Gunji Koizumi, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death

Gunji Koizumi

martial artist

Date of Birth: 08-Jul-1885

Place of Birth: Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan

Date of Death: 15-Apr-1965

Profession: judoka

Nationality: Japan

Zodiac Sign: Cancer

Gunji Koizumi (?? ??, Koizumi Gunji, 8 July 1885 – 15 April 1965), known affectionately by colleagues as G.K., was a Japanese master of judo who introduced this martial art to the United Kingdom, and came to be known as the 'Father of British Judo.' He was the founder of the Budokwai, a pioneering Japanese martial arts society in England.
Koizumi helped establish the British Judo Association, and founded the European Judo Union.
He held the rank of 8th dan in judo.
Koizumi's apparent suicide in 1965 shocked the worldwide judo community.