Nakayama Masatoshi

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Nakayama Masatoshi (中山正敏, 1913–1987) was a high-ranking master of Shotokan karate-dō who graduated to the rank of 9th dan.

Nakayama was born in the Yamaguchi prefecture. He began studying karate after enrolling in Takushoku University in 1932, where he trained under Funakoshi Gichin and Funakoshi's son Yoshitaka. Nakayama had studied Chinese language at the University and went to China as an interpreter and interogator as part of the Japanese invasion of China in 1937; he was repatriated to Japan in 1946.

In 1949 Nakayama founded the Japan Karate Association with Funakoshi Gichin as supreme instructor, and began to restructure the training by following methods developed in modern sports sciences. He established kata and kumite as tournament disciplines. Students of the large JKA-Dojos subsequently achieved an unequaled series of tournament successes in the 1950s and 1960s. Nakayama is also known for having worked to spread shotokan karate throughout the world. Together with Funakoshi sensei, he formed the JKA instructor trainee program. The highly trained graduates of this program went around the world to found new shotokan dojos in hundreds of different countries. Unfortunately after Mr. Nakayama's death, the JKA split into two factions which led to a splintering within the JKA, with many senior instructors leaving to form their own associations. Japan Shotokan Karate Association (Keigo Abe), Japan Karate Shotokai (Tetsuhiko Asai), Karatenomichi (Mikio Yahara).