FISHER SHOTOKAN

MASAHIKO TANAKA

By Charles Rhodes, P.Eng., Ph. D. and Sensei Malcolm Fisher

THE INSTRUCTOR:
Masahiko Tanaka was a karate competitor of major international reknown during the 1970s. In the early 1980s he became a leader in the JKA Instructor program. During the first decade of the 21st century he remained a phenomenal karateka in terms of technical execution.

THE BOOK:
In 1985 Masahiko Tanaka released a major (248 page) book titled Karate-Do Perfecting Kumite. The book contains numerous photographs of Masahiko Tanaka demonstrating kumite techniques along with Takenori Imura, Fujikiyo Omura and Malcolm Fisher. The original version of this book was in Japanese. It was later translated into German. In 2001 the book was slightly modified and translated from Japanese into English by Schlatt. On page 248 of the English version the book indicates that Malcolm Fisher (incorrectly spelled Fischer in the book) was born in Canada during May 1952 and as of 2001 was 5th dan.

Photographic images of Malcolm Fisher occur at least 151 times in this book. Malcolm Fishers clearly recognizable images are on pages: 43, 52, 53, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 150, 151, 152,153, 204, 205, 206, 207, 208, 209 and 248 of the English language version. Most of the photographs appear to be still excerpts from high speed black and white movie film.

The inside front page of the English version of the book indicates:
Consignment by
Michael Gotzelmann
Loewestr.1
97922 Lauda-Konigshofen
Germany
e-mail: info@schlatt-books.de
website: www.schlatt-books.de

Copyright c 2001 of the English version by
Erhard Gotzelmann
Loewestr.1
97922 Lauda-Konigshofen,
Germany

THE JKA INSTRUCTOR STATUS CONFIRMATION:
Malcolm Fisher was awarded his 4th dan and B Instructor Licence by Sensei Masatoshi Nakayama (1913 - 1987), in the presence of the senior JKA teachers from around the world, just prior to the 1st Shoto Cup in Tokyo in 1985. In February 1986 Masahiko Tanaka mailed Malcolm Fisher a recommendation letter confirming Malcolm Fisher's status as a JKA Instructor. Scanned images of that letter and its envelope are provided at the bottom of this web page.

THE PROBLEM:
The problem is that in spite of both the book by Masahiko Tanaka, which indicates Malcolm Fishers dan rank in 2001, and the recommendation letter from Masahiko Tanaka in 1986, which confirms Malcolm Fisher's JKA Instructor status, Malcolm Fisher is not recognized on the JKA web site as a JKA Instructor Program graduate.

THE CHARACTER DEFECT:
Masatoshi Nakayama wrote the Foreward to Masahiko Tanaka's book Karate-Do Perfecting Kumite. Refering to Masahiko Tanaka, Masatoshi Nakayama wrote in 1985:"Maybe from now on he will live life with the true meaning of Karate-Do." It appears from this English translation of the original Japanese that Nakayama was uncertain about Tanaka's character. The subsequent behavior of Masahiko Tanaka seems to confirm the existence of a character defect. Just because someone is superb at execution of physical karate techniques does not mean that he/she otherwise behaves in an exemplary manner.

THE PARADOX:
Masahiko Tanaka should explain why as of April 2012 Malcolm Fisher's name does not appear on the JKA website as a graduate of the JKA Instructor Program. This is a paradox that only Masahiko Tanaka can answer. How does Masahiko Tanaka justify recognizing Malcolm Fishers dan rank and instructor status via his book and his letter but not recognizing Malcolm Fishers dan rank and instructor status on the JKA web site?

In North America, if a senior official of a major institution of higher learning tampered with records or otherwise refused to confirm the qualifications of one of the institutions graduates, there would likely be major litigation. However the JKA, over which Masahiko Tanaka is a senior official, has arbitrarily refused to recognize Malcolm Fisher's instructor status on the JKA web site. This arbitrary behavior has severely diminished international respect for the JKA.

IMPACT:
Cumulative loss of international respect for the JKA has led to the JKA losing influence over world wide karate instruction, competition and grading standards. Senior JKA officials, including Masahiko Tanaka, have no one but themselves to blame for this situation.

One result of this loss of respect is that international karate competitions, which were once dominated by the JKA, are now primarily governed by the World Karate Federation (WKF).

This web page last updated May 6, 2012.