kokushikan university

[kendokamax]

I would like to know some facts about the incident that happened a few years ago, were a kohai was killed by one his senpai in the kokushikan university.

I know they closed the club after that , but I wondered if it is still close now?

Also if anyone knows the story more in details I would be interested to know about it.

[Nishi]

Killing causes kendo club to call it quits

Mainichi Shimbun

Kokushikan University's prestigious kendo club is to fold following the September incident in which one member kicked his teammate to death, officials of the university in Tokyo's Setagaya-ku announced on Friday.
Hideki Kasai, a 22-year-old final-year student, was indicted on Tuesday on charges of inflicting bodily injury resulting in the death of his 19-year-old junior club mate.

On Friday, Haruo Nishihara, chairman of the university's board of trustees, told a news conference that the board has accepted the club's offer to disband itself, even though Kasai had already been kicked out of the university.

The kendo club was established in 1956 and its men's team has won annual university kendo championships 11 times, and finished runner-up on five other occasions. Their female counterparts also became the national champions six times.

There are 143 members at the club. Many former members of the club, stunned by the decision, have vowed to fight to keep the club going.

"For the sake of current members, we can't allow the club to disband," says Michio Wakimoto, the chairman of the club's old boys association.

Wakimoto said that the association would hold a special meeting on Oct. 30 to discuss ways to avoid such an ignominious end to their beloved club.

"The university decided to fold the club, and it was the only way (for them) to save some graces," said former Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto, who chairs the All Japan Student Kendo Federation.

[LNGUYEN]

Wow! it was worse than a boot camp. Did they practice in military manner?

[alexpollijr]

Kokushikan closed for a while but has been reopened not long ago. In a much lighter mood, I've heard.

- Alexandre

[Nishi]

The kendo club now continues with a low profile as part of the Institute of Budo and Moral Education....

I also found this on the net, but i cannot vouch for its content.

(snippage~)
Most young, keen gaigin (foreigners) practice at university dojo. But be warned, karate in Japanese universities is deadly serious, and I do mean deadly. Several members of the Kokushikan university club wanted to resign so were beaten up by the sempai (seniors) and sensei. Two died of injuries and the club was barred from the campus.

Instead of disbanding they moved to the Hoitsugan in Ebisu and retained their club name. The Kokushikan university is well known for bullying, several members of the hiking club tried to resign and were loaded up with heavy backpacks and marched until they dropped from exhaustion. At least two died on the spot, others were taken to hospital.

I once watched the kendo club practicing in the large dojo. One student slipped and fell to the floor where he was immediately beaten by the others using shinai (split bamboo swords). Kendo is thought of as a true samurai sport. The university has produced many judo, kendo and karate champions.(snippage~)

Arthur Tansley Tokyo August 2000

[aru-ma]

I've heard about that too, somewhat a famous bizzare story in the kendo world (not the magazine), it still scares me everytime I hear it. I don't think it's because they take kendo or whatever they do too seriously, its just bullying at it's extreme where the perpetrators are sure that they will not be opposed and believe that they can do whatever they want to their kohai.

Similar things like this have happened in Indonesian universities, and what made me cringe was they argued that it has a positive effect to the lower classmen (kohai), what positive effect you ask? strengthens the bonds between fellow victims, or so they said.

[SirFingerLickin]

Scary. I remember my girlfriend telling me about how she was supposed to practice somewhere in Japan somewhere over the summer a while ago, but one of the students died at the club, and as a result she didnt go. I wonder if she was supposed to practice there. Wow.

[KATSUJIN]

kokushikan university...i think tats the university from which the kendo club captain came down to singapore awhile back.....the captain and his friend, who were students of my sensei when they were in secondary school, came here to visit.....those guys are super strong...only 21 but yon-dan and super strong....and very nice basics....:D