GENERAL TRIAS, Cavite — A Philippine delegation of 38 karate practitioners has been invited to compete in the 2026 International Friendship Karate Championships and the 1st World Weight Category Championships in Japan on Dec. 12 and 13.
The International Karate Organization Kyokushinkaikan Nakamura, or IKO Nakamura, issued the invitation in an Aug. 30 letter signed by its chairman, Makoto Nakamura. The letter invites Shihan Victor Canon, the group’s branch chief in the Philippines, along with his students and team members.
The organization said it has prepared the documents needed to process visas for 37 delegation members, in addition to Canon.
According to a list released by I.K.O.N. Philippines, the delegates include athletes who will compete in kata and kumite, as well as participants assigned to a seminar, judging and a technical conference.
Among those named are Canon, Virgil Armand Dahilan, Estevan Matthew Locsin, Lianah Kirsten Sapalo, Yaffa Chloe Zuñiga, Regina Victoria Santiago, Maria Christina Sapalo, Ralph Andrei Sinanggote, Jesiel Marie Teston, Elvis Espinosa and Esther Gonzaga.
The delegation advisory says the International Friendship Karate Championships will be held Dec. 12, followed by the World Weight Category Championships on Dec. 13. Both will take place at JCOM Suehiro Gymnasium in Izumisano, Osaka.
The delegation is expected to showcase the skill and discipline of Filipino athletes on the international stage and help promote the growth of karate in the country. Organizers also see the trip as a chance to build friendships and exchange knowledge with practitioners from other countries.
Led by Canon, the delegation will carry the Kyokushin Karate values of perseverance, respect, discipline and tireless effort to Japan.
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