JJIF President Panagiotis Theodoropoulos is looking to increase competitive ju-jitsu participation in Japan ©JJIF

Ju-Jitsu International Federation (JJIF) President Panagiotis Theodoropoulos is determined to increase the sport's popularity in Japan but has accused United World Wrestling of hindering their progress.

Ju-jitsu originated in Japan but the country did not send a single athlete to the Ju-Jitsu Asian Championships here in Bangkok.

This is something Theodoropoulos wants to change in future editions of the event.

"We are trying to collaborate with Japanese people, but it's not so easy," he told insidethegames.

"Ju-jitsu, as a name, came from Japan but the way we are performing ju-jitsu does not have much to do with Japan.

"Historically ju-jitsu in Japan was forbidden to the people, it was only for the high-class part of society.

"So still in Japan there are four or five academies.

"They are not interested in the competitive aspect of the sport, they are interested in the martial art.

"Of the practitioners of ju-jitsu all around the world, only three to four per cent compete.

Despite ju-jitsu originating in Japan, the country was not represented at the Asian Championships in Bangkok ©JJAU
Despite ju-jitsu originating in Japan, the country was not represented at the Asian Championships in Bangkok ©JJAU

"The others like to have knowledge of ju-jitsu, they like to practice almost every day but they don't want to compete.

"Japan is a big example of this."

Another obstacle to Japan's participation in ju-jitsu is a conflict with United World Wrestling (UWW).

The grappling discipline, which had its first World Championships organised by the governing body in 2008, bears too close a resemblance to ju-jitsu in Theodoropoulos' eyes.

"Then in Japan we have another problem, I don't know how we can solve it," he said.

"The problem starts with the wrestling federation [United World Wrestling].

"The wrestling federation has started to develop the grappling discipline in gi [martial arts uniform] so all the time we have a dispute.

"Last time in the Southeast Asian Games I was talking to the Organising Committee and said, 'what are you doing?'

The Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games are seen as an ideal opportunity for the JJIF to drive an increase of ju-jitsu participation in Japan ©Getty Images
The Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games are seen as an ideal opportunity for the JJIF to drive an increase of ju-jitsu participation in Japan ©Getty Images

"We have wrestling with gi, we have ne-waza with gi in ju-jitsu.

"It's the same. 

"In Japan, the wrestling federation is blocking the recognition of ju-jitsu.

"Now we are in contact with budo in Japan to include ju-jitsu as a traditional part of the culture.

"I hope that they will.

"The Japanese are good in ju-jitsu, they don't wear gi, they are all out.

"It's OK, they will come."

The JJIF is aiming to stage more events in Japan in the coming years and after Hangzhou 2022 this year the next edition of the Asian Games is set to take place in Aichi and Nagoya in 2026.

Theodoropoulos is aiming to use this as a chance to work closely with Japanese stakeholders as ju-jitsu is due to feature on the sporting programme.