The Embassy of Japan in Rwanda and the Rwanda Karate Federation (FERWAKA) co-organized the 6th Ambassador’s Cup Karate Tournament 2024 on Saturday, February 10th, at Notre-Dame des Anges Primary School. About 20 karate clubs got together for the competition, which consists of Kata in which players demonstrate a combination of various techniques and Kumite in which two players fight against each other.
At the opening ceremony, His Excellency Mr. Isao FUKUSHIMA, Ambassador of Japan to Rwanda, expressed his gratitude to FERWAKA for its effort to promote karate in Rwanda. He stated that karate is a way of self-development through daily training, and it is essentially different from Western sports and attracts many people around the world including Rwanda. Now Rwanda has as many as 7,000 karate practitioners. “I hope that Karate, as one of the links between Rwanda and Japan, contributes to further strengthening the friendly relationship between us”, he remarked.
The Embassy of Japan has been cooperating with FERWAKA to promote the Japanese martial art of karate in Rwanda. In September 2018, the Embassy donated karate equipment including 400 tatami mats to FERWAKA. In 2018, FERWAKA was awarded the Japanese Foreign Minister’s Commendation for its promotion of karate in Rwanda for more than twenty years. Also in 2021, Mr. Theogene UWAYO, a former president of FERWAKA, was honored with “The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays” by the Emperor of Japan. The Embassy of Japan will keep on working together with FERWAKA from now on. (End)