The Japan Shotokan Karate Association was founded in Japan on the 10th February 1999 by former JKA senior instructor Keigo Abe 8th Dan. It is one of the fastest growing Shotokan associations in the world. Abe Sensei was born on October 28th 1938 in the town of Iyoshi in Ehime prefecture on the island of Shikoken. When he was 15 years old (1953) he began his Karate training at his middle schools Karate club, it was then that he was taught by an Okinawan Sensei from Toyama Sensei’s lineage of Shito Ryu Karate-Do. At the age of 18 (1956) he was accepted into the famous engineering program at Nihon University in Tokyo. He moved from his small town to the big city and began his college education. He began training at the J.K.A. Hombu Dojo with a young and very powerful sensei named Masatoshi Nakayama who was to become his teacher and grandmaster. During his time as a student of master Nakayama, Abe sensei was told by him that he was taught not only by master Gichin Funakoshi but also by Yoshitaka Funakoshi his son. A situation which is reflected in the JSKA teachings and represented by the use of the wide footed stance.

Abe Sensei is also accomplished in the tournament arena. He took 3rd place in the first JKA National Championships. He was the captain of the Japanese team at the second World Championships in Paris, France. Sensei Abe won 1st place at the JKA international Friendship Tournament in 1973, and took 1st place in the second and third JKF National Championships as a representative of Tokyo. A highly rated and dangerously competent JKA fighter in his younger days, he was also responsible for devising the original rules for Ippon Shobu competition in a manner which preserved Budo through the concept ‘killing with one perfect, decisive blow’. Abe Sensei is a karate-ka who appreciates and embraces Shotokan’s Okinawaan roots, which is reflected in his understanding and performance of kata.

Abe sensei became an instructor at the JKA in 1965 and in 1985; he became director of Qualification and from 1990 Technical Director of the JKA Matsuno section. A position he held until retiring from the JKA on 31 January 1999. Sensei Abe is quoted as saying “I feel however that Karate nowadays is centered only on winning competitions and that everybody trains towards this end. This is far from the truth. I believe that the true purpose of Karate lies in daily training with a goal to develop a strong mind and body and furthermore to contribute to society in general”. He came to establish the JSKA to realise what he himself sees as the true Karate purpose. The JSKA Karate philosophy is: 1. Learn Self-defense as a martial art; 2. Improve technique as a sport; 3. Enjoy karate as a means for developing a healthy body and mind.