The All Japan Judo Federation (AJJF) issued a formal notice on 8 September to the presidents of prefectural judo federations and associations and to safety instructors, setting out what to do when head or neck injuries occur in judo. The notice, released under the name of the federation's Major Accident Comprehensive Countermeasures Committee, follows serious and near-serious head and neck injuries this year, including cases before formal reports were filed.
Response steps
The federation said that when a head or neck injury occurs — during practice or competition — an injured person who reports head or neck pain should not simply be rested and watched, even if consciousness appears unaffected. Seeking medical attention, including emergency transport, should be actively considered.
Instructors should also tell the injured person not to hesitate to seek medical care if symptoms such as head or neck pain appear after returning home or the following day, even if nothing seemed wrong at the time.
Supervision of minors
When the injured person is a minor and a guardian is not present at the scene, the federation requires instructors to explain clearly and appropriately the circumstances of the accident, the reasoning behind the decision to call emergency services, the current situation and the intended destination. Even when emergency transport is not needed, guardians should be told — when collecting the child or by phone — to watch the child's condition until the next day and to take them quickly to a specialist hospital if their condition changes. The notice adds that poor communication with guardians is a common cause of distrust and avoidable conflict.
Registration and gradual participation
The federation also reminded clubs that new students and beginners who have not completed registration with the federation should not take part in practice, noting that some unregistered athletes involved in serious accidents have been unable to receive condolence payments. New students and children moving between clubs — even those with judo experience — have reduced fitness and technique and unknown ability, and should join practice gradually.
Accident reporting
Accidents involving head or neck injuries, heatstroke or any other injury requiring emergency hospitalisation must be reported to the federation on an accident report form. The reports are shared and analysed by the federation's committees to identify causes and prevent recurrence; when the federation publishes information on its website, no individual or affiliation details are disclosed.
The notice is addressed to all prefectural federations and associations for thorough dissemination to affiliated organisations.