A Short Biography of Master Hidetaka Nishiyama

1928-  Born October 10 in Tokyo, Japan

1933-  Started Kendo training

1938-  Started Judo training

1943-  Earned Kendo shodan ranking.
       Started karate training at
       Master Gichin Funakoshi's dojo, the Shotokan.

1945-  Enrolled at Takushoku University.
       Joined Takushoku University Karate Team

1946-  Earned Karate shodan ranking.

1948-  Earned Karate nidan ranking.

1949-  Named Takushoku University Karate Team Captain.
       Elected Chairman of the regional collegiate union team.

1950-  Earned Karate sandan ranking.
       Co-founded the All Japan Collegiate Karate Union
       and elected at the first chairman.

1951-  Graduated from Takushoku University, M.A. in Economics.
       Named Japan Karate Association Director.

1952-  Selected as a member of the martial arts combat instruction staff
       for the Strategic Air Command (SAC) Combat Training Program.
       SAC personnel received training in judo, aikido and karate
       at the Kodokan.  The other karate instructors were
       Masters Nakayama, Obata and others.

1953-  Invited by SAC Commander General LeMay, along with other
       martial arts instructors, to tour SAC bases in the United States.
       Named Chief, Department of Instruction, Japan Karate Association.

1960-  Publication of "Karate, The Art of Empty-Hand Fighting",
       the most authoritative and best selling karate textbook in history.

1961-  Came to the United States and organized the All American Karate
       Federation (AAKF).  The first AAKF Karate Championship was
       held at the Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles CA.

1965-  Organized the first United States vs Japan Goodwill Karate
       Tournament.  Participation of All Japan Collegiate Karate Team
       marks it as the first official international event.

1968-  Organized first World Invitational Tournament, held at the
       Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena in conjunction with the
       Olympic Commemorative Tournament hosted by the Mexico Karate
       Federation in Mexico City.  International conference during the
       tournament agrees to form an international karate organization
       and to hold the first world championship in Tokyo, Japan.

1973-  Co-founded the Pan American Karate Union (PAKU) and was
       elected if first Executive Director.  The first PAKU
       championship was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

1974-  Following an international formation conference in
       New York City, Hidetaka Nishiyama was elected the
       Executive Director of the International Amateur Karate
       Federation (IAKF).  The name of the IAKF was later
       changed to International Traditional Karate Federation (ITKF).

1975-  The first IAKF World Karate Championship was held at
       the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena.

1981-  Currently serving as President of the JKA International
       of the United States, President of the American Amateur Karate
       Federation (AAKF), the direct successor to the
       All American Karate Federation.