Japanese Grandmaster Hanshi Katsyyuki Fukatoshi (left) at the news meet in Jamshedpur on Tuesday. Picture by Srinivas

Jamshedpur, April 20: Over 400 karatekas from six countries will vie for top honours at the 5th International Goju Ryu Karate Do Championship to be held at New Badminton Hall Indoor Stadium here on April 22 and 23.

Outlining the details of the championship today, organising committee secretary Sensei L. Nageshwar Rao said Japan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal Bhutan and host India would participate in the meet.

The event is being organised by the All India Okinawa Goju Ryu Karate Do Federation, an affiliated unit of the All India Karate Do Federation.

Rao said 55 karatekas from Jharkhand, among whom 11 are based in Jamshedpur, will represent India.

Though the main proceedings begin on Thursday, a seminar by Grandmaster Hanshi Katsyyuki Fukatoshi, the 10th DAN from Japan, will be organised tomorrow. Fukatoshi, who will also be the chief referee at the championship, has already dropped anchor with a three-member team.

The meet will see events in both kumite and kata sections. Chief minister Shibu Soren will inaugurate the championship while former East Singhbhum deputy commissioner Nitin Madan Kulkarni will be handed over his Black Belt on the concluding day.

Sensei Michiko Uchida (Japan), Sensei BR Mitra (Nepal), Shihan HDCJ Parera (Sri Lanka), Sensei Khaled Monsur Chowdhury (Bangladesh), Sensei Subba (Bhutan) and Rao (India) have been nominated as coaches and referees.