Akira Masuda[1] (増田 章, Masuda Akira) (born May 22, 1962) is a Japanese Kyokushin kaikan karateka. In March 1991 he completed the 100 man kumite supervised by Mas Oyama.[2]

Akira Masuda
Akira Masuda presiding at Ko Ryu Jiai (Tournament), Japan, 3 November 2003
Born(1962-05-22)May 22, 1962
Kanazawa, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan
ResidenceJapan
Height1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight85.5 kg (188 lb; 13.46 st)
StyleKyokushin Karate
Teacher(s)Masutatsu Oyama

He was born in 1962 in Kanazawa, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan. In junior high school he was captain of the school judo club.[3] When he was 16 years old he joined Kyokushin Kaikan Ishikawa Dojo. At 19 years old he made his debut in his first All Japan Tournament.

He remained a top athlete in Kyokushin All Japan Tournaments, going on to beat Michel Wedel, Gerard Gordeau and Michael Thompson.[4] He fought and lost to Andy Hug[5] however Hug was unable to walk after the fight.[6]

In 1990 he won a gold medal in the 22nd All Japan Kyokushin Tournament.[7] and in 1991 he placed second in the 5th World Karate Tournament.[8]

He is the shihan of Kyokushin Kaikan Masuda Dojo.[9] In 2007 Masuda published the book "Freestyle Karate"[10] and in 2009 he published "Masuda Akira - Go, Budojin toshite Ikiru".[11]

References

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  1. ^ Note on Japanese names: Family names go before given names, so in Japan he is known as Masuda Akira, while in the west he is usually referred to as Akira Masuda
  2. ^ masutatsuoyama.com: "100 Man Kumite - Akira Masuda (March, 1991)"
  3. ^ primary source: biography Masuda, Akira "Freestyle Karate" Archived 2012-07-20 at archive.today ISBN 978-4-902535-03-7, Novelpress, August 2007
  4. ^ kyokushinresults.freeserve.co.uk
    14th All Japan - 1982, 8th place: Akira Masuda;
    15th All Japan - 1983, 5th place: Akira Masuda;
    17th All Japan, 1985, 3rd place: Akira Masuda;
    18th All Japan, 1986, 2nd place: Akira Masuda;
    21st All Japan, 1989, 4th place: Akira Masuda;
    22nd All Japan, 1990, 1st place: Akira Masuda
    Archived 2007-09-12 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ "andyhug.com". Archived from the original on 2007-09-18. Retrieved 2007-09-14.
  6. ^ "kyokushinresults.freeserve.co.uk: "Fighter Profiles Japan"". Archived from the original on 2007-09-11. Retrieved 2007-09-19.
  7. ^ kyokushinresults.freeserve.co.uk: "All Japan Champions: 1990 Champion Akira Masuda" Archived 2011-07-28 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ kyokushincanada.com : "November 2-4, 1991, Tokyo. 2nd place : Akira Masuda, Japan"
  9. ^ "Kyokushin Kaikan Masuda Dojo (in Japanese)". Archived from the original on 2010-03-23. Retrieved 2010-03-24.
  10. ^ Masuda, Akira 'Freestyle Karate' ISBN 978-4-902535-03-7, Novelpress, August 2007
  11. ^ Masuda, Akira 'Masuda Akira - Go, Budojin toshite Ikiru' ISBN 978-4-8094-0768-0, Budo-ra Books, February 2009
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