The Asian Kudo Seminar 2025, organized by the Kudo International Federation (KIF) and held in late September in Singapore, brought together Japanese masters, international champions, and representatives from multiple national branches, strengthening both the technical and organizational dimension of the event.
A total of 53 practitioners from nine countries took part: Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Vietnam, China, South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Japan. The Japanese delegation was led by Grand Master Kenichi Osada, accompanied by former World Champion Ryota Shimizu and double Japanese Champion Yutaro Nakagami, a standout in the -250 category in 2025 and the Unlimited class in 2024.
Technical activities and referee training
The program featured specialized training in full-contact techniques, belt promotion exams, and referee seminars aimed at unifying judging standards in international competitions. A Branch Chiefs meeting was also held, focused on coordinating strategies and strengthening KIF’s organizational structure in the region.
The seminar welcomed high-profile guests from the mixed martial arts community. Vincent Ng, President of Singapore MMA and Vice-President of the Asian Mixed Martial Arts Association (AMMA), attended as an observer, alongside Randell Siow, Head of Coaching and Development at the Mixed Martial Arts Association of Singapore (MMAAS). This organization is aligned with AMMA and operates under the Olympic Council of Asia, reinforcing the prospects of future cooperation.
Nine days of activities in Singapore and Malaysia
Following the seminar, Grand Master Osada remained in the region for an additional nine days. During this time, he held one-on-one meetings with Branch Chiefs from each country, led sessions at two Singapore dojos, engaged in exchange meetings with leaders of full-contact martial arts schools, and carried out instructional visits at the Kudo Malaysia Branch Dojo.
This intensive schedule enabled direct knowledge transfer and strengthened ties between Japan and the local branches across Southeast Asia.
