The head of karate’s world governing body made a case on Thursday for his sport’s inclusion in the Olympic program at the 2020 Tokyo Games.
Antonio Espinos, president of the World Karate Federation, told a press conference that karate, which originated in Japan was a sport of great potential.
Espinos spoke on the same day on which he paid visits to Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Minister Hakubun Shimomura as well as Tokyo Gov. Yoichi Masuzoe.
Karate has three times been an unsuccessful candidate for inclusion in the main Olympic program, but since the International Olympic Committee decided in December to allow for host cities to recommend additional sports, the door has been flung open for karate and other sports.
Espinos, who arrived in Japan on Wednesday, is to meet with Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee Chairman Yoshiro Mori and Japanese Olympic Committee President Tsunekazu Takeda.
In the coming weeks, Mori and Takeda are also slated to meet World Baseball Softball Confederation President Riccardo Fraccari and World Squash Federation President Narayana Ramachandran.