The All Japan Open – a legendary tournament at the highest level. This year we can look forward to the 50 edition! The tournament will be held the 13th and 14th October. The open weight tournament has been a good pointer for whom fighter that will be in the absolute top in the World Championship..!

Information about the 50th All Japan Open tournament to find at WKO Shinkyokushinkai official website.

As mention, the All Japan Open has been a good pointer in front of the World Championship. And if we take a look back at previous results, it is only one time that the World Champion has been a another person than the one who won the All Japan Open the year in front.

In 1996 we had a setting with the World Championship and The All Japan Open that is in the opposite order than now. (if not mistaken) the 6th World Championship was held early in the year (January) as the All Japan Open was held later on, in the autumn. Anyway – legendary Norichika Tsukamoto was on top of both tournaments – as he repeated later.

World Championship 1996 – 28th All Japan Open – Norichika Tsukamoto.

In 1998, the 30th All Japan Open was held, and this time it was in the order that we are used to now – a year before the World Championship. The winner as Toru Okamoto, and as we know he did also win the World Championship the year after.

1998 All Japan Open and 1999 7th World Championship – Toru Okamoto.

2002, 34th All Japan Open showed Kunihiro Suzuki on a winning streak. Suzuki is noted with three All Japan Open tittles in a row at that point. And he became the World Champion at the 8th World Championship the year after, in 2003.

2002 All Japan Open and

2003 8th World Championship – Kunihiro Suzuki.

In 2006, 38th All Japan Open, Norichika Tsukamoto was back at the top, but this time it was the runner up who became the World Champion in 2007, Takayuki Tsukakoshi. This is the only time that different person win the All Japan Open/ World Championship.

2006 All Japan Open Norichika Tsukamoto. 2007 World Championship Takayuki  Tsukakoshi.

2010, 42nd All Japan Open, once again Norichika Tsukamoto became the champion. And as we all know and remember, took the following World Championship as well. The runner up – Tsutomo Muruyama was the runner up in both tournaments.

2010 All Japan Open and

10th World Championship 2011 – Norichika Tsukamoto.

In 2014, The 46th All Japan Open, we can say that a a generation shift had occurred. Winner Yuji Shimamoto. Also this time the winner and the runner up in the All Japan Open was the same the year after in the World Championship Yuji Shimamoto followed by Kembu Iriki.

2014, 46th All Japan Open and The 11th World Championship 2015 – Yuji Shimamoto.

So what will be the names in this All Japan Open – and will the same fighter manage to take it all the way to the World Championship in 2019? Its still remains to see, but if we look at the history we should not be surprised if it goes in that direction…but how far?