Kawaraban No. 75 (Summary)

10/2008

by the committee for the establishment of a NPO

After sending in an application to the municipality of Tokyo the Tendokan now received the necessary certification for the foundation of the juridical corporation of a NPO (a special non-profit oriented juridical corporation) named ‘tendo world aikido’ (abbreviation: twa). Based upon voluntary activities this NPO (no-profit organization) provides public services; she is an organization with no commercial objectives, but the objectives is to develop with the Tendokan organizational activities to spread Aikido locally and abroad. Accordingly in the following we will provide you with a short outline.

Targets

Target is to improve public health and to support young people locally and abroad by spreading of Tendoryu Aikido; an additional target is to serve the purpose of international exchange.

Relation between the Tendokan and the NPO

There will be no change in the Tendokan as a Dojo. Daily practice will be the same as up to now. This message is information how a ‘NPO’ was established as a new worldwide organization, which among others has the objective to further deepen the exchange between the Tendokan and students from abroad.

Activities

The NPO plans the following activities to spread Tendoryu Aikido locally and as well abroad:

1. Planning and management of seminars
2. Aikido demonstrations targeting at people as well in the region
3. Support of Shimizu Sensei’s foreign seminars
4. Support of foreign students visiting Japan
5. Public activities regarding the design etc. of the Tendokan homepage
6. Others

Membership and Membership Fees

(1) Membership

All Tendokan students Japan and Germany abroad as central members) will receive the membership (automatically)

(2) Membership Fee (expenses for the activities)

The expenses for the activities of the NPO will be covered via the membership fees for twa. However, the Dojo will provide 3.000 Yen as membership fee for the NPO per person, as new charges will not be generated for the Japanese students.

(3) Supporting Members

Those, who wish to back-up the activities but are no members (for example the parents of the young pupils or former members) may become supporting members with a reduced membership fee of 1.000 Yen.

Source of NPO activities: participation of all

Regarding the activities of the NPO the cooperation of all is indispensable. Up to now voluntary students helped at many levels with the organization of the Kagamibiraki ceremony, informal social gatherings, student’s demonstrations and so on. The motivation for the activities of the NPO is as well the feeling of thankfulness, which develops if people ask themselves how they could do in some way or the other something for the Dojo, for their comrades and for themselves. In future we will ask for much help regarding the activities for the NPO.

References

The preparatory committee for the foundation of the NPO: about two years ago the meetings for the study of a form of a juridical corporate body for the Tendokan started. Members are among others Sensei Kenji Shimizu, Koichi Watanabe, Kenta Shimizu; supporters were Takaharu Asaka (advisor) and others.

© translated by Ichiro Murata and Peter Nawrot 12/2008