YASUHIRO YAMASHITA PRESIDENT OF ALL JAPAN JUDO FEDERATION

http://www.judoinside.com/news/2076/Yasuhiro_Yamashita_President_of_All_Japan_Judo_Federation

Jonesy wrote:http://www.judoinside.com/news/2076/Yasuhiro_Yamashita_President_of_All_Japan_Judo_Federation

Headline is a little misleading. The fine print says " is expected to be elected at an extraordinary meeting of the executive committee on June 23. "

Good for him of course. Hardly a shock to anybody. I'm sure his promotion dates to 9th and 10 dan are already penciled-in in the Kodokan Ledgers.

Yamashita has already been an 8 dan since 2005. Time in grade for promotion from 8 dan to 9 dan is normally 21 years, with 10 years as a minimum. Sometimes it is reduced for exceptional cases - e.g. Uemura-kancho. Also, Hitoshi Saito was posthumously promoted to 9 dan, and he was Yamashita's junior, so in some ways I'm surprised that the Kodokan has not promoted him already. Mind you, how connected is Yamashita to the Kodokan? He has been active in the IJF and now shortly the AJJF, but these are not the Kodokan. I do not doubt that Yamashita will eventually get the grades, but I think he will need to do Kodokan activities too.

Just curious. What would Kodokan require of Yamashita in order to elevate him to 9 then 10 Dan ?

Udon wrote:Just curious. What would Kodokan require of Yamashita in order to elevate him to 9 then 10 Dan ?

As per their WEB SITE (details are only in Japanese right now) the formal criteria seem to stop at eighth dan. (Helpfully given as eight-step or eight-stage by Google Translate.)
Presumably ninth and tenth are up to the judgment of the current incumbents.

I would imagine that if he continues on the same path of high-level involvement these are possible, although as Jonesy points out, they tend to keep those two highest ranks reserved for their own instructors.
There's probably some politics involved should he want to go that route.

I doubt he's losing any sleep over it. He's already had success beyond most people's wildest dreams. His place in the history books is already fixed and unique, regardless of whatever dan he may get.

Thank you.
You are quite correct, his place in the history of judo is established.

Y-Chromosome wrote:There's probably some politics involved should he want to go that route.

You have to love the “probably”.

Ya'll have a nice day.

Y-Chromosome wrote:

Udon wrote:Just curious. What would Kodokan require of Yamashita in order to elevate him to 9 then 10 Dan ?

As per their WEB SITE (details are only in Japanese right now) the formal criteria seem to stop at eighth dan.  (Helpfully given as eight-step or eight-stage by Google Translate.)
Presumably ninth and tenth are up to the judgment of the current incumbents.

I would imagine that if he continues on the same path of high-level involvement these are possible, although as Jonesy points out, they tend to keep those two highest ranks reserved for their own instructors.
There's probably some politics involved should he want to go that route.

I doubt he's losing any sleep over it.  He's already had success beyond most people's wildest dreams.  His place in the history books is already fixed and unique, regardless of whatever dan he may get.

8 dan is terminal rank for nearly everyone.

Jonesy wrote:
8 dan is terminal rank for nearly everyone.

Yes, but we're talking about Yamashita here.
He's not everyone. He's the exception.

Anyhow, I'm not going to lose any sleep over it either.  It is one of those things I'll continue to be curious about though.  If he never does go further, I'll be curious to see who from his, or subsequent generations does.

Then that data-analysis part of my brain will kick into overdrive and start documenting and analysing.

I'm hope I'm retired by then cuz otherwise it could cut into working time.  Jes sayin.

Is this story true? https://www.reddit.com/r/judo/comments/wlmma9/yasuhiro_yamashita_promoted_to_9th_dan/