When Sosai Masutatsu Oyama passed away in 1994, International Kyokushinkai Karate Federation began to separate into many smaller Federations. Most of them works in the same way. The only difference is which one earns the money. Taking under consideration the organisational level, it is not anymore the martial art, but business based on money and political wars. The leaders of these organisations were nominated by the members for higher Dan grades.
Here I would like to share some short stories on the few biggest Kyokushin’s Organisations:

1. IKO 1 (Matsui Group, Ichi Geki)
Akiyoshi Matsui is Korean citizen who won the World Championship Tournament in 1987 and made 100 kumite tests. But the truth is that Korean mafia (Moon) chose this person to be very close to Sosai Oyama. Moon wanted to take over Karate Kyokushin business after Sosais death. When Sosai Oyama passed away Korean mafia was ready to attack. During Sosai’s funeral, Matsui said that he had Oyama’s „Last will” where it was written that Matsui was the one who would be now a leader of the World Organisation. In the „Will” Sosai wrote also that a new Honbu Dojo should have been created and the old one should have been closed. The family of Sosai were shocked. After the funeral Matsui was nominated to 8th dan (direct from 4th dan) by the new Board of the Organisation created by the people who were loyal to him. Simultaneously he started to build new Honbu. He also started teaching Sosai’s students and worked in Sosai’s office. At the same time Oyama’s family brought a lawsuit against Matsui. Judge said that Sosai’s „Will” is fake and there are no witnesses who could confirm that Sosai left the „Will” to Matsui. After the lawsuit Matsui stole everything what he could from Old Honbu and announced that it is closed and IKO had new Honbu Dojo. The court cases are still running. In the next years Matsui was also sentenced by court for avoidance of taxes and finaly he had to move to USA. He lives there and works as a developer in Manhattan. IKO is running now by Board, which is loyal to Matsui.

2. WKO Shihkyokushin (Midori Group)
After Sosai’s death and the nomination of Matsui several IKO Board Members didn’t want to work with the young (30 years old) Kancho. They created a New Organisation, named IKO 2. After a time they nominated Kenji Midori (1991 World Championship winner) for their President. They nominated him to 6th dan (from 4th dan). He changed the name of his organisation to ShinKyokushin and created a new styles of Kanji and Kanku in order to avoid possible problems in court with Oyama’s family. There were many suspicions that Midori had connections with Yakuza. During the years his organisation started becoming bigger and bigger causing that the leader had to be nominated to higher ranks. Board of ShinKyokushin nominated Midori to 7th dan and after next 3 years to 8th dan.

3. IKA Kyokushin Ryu
Another organisation was established by Peter Chong from Singapour. He was in Sosai Oyama’s, and later in Matsui’s Organisation’s Board but he was expelled by Matsui for being unloyal to IKO. Together with other person from Singapour who had to move to Philippines because of financial fraud, established the new organisation called Kyokushin Ryu. Peter Chong nominated his son to 6th Dan and for President of Organisation and himself as Kancho with a right of veto to all his son’s decisions. His „right hand” from Philippines together with new organisation’s Branch Chief from Bangladesh (who was expelled from Kyokushin Kan and ShinKyokushin because of false certificates) started to offer to Branch Chiefs from other organisations financial support and dan grades for joining IKAK. Peter Chong also nominated those two people with next dan grades just for joining IKAK. They also as a board of members nominated him to 9th dan.

4. KWF (Kyokushin World Federation)
Organisation created by Shihan Loek Hollander and by former IKO Matsui Branch Chiefs from Spain and Poland. History of this organisation started when IKO Matsui Branch Chief from Poland was expelled from this organisation because for 9 years he hasn’t paid fees for dan grades exams to Honbu. There were several hundred people who didn’t get belts and original certyficates, but they received the fakes made by own organisation not in Honbu. Because the two other leaders of this organisation made the businesses together with the Polish Branch Chief they decided to live with him and create own organisation KWF. One year later they nominated each other to 9th, 8th and 8th dan, and after few years to 10th, 9th and 9th dan.

5. IBK (Kyokushin Budokai)
This organisation was established by John Blumming when Sosai was alive. Because of political aspects in European Organisation Blumming decided to create his own style. The truth was that he had dan grades in Judo and Sosai only confirmed Blumming’s grades because Blumming was person who was chosen to add a fighting basis to Kyokushin. When he left IKO and created his own organisation he gathered people who also knew Kyokushin techniques and nominated them as board members (Blumming knew only kihon and he never practised kata). When Sosai Oyama died Blumming said that Kurosaki had called him from Japan and announced that Sosai Oyama had nominated him with 10th dan before he passed away. Of course there wasn’t any phone call, but from that moment Blumming had 10th dan in his IBK style.

6. IKO Nakamura
Makoto Nakamura (only one in Kyokushin history who gained twice World Champion) was degraded by Matsui from the function of Japanes National Team Coach because of very bad results. For that reason Nakamura decided to leave IKO. He granted himself 11th dan (in Karate the maximum grade is 10th dan). He also granted his 32 years old son the 8th dan (direct from 4th dan). In this organisation dan grades are still given to many people direct without exams just for coming to organisation. There were several examples of nominations from 2nd to 6th dan etc.

There are more organisations in Kyokushin like IKO Matsushima, IKO Tezuka, IFK, Kyokushin Kan and many, many others. Most of the masters and the leaders of those organisations have similar story. But those 6 organisations are most famous and everybody should know their leaders behavior. As you can see in all of this organisations dan grades are given not for hard training. It is the political case to have dan there. It is very sad but people interested in martial arts should know it.