Seminar, at the Prince Rasheed Martial Art Centre in Amman, Jordan.

Yamada Jun Shihan was officially sent to Aikido Academy of Jordan as a delegate of Aikikai Hombu by Mr. H.Yonemochi, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Hombu Dojo.
The first official Aikikai Hombu's Dan upgrading through Yamada Shihan was held at the Aikido Academy Dojo in Amman, Jordan.
The seminar was organized by Mr. Razi Pahlavi Abdul Aziz who was an active member of Aikikai Malaysia HQ Dojo in Malaysia before stationed in Jordan.  Five persons were granted Shodan. They were Aiman Mohsien, Bassam Bzadoukh, Aiman Turani, Firas Khallad, and Samir Shouebi.
His Excellency Sir Nadir Majali, the President of the Federation granted Mr. Razi a Sports Achievement Award for his contributions and achievements of Aikido in Jordan.
We, Aikikai Malaysia and Yamada Shihan are most honored for the trust of Aikikai Hombu as well as the relationship with Jordan.  We would like to share with you Mr. Razi's message as below:

Assalamualaikum Warahmahtullah,
Dear Shihan Jun Yamada,

On behalf of the Aikido family of Jordan we would like to extend our utmost gratitude and many thanks for your contribution and effort to make our event successful.
Truly we have learnt and benefit a lot from you on the concept as well as the real essence of the basic techniques of a true Aikido.  Therefore we would like to reiterate our appreciation for your kind support and enlightment on our way of learning Aikido.  As part of a human nature we do make our mistakes, we would like to take this opportunity to ask for your forgiveness in any matters which causes you for such inconveniences during your official visit in Jordan.
We hope that you can continue pouring your wisdom of Aikido for hungry and thirsty Aikido admirers in Jordan.  Kindly send our warmest regards to our family of Aikido in Hombu Dojo, Tokyo as well as in Malaysia.

Wassaalamualaikum Warahmatullah
Razi Pahlavi Abdul Aziz (Amman, Jordan.)

Updated Dcember 25th, 2001

Hombu Dojo's 70th Anniversary Celebration was held on the 21st October 2001 at Keio Plaza Hotel in Shinjuku, Tokyo. People from inside and outside Japan gathered on this particular Sunday to attend the event which was also celebrated in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of Aikikai Federation. Those gathered who happened to be involved in Aikido, either as a lifetime commitment or in their own very unique ways were able to meet by chance for such an occasion. Yamada Shihan and I were invited to attend the celebration among the 1,700 people who came from all over the world. The pinnacle of the event was the revelation of Kisshomaru Doshu's relief by his successor Moriteru Doshu and his son, Mitsuteru Ueshiba. Together, father and son revealed the relief of the late Kisshomaru Doshu.

Kisshomaru Ueshiba Doshu was inaugurated as the 2nd Doshu at the age of 48 years old in 14th June 1970 by fate. Coincidently, Moriteru Doshu succeeded as the third Doshu when he was also 48 years old. Today Aikido's popularity is the result of the the work and efforts of Kisshomaru Doshu. Kisshomaru Doshu was gifted with a farsighted view for he was the man who opened the door to various walks of life in Japan and to the world. Kisshomaru Doshu overcame the old Japanese way which only allows Aikido to a certain group of people. He also took the first step to systemize and modernize Aikido whom he was also inspired by the piety of Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido. Kisshomaru Doshu's enlightening way of seeing the future and his bold heart overcame the old-fashioned belief that Budo only belongs to the military world. We applause gracefully to the late Kisshomaru Doshu's distinguished achievements. For a Budo to be passed on to a direct third generation is considered to be very auspicious. It is rare even in history and especially in Budo. Mituteru Ueshiba is expected to be the fourth Doshu of the Ueshiba family. I believe that our beloved O-Sensei is standing on ame-no-ukihashi or Heaven's Floating Bridge and looking down with sharp-shinning eyes yet with benevolence at his descendents and Aikido today. (Article by Kimiko Yamada.)

Updated October 27th, 2001

Hong Kong Aikido Association celebrated its 30th anniversary on 28th September to 3rd October 2001.(Article by Kimiko Yamada)

It was a memorable occasion to reunite with Kenneth Cottier Sensei in Hong Kong. Kenneth Cottier Sensei is a long time friend of Yamada Shihan. Their friendship began in Hombu Dojo where they trained together in the late 60's. Mr. Cottier and Yamada Shihan sometimes with Mr. H Somemiya used to train together at the worn-out wooden structure of the Hombu Dojo before its reconstruction which is now the current Hombu Dojo building. Yamada Shihan conducted seminar together with Fujita Masatake Sensei and Somemiya Hiroshi Sensei. Yamada Shihan was accompanied by his wife and daughter.

Updated October 16th, 1999

I would like to share my glorious experience of visiting the Mekkah of Aikido, the Hombu Dojo as an attendant of the inauguration of the 3rd Doshu, Ueshiba Moriteru which took place in Tokyo on the 25th September 1999. The grand hall of Keio Plaza, an international five star hotel in Tokyo, packed with 2000 invited Aikidokas and VIPs from all over the world to celebrate Doshu Moriteru's inauguration. (From left Y.Watanabe, K.Miyamori Senseis and Malaysia's Resident Shihan, Shihan J.Yamada.)

Updated July 16th, 1999