The 6th All Japan ID Judo Championships took place on 30 August at Nihon Bunka University's Risshikan in Hachioji, Tokyo. This year 76 athletes from across Japan took part — a record field since the event was established following the 2017 World Intellectual Disability Judo Championships in Germany.
The competition was run as a league format. Ahead of the tournament, organisers assessed each athlete's physical strength, athletic ability, understanding of the contest, anticipation of danger, anticipation of opponents' movements and judo skill during a friendly practice session on 29 August, then divided the athletes into 25 groups.
At the opening ceremony, Hamana Tomoo, head of the AJJF's intellectual disability judo promotion committee, declared the event open. AJJF President Nakamura Shinichi said the federation is working under the motto "Judo for All — judo for everyone" to build an environment where everyone can share judo's values regardless of sex, age or disability, and encouraged athletes to enjoy the day.
The competition used a special rule set combining IJF rules and world-championship rules with additions designed for safety: techniques such as attacking from the knees, mounting an opponent after a technique, gripping the back collar, neck-compressing groundwork, joint locks and chokes were prohibited. Athletes train with these rules throughout the year, and the contests featured upright grips, standing throws and careful breakfalls.
Among the participants were three judoka selected for the ID judo category of the Queensland International Open 2026 on 19–20 September: Kosai Kyogo, Shinohara Koki and Yoshida Kotaro. All three made the podium in their leagues.
Full league-by-league results are available from eJudo.
The meaning of ID judo
ID judo is judo for people with intellectual disabilities. The classification system reflects not only weight and sex but also how safely and meaningfully each athlete can compete, so that every participant faces appropriate challenges. The record entry list and the careful organisation together show how the community continues to grow.