Unauthorised Japanese Goju-Ryu Karate Clubs In Singapore

Disclaimer/About Blog

This blog is about honesty and virtue ("Seitoku" or 正德, 誠德) in Karate. It is definitely NOT related to goju fitness concept or any similar names.


This blog do not represent, in any way, nor is directly related to Singapore's "Seitoku-Kan Goju-Ryu Karate".


In fact, this blog is about Japan Goju-Ryu Karate (JKF Goju-Kai), Jitsuekai and Shihan Tanaka NOT being associated/affiliated with Singapore's "Seitoku-Kan Goju-Ryu Karate".


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Misleading Signboard Used by Seitoku Kan Goju Ryu Karate

Seitoku Kan Goju Ryu Karate have shamelessly display the signboard (with Shihan Tanaka's signature mark) and use the Japan Goju-Ryu fist logo to mislead the public and their students that it is affiliated or connected to Japan Goju-Ryu, or that implied that the club is associated with Japan Goju-Ryu or with Shihan Tanaka.

Seitoku Kan Goju Ryu Karate, and her associated clubs are not authorise to associate with Japan Goju-Ryu Karate and also not authorise to display or use the Japan Goju-Ryu fist logo.

The Chief Instructor and President of Singapore Seitoku Kan Goju Ryu Karate, David Thong, was sacked by Shihan Tanaka (and Shihan Tanaka informed JKF Goju-Kai about the sacking) on 23 Nov 2003, and remain so till today.

Therefore, he is not authorized to teach or promote Japan Goju-Ryu Karate, or associated in any way or misrepresented himself by associating with Japan Goju-Ryu Karate. He proclaimed that he is a 5^th Dan in Karate, but it is not Goju-Ryu Karate. In Goju-Ryu Karate, he was only ranked as 3^rd Dan, and there is no record in Goju-Ryu Karate that he has attained a 4^th Dan.

None of the following clubs under David Thong are permitted to represent and mislead the public that they are teaching/promoting Japan Goju-Ryu Karate or associated with Japan Goju-Ryu Karate, or associated with Shihan Tanaka:

Society Name	Society's Place of Business	UEN	Registration Date
Seitoku Kan Goju-Ryu Karate Association	10, Lentor Terrace , Singapore 788905	T03SS0102F	19-05-2003
Eido Kan Karate Club	53, Tampines Avenue 1 , #03-04, The Tropica, Singapore 529772	T08SS0183A	22-09-2008
Jindo Karate Association	38, Namly Place , Singapore 267182	T08SS0208J	07-11-2008
Jundo Kan Karate-Do Association	56, Coronation Road West , #04-04, Astrid Meadows, Singapore 269269	T08SS0204C	01-12-2008
Ken Syu Kan Karate-Do Association	106, Clementi Street 12 , #04-46, Singapore 120106	T08SS0201D	14-11-2008
Seishin Kan Karate Association	178, Loyang Rise , Singapore 507423	T08SS0184H	26-09-2008
Shindo Kai Karate Association	58, Jalan Jambu Ayer , Singapore 588808	T08SS0215D	17-12-2008
Tokushin Karate Association	151, Cavenagh Road , #07-157, Cavenagh Court, Singapore 229628	T08SS0207B	15-11-2008

The Sacking of David Thong

A letter showing that David Thong was sacked was circulated in late 2010:

 

David Thong responded by replying with a letter that was wrote to Japan by the SKF President then. This letter did not dispute the sacking, but claimed that he "no longer associated with Mr Tanaka's Jitsuekai group since 24 Nov 2003" (Note this is the date of sacking letter from Tanaka.).

He also claimed that he remained as a JKF Goju Kai member.

The SKF letter:

The issues are:

1.                  David Thong continues to mislead the public and his students, from Nov 2003 onwards, by using the signboard to give the impression that his club and himself is affiliated to Tanaka, even after he acknowledged that he is no longer associated with Tanaka.

2.                  David Thong continued to claimed affiliation with Japan Goju. This is not true.

Confirmation From Japan

This is the latest confirmation from Japan: 

Goju-Ryu Karate Qualifications of David Thong

David Thong's claims are false/misleading and are being challenged:

1.                  His 5th Dan is NOT from Goju-Ryu, and he is not authorised to teach Japan Goju-Ryu Karate. David Thong was graded JKF Gojukai 3rd Dan in 2000.

2.                  Some background: When Richard Ng took over as President of SKF in 2005, he changed the grading system to conversion. David Thong took this opportunity by submitting his 5th Dan FEKO (Federation of English Karate Organisations) instead of his 3rd Dan JKF Gojukai certificate to apply for a 5th Dan equivalent conversion. It was also known in the Karate community that David Thong took 5^th Dan grading under Sensei Ishikawa in 2004 but this declared "null and void" because he did not have a 4th Dan. Mr Peter Wong, former President of SKF (who was in town recently, i.e. Mar 2010), mentioned that David Thong did not produce the JKF Gojukai 3^rd Dan certificate but he instead produced the 5^th Dan FEKO certificate dated 2002. Peter Wong said that he accepted the FEKO certificate on face value. Also, he confirmed that the SKF letter signed by him in 2003 was only to tell JKF Gojukai that SKF recognized Seitoku Kan as an SKF affiliate. [Note: FEKO is not a member of World Karate Federation, and FEKO certificate is not valid or recognised outside UK and Northern Ireland. FEKO is member of World Karate Confederation, which is not with WKF and IOC. In fact WKC is not working with WKF.]

3.                  Tournament achievement: As Zen Shin Ren member, David Thong participated in two Pesta Sukan tournaments and won at least bronze medals but not definitely not gold medal. He also particpated in JKF Goju-Kai tournament but did not win any medal. Other than participating in the Pesta Sukan and JKF Goju tournament, he was not a member of the National karate team or participated in any SEA Games, AKF or WKF as a players. If he claimed he participated in many regional and International tournament and won many medals, he should disclose which tournament and category and which year.

4.                  The picture showing that he was with the President - it was taken when he was a member of Singapore Scout Karate Club, which is affiliated to Zen Shin Ren.