About Toyo University Progress:3rd year student, Department of Business Law, Faculty of Law Kyo Hirata

At Toyo University, many students demonstrate their outstanding talents in a wide range of fields, including scholarly and scientific research, sports, and volunteer activities.
In this edition, We interviewed Kyo Hirata, who won the Men’s +84kg Kumite at the Asia Senior Karate Championships. 

3rd year student, Department of Business Law, Faculty of Law
Kyo Hirata
Toyo University Karate Club, Captain
Graduated Fukui Senior High School

Hirata competed in the Men’s +84kg Kumite at the 18th Asia Senior Karate Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and became the first Japanese karateka to win this division since the 2015 championships.

Karate is My Identity
“I’m stronger!” I said this as a kindergartner when I watched a karate tournament in which my older brother was competing. Then I also started learning karate. I went to the dojo with my two older brothers and only took a day off practice on Sundays. I was raised in a demanding environment where the goal was not learning self-defense but competing in and winning tournaments. I entered a national competition as an elementary school student and was able to win. I remember the pleased expressions of my parents and those around me, but the young me did not understand the value of that victory. When it came time to choose which school I would attend, I was scouted by several top schools. However, for high school and university, I chose middle-ranking schools in terms of karate in Japan. This was because rather than training in an environment with strong teammates, I was more motivated by the satisfaction I got from beating strong opponents from strong schools. I once even spoke with my parents about quitting karate. But what do I do without karate? Karate has become my life to the extent that I am afraid of losing myself.

Facing the International Stage of the Asia Championships as “Japan’s No.1 Karateka”
As a high school student, I won the 2019 Ibaraki National Sports Festival, and the title of “Japan’s No.1 Karateka” followed me around. Even when practicing as usual, people would watch my training with the preconception of “how is Japan’s No.1 karateka training?” I shook off this uneasiness and worked hard on my training with the determination to show everyone how Japan’s No.1 trains. The Asia Senior Championships held last December was the first time I had competed on the international stage for a while. As I was competing, I aimed to win, but I was also concerned.
I complete in the heaviest +84kg class and weigh a little more than that, but I am small compared to international karatekas. Many international karatekas are heavier than me and have longer arms and legs. As there are no karatekas bigger than me in Japan, I went into the competition without being able to train in preparation for such international karatekas. The opponent I faced in the first round was one of potential winners who had won gold at international tournaments. I went into the match with the determination that “if I win here, I will be world-class,” and by making it through the first round, this cleared the path for me to win the championship. By the final, I was reaching my physical limitations due to fatigue and mental stress, and I was behind on points, but I took advantage of an opening in my opponent's guard and took the lead by pulling off a hook kick.

I Want to Lead Toyo to National Victory with the Confidence I Gained from Becoming Asia’s No.1
When the end-of-match buzzer went off, I was so fired up by my dramatic comeback that I couldn’t help but yell. After that, I gradually realized that I had won the championship. Many people were happy for me, including my coach, who thought it would be difficult for me to win. Recently, I have noticed a positive response, with high school students participating in training approaching me. The title of Asia’s No.1 now gives me a lot of confidence, and I think I have gained the ability and mental strength to believe that it is okay to have the title, unlike what I felt when I became No. 1 in Japan.
The Toyo University Karate Club is now in a position where we can aim for national victory at the next championships after the men’s team placed third and the women’s team placed 2nd at last year’s Kanto Championship. Since becoming captain, I have been looking out for my teammates and sometimes giving some harsh advice. My number one goal now is winning the team competition. Of course, I will aim for victory in the individual competition, but as a member of the Toyo University Karate Club, I will work hard with all my teammates to win the national tournament. In the future, I want to become a coach. I want to use my experience to pass on the fun and techniques of karate so that Japanese children can compete on the world stage.

The Asia Senior Karate Championships

The end-of-match buzzer confirms championship victory	Shining bright on the podium as Asia’s No.1	An off-shot taken after the tournament