenced by Masashi Ishibashi and Kenji Kurosaki. Midori organized international seminars, affiliate recognition, and competitive circuits that connected national federations in Japan, Poland, Brazil, Russia, Germany, Spain, France, Turkey, Ukraine, South Africa, Argentina, Mexico, Canada, United States, China, South Korea, Philippines, and Indonesia. The World Karate Organization under his leadership emphasized tournament rulesets, instructor certification, and international referee standards compatible with major full-contact events and inter-federation exchanges.
As an instructor and head of an international federation, Midori trained and coached athletes who competed in international championships, cultivating ties with dojo leaders in Europe and Latin America and collaborating with coaches from Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu-influenced cross-training circles and striking specialists influenced by Kyokushin traditions. He led seminars featuring curriculum elements similar to those taught by senior Kyokushin masters associated with Mas Oyama-era training, and influenced referee education compatible with standards used at major international competitions and multi-nation events. Midori’s legacy includes a network of affiliated dojos, certified instructors, and a cohort of competitors who went on to represent their national federations at continental and world tournaments, maintaining links with organizations that participate in inter-style combat festivals and martial arts congresses.
Midori has been acknowledged by national and international bodies within the Kyokushin and full-contact karate communities, receiving recognition at federation meetings and commemorative events attended by leaders from allied organizations and prominent athletes from countries such as Japan, Brazil, Poland, Russia, and France. He has participated in cultural exchange programs, seminars at municipal venues in Tokyo and regional centers in Nagano Prefecture, and been invited to speak at symposiums where representatives from federations and dojos discussed the future of full-contact karate. Midori maintains active involvement in organizational governance, coaching, and the promotion of dojos affiliated with the World Karate Organization Shinkyokushinkai.
Category:Japanese karateka Category:Kyokushin kaikan practitioners