{{short description|Japanese karateka}} {{Multiple issues| {{BLP primary sources|date=February 2011}} {{BLP sources|date=February 2011}} }}
{{Infobox martial artist | name = Akira Masuda | image = Akira Masuda.jpg | image_size = 193px | caption = Akira Masuda presiding at Ko Ryu Jiai (Tournament), Japan, 3 November 2003 | birth_date = {{birth date|1962|5|22|mf=y}} | birth_place = Kanazawa, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan | death_date = | death_place = | height = {{height|m=1.77|precision=0}} | weight = {{convert|85.5|kg|lb st|abbr=on}} | martial_art = Kyokushin Karate | teacher = Masutatsu Oyama | rank = | students = }}
{{Nihongo|'''Akira Masuda'''<ref>Note on Japanese names: Family names go before given names, so in Japan he is known as Masuda Akira, while in the west he is usually referred to as Akira Masuda</ref>|増田 章|Masuda Akira}} (born May 22, 1962) is a Japanese Kyokushin kaikan karateka. In March 1991 he completed the 100 man kumite supervised by Mas Oyama.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20061026101513/http://www.masutatsuoyama.com/100mankumite.htm masutatsuoyama.com: "100 Man Kumite - Akira Masuda (March, 1991)"]</ref>
He was born in 1962 in Kanazawa, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan. In junior high school he was captain of the school judo club.<ref>[http://books.livedoor.com/item4902535033.html primary source: biography Masuda, Akira "Freestyle Karate"] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120720130313/http://books.livedoor.com/item4902535033.html |date=2012-07-20 }} {{ISBN|978-4-902535-03-7}}, Novelpress, August 2007</ref> When he was 16 years old he joined Kyokushin Kaikan Ishikawa Dojo. At 19 years old he made his debut in his first All Japan Tournament.
He remained a top athlete in Kyokushin All Japan Tournaments, going on to beat Michel Wedel, Gerard Gordeau and Michael Thompson.<ref>[http://www.kyokushinresults.freeserve.co.uk/Pages/Japan/AJiko2.htm kyokushinresults.freeserve.co.uk <br>14th All Japan - 1982, 8th place: Akira Masuda;<br>15th All Japan - 1983, 5th place: Akira Masuda;<br>17th All Japan, 1985, 3rd place: Akira Masuda;<br>18th All Japan, 1986, 2nd place: Akira Masuda;<br>21st All Japan, 1989, 4th place: Akira Masuda;<br>22nd All Japan, 1990, 1st place: Akira Masuda] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070912002200/http://www.kyokushinresults.freeserve.co.uk/Pages/Japan/AJiko2.htm |date=2007-09-12 }}</ref> He fought and lost to Andy Hug<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.andyhug.com/content_detail,48,r,_Ez.html |title=andyhug.com |access-date=2007-09-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070918230217/http://www.andyhug.com/content_detail,48,r,_Ez.html |archive-date=2007-09-18 |url-status=dead }}</ref> however Hug was unable to walk after the fight.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.kyokushinresults.freeserve.co.uk/Pages/Profiles/FPJapan.htm |title=kyokushinresults.freeserve.co.uk: "Fighter Profiles Japan" |access-date=2007-09-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070911062548/http://www.kyokushinresults.freeserve.co.uk/Pages/Profiles/FPJapan.htm |archive-date=2007-09-11 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In 1990 he won a gold medal in the 22nd All Japan Kyokushin Tournament.<ref>[http://www.kyokushinresults.freeserve.co.uk/Pages/Japan/AJchampiko1.htm kyokushinresults.freeserve.co.uk: "All Japan Champions: 1990 Champion Akira Masuda"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728023959/http://www.kyokushinresults.freeserve.co.uk/Pages/Japan/AJchampiko1.htm |date=2011-07-28 }}</ref> and in 1991 he placed second in the 5th World Karate Tournament.<ref>[http://www.kyokushincanada.com/tournamentResoults.htm kyokushincanada.com : "November 2-4, 1991, Tokyo. 2nd place : Akira Masuda, Japan"]</ref>
He is the shihan of Kyokushin Kaikan Masuda Dojo.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.budo-karate.aki.gs/ |title=Kyokushin Kaikan Masuda Dojo (in Japanese) |access-date=2010-03-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100323184713/http://www.budo-karate.aki.gs/ |archive-date=2010-03-23 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2007 Masuda published the book "Freestyle Karate"<ref>Masuda, Akira 'Freestyle Karate' {{ISBN|978-4-902535-03-7}}, Novelpress, August 2007</ref> and in 2009 he published "Masuda Akira - Go, Budojin toshite Ikiru".<ref>Masuda, Akira 'Masuda Akira - Go, Budojin toshite Ikiru' {{ISBN|978-4-8094-0768-0}}, Budo-ra Books, February 2009</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
== External links == *[http://www.masuda-karate.com/ Masuda Dojo] {{in lang|ja}}
{{Karate schools}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Masuda, Akira}} Category:Living people Category:1962 births Category:Sportspeople from Kanazawa, Ishikawa Category:Japanese male karateka Category:Japanese karate coaches Category:Kyokushin kaikan practitioners Category:20th-century Japanese sportsmen