The History of the Japan Karate Shotorenmei and the JKS GB and Ireland.

One of the longest running karate associations is the Japan Karate Association. It was this organisation which spread Shotokan karate throughout the world. So much has been written about this great karate institution, that I need not go into it here.

However, in 1990 the JKA split due to the death of the legendary Chief Instructor, Nakayama Sensei. Before his death, Nakayama Sensei had chosen Asai Sensei (the then Technical Director of the JKA) to become the new Chief Instructor. However, personal differences and internal politics saw the break-up of the JKA, and what followed was ten years of legal battles between the two sides, each claiming the right to use the JKA name. In 1999, after numerous appeals, the Asai faction of the JKA decided to accept defeat, and withdrew from the legal battle. As a result, we also conceded the right to use the JKA name. Consequently, as of the year 2000 the Asai faction of the JKA became know as the Japan Karate Shotokai.

Since the initial split in 1990, the JKS had always maintained a strong and loyal international following. All the hombu dojo (headquarters) instructors, lead by Asai Sensei and Kagawa Sensei, constantly travelled internationally, teaching seminars and presiding over competitions. However, until 2002 the JKS had never had representatives in the UK and Ireland.

Scott Langley travelled to Japan in 1997, with the aim of training at the hombu dojo, and trying to do the instructors course. However, before he went to Japan, he had often travelled around the GB and Ireland to compete and teach at various dojos, especially in Dublin. During his time in Japan, he kept in touch with the Dublin based karate group, and on completion of the course the group approached Scott about the possibility of their dojos becoming part of the JKS and for Scott to become their Technical Director, being based in Dublin and teaching full time throughout Ireland. Scott quickly accepted this posting, and in August 2002 what was known as JKA Ireland became JKS Ireland, with Scott Langley as Technical Director.

Almost immediately dojos from the UK also showed an interest in the JKS and by the end of August two groups in the UK joined to make the JKS GB & Ireland.

In March 2003 Kagawa sensei travelled to Nottingham, England to teach at the first JKS GB & Ireland Technical Seminar. The course was held at Alan Campbell’s dojo and it served to cement the JKS as a strong, fair and legitimate organisation in Europe. At that time, Alan Campbell, a sempai of Scott Langley, also joined the JKS to become the chairman of the JKS GB & Ireland.

Since then the group has gone from strength to strength with dojos throughout England and Ireland. With bi-annual International Technical Seminars with hombu dojo sensei and three national technical seminars and national championships per year in both England and Ireland, Scott Langley has helped to create a karate organisation for a new generation of karate-ka.