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 Congratulations on your celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the establishment of Academy Aikido Jyuku in Malaysia. Forty years ago, Yamada Jun Shihan was passionately practicing Aikido in the morning class of Ueshiba Kishomaru [the 2nd Doshu] at Hombu Dojo. Within that same year, Yamada Shihan brought that same passion to Malaysia and planted his Aikido "roots" - nurturing it with his blood & soul - a deep commitment from which today we can clearly witness the result of his many years of dedication. Forty years ago, the development of Aikido within and outside of Japan was done only on a small scale. Today however, Aikido is enjoyed and practiced in over 95 countries by people from all walks of life and by all age groups from young children to senior/silver folk . This is the direct result of the direct result of the dedication of instructors in perpetuating the spirit & philosophy of Aikido as from when it was first handed down from our Founder, Morihei Ueshiba to the 2nd Doshu, Kisshomaru Ueshiba, then to me, and so on down through to each individual Aikido practitioner. Credit should be acknowledged where deserved - to instructors such as Yamada Shihan who left their home country of Japan to spread the teachings of Aikido and who have thus contributed significantly in the development of Aikido in foreign countries. Today, there are many dojos outside Japan that have accomplished laying a solid foundation of Aikido - dojos that have grown not only in size but with the development of their craft, significantly contributing to the historical development of Aikido and also cultural appreciation of Japan in foreign lands. Academy Aikido Jyuku is one such entity, having developed a strong following-many practitioners of whom are now actively committed to extending and carrying on the perpetuation of the art. Establishing a 40-year history of Aikido in Malaysia is truly a remarkable achievement. I hope this beacon of Aikido in Malaysia, established through the painstaking efforts of Yamada Shihan over these last four decades, will be cherished and protected, and that the circle of Aikido continues to flourish and touch the lives of many more in the future. |
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 First of all, I would like to extend
my heartiest congratulations to Academy Aikido Jyuku on its
celebration of 40 years of establishment in this country to
commemorate this special occasion. This year 2012 marks the 30th
anniversary of the Look East Policy, which was introduced in 1982 by
then Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir. Under the look East Policy,
many young Malaysians have further studied in Japan and subsequently
contributed to the human capital development in both our countries.
Throughout this year, we are celebrating this significant milestone
and today's demonstration is one of the anniversary events.
The word 'Aikido' is made up of three ideograms: "合（Ai）"- to meet or
join together, "気(Ki)"- energy, spirit; and "道"(Do)"
- path or road. Combined together, 'Aikido' could be loosely translated
as 'a path one follows in the practice of uniting one's energy or
spirit'. Aikido is a holistic endeavour that not only incorporates physical self-defense techniques,
but also emphasizes the development of positive human qualities, hence
improving the individual and society as a whole. Combined together,
'Aikido' could be loosely translated as 'a path one follows in the
practice of uniting one's energy or spirit'. Aikido is a holistic endeavour that not only incorporates physical self-defense techniques,
but also emphasizes the development of positive human qualities, hence
improving the individual and society as a whole. I sincerely hope
that this two-day event will serve to cultivate future generations of
Aikido-ka or Aikido athletes who will grow and continue to interact with
each other across the borders of different nationalities and
organizations. O am certain that participants will engage meaningfully
with the spirit of Aikido and deepen their understanding of the spirit
of Aikido by appreciating the masters' beautiful posture, dignity and
elegance of their movements, and even to draw inspirations from them to
develop their character. With the 30th anniversary of the
Look East Policy as an excellent opportunity to further develop Japan
Malaysia relations in various fields, I envisage a further in
which our bilateral relations will be taken a higher level, thereby
playing greater roles in the international scene and tackling various
challenges from the global perspective. |
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Jun Yamada Shihan 40th Anniversary ended successfully after a two-day seminar on the 20th and 21st October 2012. It was held at the Olympic Council of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur. As part of the 30th anniversary of the Look East Policy which was introduced by then Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir in 1982, this seminar was sponsored by Japan Information Service of the Embassy of Japan in Malaysia and Japan Foundation Kuala Lumpur. This event was also held in conjunction with the "Third Aikido Fellowship" South East Asia (AF-SEA), whereby Academy Aikido
Led by Arai Shihan (8th Dan), Fukakusa Shihan (8th Dan) and George Chang Shihan (7th Dan), the seminar saw faces of five high-levelled Dan participants from Gunma Aikido Federation, passionate aikido practitioners from Hong Kong. Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Indonesia, UAE, UK, and USA and enthusiastic practitioners from the local dojos all around Malaysia. In all, there were about 200 people whose appearances made this event a memorable one.
For information on the previous 35th Anniversary celebration, click here.
Updated 30 November 2012 |
