Ambassador of Japan Noke Masaki awarded President of Egyptian Aikido Association Mohamed el-Sayed the Japanese Foreign Minister’s Commendation in recognition of his longtime efforts to promote aikido, Japanese martial art in Egypt, an embassy statement said Sunday.
Japanese Foreign Minister’s Commendations are awarded to individuals and groups for outstanding achievements and contributions to the promotion of friendship between Japan and other countries, the statement added.
Aikido is a modern Japanese martial art developed during the 1920s to develop physical and mental discipline which is now practiced in 140 countries.
El-Sayed took up aikido in 1980 and won a sixth class black belt, the first in the Middle East in 2016. He is currently the only instructor in the Middle East region who is allowed to use the title ‘Shihan’ (senior instructor) from the Aikikai Foundation in Japan, the statement said.
El Sayed is chairman of the aikido committee of the Egyptian Federation of Judo, Aikido and Sumo in addition to his career in training and supervising aikido at sporting clubs.
El Sayed contributed to establish 9 Dojo (facility to practice martial arts) nationwide. Those contributions have left an indelible mark on the development of aikido in Egypt.
