A message from a group of bereaved parents to the families of victims and other people who are concerned
“Every year children die from judo injuries. Judo can be a dangerous sport so it is imperative that greater attention be given to proper instruction and that safety measures be fully and thoroughly applied. Martial arts will soon become compulsory for boys in all public junior high schools, and we seriously question the adequacy of current judo safety precautions and practices.
When judo deaths and injuries occur under the supervision of schools, we, the families of the victims, often encounter barriers to the investigations into the causes and into who was responsible. As has been reported in the media, facts are sometimes hidden from families and investigators to protect individuals and institutions.
In deep sorrow and despair, we fight against the anger and agony that rises in our hearts following the tragic events that took our loved ones from us. And yet, as we try to seek the truth about the incidents, we confront obstacles, and are constantly frustrated by the current attitudes and inertia regarding judo deaths, in the community and the school system, and this aggravates our suffering even more.
Judo accidents can change the lives of victims and their families instantly and forever. We have founded this group to offer victims and their families all the support that we can and to promote judo safety so that no more families suffer the grief and pain that we have.”
