Guardian Girls Karate Instructor Course Unites Asia
In celebration of International Women’s Day, the World Karate Federation (WKF), Guardian Girls International (GGI), and the Japan Karate Federation (JKF), in cooperation with Guardian Girls Japan, Koyamada International Foundation Japan (KIF Japan), and rYojbaba, hosted a Guardian Girls Karate Instructor’s Course for the Asia region at the Japan Karate Federation headquarters in Tokyo on March 7–8, 2026.
The purpose of the course was to increase and certify female instructors for the Guardian Girls Karate (GGK) programme, enabling the expansion of the programme across the region while advancing gender equality and contributing to the promotion of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 5: Gender Equality.
The course was led by Amy Connell of Scotland and Teresa Garcia of Spain, with female karate instructors representing ten WKF member national federations from across Asia, including Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Macau, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam.
During the training sessions, participating instructors engaged in a variety of practical and educational modules. These included self-defense techniques designed to address situations women may encounter in both public and private spaces, as well as educational discussions on gender-based violence and broader international issues affecting women and girls. The programme aims not only to provide practical skills but also to deepen participants’ understanding of the social challenges women face worldwide.
As part of the course, Mr. Junichi Sakai, President of the Sakai Osteopathic Group, a Japan-based network of clinics, together with a female therapist from his team, provided a special demonstration session. They introduced participants to osteopathic techniques and shared knowledge about physical conditioning, injury prevention, and the importance of maintaining athletes’ physical health. Participants welcomed the opportunity to learn about the role of proper body care and recovery in martial arts training.
During the course, several distinguished guests visited the training sessions to welcome and encourage the new instructors, including Mr. Toshihisa Nagura, General Secretary of the World Karate Federation, Mr. Shin Koyamada, the co-creator of the Guardian Girls program and Secretary General of Guardian Girls International, Ms. Kiyou Shimizu, silver medalist at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, and Mr. Takashi Sasakawa, Honorary Chairman of the Japan Karate Federation.
Upon certification, the instructors are authorized to organize Guardian Girls Karate seminars through their respective national karate federations, in coordination with and as members of the Guardian Girls National Committees (GGNCs) established in their countries or regions. Through these activities, the programme seeks to empower women and girls by promoting self-defense skills, leadership, confidence, and community engagement.