Muneoka confirmed as new All Japan Judo Federation President
Wednesday, 21 August 2013
August 21 - Shoji Muneoka has today been confirmed as the new President of the All Japan Judo Federation (AJJF) exactly a week after his predecessor Haruki Uemura's resignation.It is hoped that Muneoka (pictured top, left), the 67-year-old chairman and chief executive of Nippon Steel and Sumitomo Metal Corp, will now usher in a new era for the sport in the land of its birth after a wave of abuse and financial scandals that ultimately led to the departure of 23 leading officials.
Muneoka is the first person from outside the AJJF to hold the top post.
Yasuhiro Chikaishi, former chief of the Osaka prefectural police, was chosen as executive director, with Los Angeles 1984 Olympic gold medallist Yasuhiro Yamashita becoming vice president and Hiromasa Uno being named secretary general as the AJJF officially voted in a new four-man executive team.
Uemura, an Olympic gold medallist in the open division at Montreal 1976 who was appointed head of the AJJF in 2009, officially stepped down last Wednesday (August 14) having come under considerable pressure since January amid revelations of violence being used against female judoka at athletes' training camps in the run up to the London 2012 Olympics.
His position as sports director of the International Judo Federation (IJF) remains under threat following President Marius Vizer's demands for a full report into the scandal by October 15.