To All Branch Masters and Kenshi
of the World Shorinji Kempo Organization

The restrictions by national governments around the world have been about the same so far, but now started to differ from country to country. Depending on the local circumstances with the COVID-19, some countries have lifted their lockdowns partially or allow people to go out conditionally, and economic activities are going back toward the normal state step by step. However, many countries still ban indoor activities. We will have to wait a little longer before we can fully return to our regular Shorinji Kempo practice. Also, the recent news reported mass infections occurred in China’s Wuhan and South Korea. These countries were thought that the virus was nearly eradicated.

On the whole, the COVID-19 cannot be eradicated easily; people’s careless acts may bring a possibility of a second outbreak, as wise people as you are well aware. You have been patiently staying at home for nearly two months with very limited freedom in your normal daily activities, in going to work, and in practicing Shorinji Kempo. To avoid wasting all these efforts, I believe what is required for us is calm assessment.

If you plan to resume your regular Shorinji Kempo practice, grading examinations, or various events, please check the guidelines below as the minimum conditions.

Each time I see the news reports on the tremendous work provided by health professionals and on the new medicines or vaccines being developed by medical institutes, I am assured that the current situation will not last forever. I believe you feel the same. Let’s all stay strong for a little longer to overcome the situation.

If you have any questions, please ask the WSKO Secretariat.

Kesshu.

Kazuhiro Kawashima
Secretary-General
World Shorinji Kempo Organization (WSKO)

[ Topics ]

1. Guidelines for Resuming Shorinji Kempo Promotional Activities Under this pandemic, WSKO gives the top priority to the safety and health of all the members, their families, and people concerned, because I am sure that this will be the base for our prosperity movement toward establishing the ideal society.
Therefore, please check the items below and give it a careful consideration before you decide to re-start your activities.
If you see any other matters to be considered, please give them your careful attention.

(1) Official announcements of WHO
(2) Safety announcement is declared by your government (the ministry of health or equivalent), or rules such as stay-at-home order or banned indoor activities are lifted or eased.
(3) If you are in a Regular Group Member (a national federation), please discuss in the federation and reach an agreement.
(4) If you are in an Associate Group Member (a country without a national federation), please discuss with the senior members of your branch. If there are neighboring branches, please also discuss with them.
(5) Agreement is made with the facility you use for your branch activities.

2. “Shorinji Kempo Group Channel” on YouTube Some videos of solo embu or lectures are posted on the above channel.
They are not educational materials but this channel is provided as supplement to easy at-home self-practice for kenshi in Japan.
Therefore, we do not plan to cover the techniques following the curriculums or to add subtitles in languages other than Japanese.
I believe that indoor activities are limited in many countries like in Japan. Planning and giving on-line training classes as you do in regular classes are encouraged.

(For Item 3, please read the e-mail sent from the WSKO Secretariat to Branch Masters)

To All Branch Masters and Kenshi
of the World Shorinji Kempo Organization

In many countries around the world, extraordinary measures such as border closures and home quarantines remain in order to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus. Many of them set the end of such measures to the beginning of May. We only hope that these harsh measures will end at the set dates. However, we do not see many good news and the possibility is high that they may be extended. Due to such circumstances, we wonder many of you are forced to live with less freedom not only to stop practicing Shorinji Kempo for a long time.

If there is any branch master or kenshi who is not well, we sincerely wish for speedy recovery.

If there is any branch master or kenshi who continues to work to support people’s lives, who is a healthcare professional, or who works in the field related to preventing the spread of the virus, we would like to express our deep appreciation and respect, and pray that they will keep themselves safe and healthy.

Under such a still difficult circumstances, we see wonderful activities; many kenshi are connected beyond their own branches or even country borders via online meeting applications or alike to stay together, exercise together, and cheer up each other. Some of you may already participate in such activities. Such wonderful efforts remind us that we have comrades of Shorinji Kempo in so many countries and continents, and that we can support each other.

What we need is to “Stay Home” for a little longer. All branch masters may have already been doing something for their kenshi who follow you. There may be some kenshi or their family who feel depressed. Even if it is via internet connection, or even if it is a short time, being connected to someone and doing physical exercise together, that would affect their minds positively, as a human is “Shin Shin Ichinyo” (Body and mind work together).
It would be wonderful if Shorinji Kempo can contribute to maintaining the bonds between people and their health.

Let’s believe that the human wisdom will end this pandemic in the near future. Then, let’s make the World Taikai next year an opportunity for many of you to talk about the wonderful power of Shorinji Kempo and its potentiality. For that purpose, let’s do our best now to maintain healthy body and mind.

Kesshu.

Kouma So, President
Kazuhiro Kawashima, Secretary-General
and Secretariat Staff
of the World Shorinji Kempo Organization (WSKO)

[TOPICS]
Please read three topics below and contact WSKO Secretariat if you have any questions.

1. Operations of the WSKO Secretariat
Like many other countries, Japan where the WSKO Secretariat is located is seeing more severe consequences of the novel coronavirus, and its government announced the state of emergency recently.
Based on the declaration, the WSKO Secretariat staff has been working from home since April 20. However, we have re-arranged our network system so that the staff can receive/send messages at wskohq@shorinjikempo.or.jp from home every day.

Due to the temporal closure of branches around the world, we are receiving less registration documents and orders for goods, but please feel reassured; we are open for documents and applications by e-mail as usual, and for any inquiries.
However, please understand that we have stopped mailing the membership cards, Kyu and Dan certificates and learning materials due to the suspension of the postal service in many countries. When the services are back in normal operation, we will start mailing them in the proper order.

2. Special Dan Examinations in FY2020
Among the UNITY Study Sessions scheduled in FY2020, some have already been cancelled. The examinations scheduled in Japan have also been canceled for the time being. Please understand that we do not announce any schedules for Special Dan Examinations to avoid inappropriate announcement under the circumstances where many countries including Japan are trying to deal with this extraordinary situation.

3. WSKO Membership Fees and Examination Fees (SHORINJI KEMPO UNITY) We made an announcement on this matter on March 24, 2020.
We will send you the invoices as scheduled in the mid-May. If you have any request regarding payment, please contact the WSKO Secretariat.

End.