About Us

The history of the National Karate Jujutsu Federation (NKJF) is not merely the story of an organization. It is the continuation of a living lineage—one forged through succession, honor, and the enduring bond between Japanese and American martial arts history.

What stands today as the NKJF is far more than a contemporary organization or a name change. It is the fulfillment of a legacy decades in the making, rooted in authentic budo, preserved by rightful succession, and carried forward by those entrusted to protect its spirit and direction.

The Foundation:  From Kuniba to Baillargeon

The deeper roots of this lineage reach back to the relationship between Soke Shogo (Kosho) Kuniba, remembered in martial arts history as Meijin and a master of Shito-ryu Karate-Do, and Richard Peter Baillargeon, known respectfully to many as Soke, Soke B., and Mr. B.

Through this bond, the foundation was laid for what would become one of the enduring links between Japanese and American traditional martial arts. Richard P. Baillargeon trained for many years under Kuniba Soke and became a pivotal figure in bringing Motobu-Ha Shito-ryu to the United States. Though he trained with others during his martial journey, the essential validation of his standing, authority, and direction came through Kuniba Soke.

In 1974, Baillargeon formally established the National Karate Jiu Jitsu Union (NKJU) in Valdosta, Georgia, creating an organization to preserve traditional budo values while providing American practitioners with legitimacy, structure, and purpose.

Formal Recognition and International Standing

In the years that followed, Soke Kuniba formally recognized the NKJU as a legal, international certifying body. This marked a significant milestone in the organization’s development and gave lasting authority to its mission. Under this recognition, the NKJU became more than a domestic association; it became a bridge between Japanese martial tradition and American practitioners, with Richard P. 

Baillargeon serving as Shodai (First Generation) Kaicho.

This recognition established a lasting principle: that the organization existed not merely to issue rank, but to preserve and transmit authentic budo through recognized lineage, technical integrity, and honorable stewardship.

The Line of Succession

Before his passing, Shodai Kaicho Baillargeon appointed Hanshi Tola E. Lewis, Jr. as his successor, making him the Nidai (Second Generation) Kaicho of the NKJU. Lewis Sensei, also a student of the Kuniba tradition, preserved the organization's integrity and maintained its connection to its Japanese roots.

For decades, both Soke Baillargeon and Hanshi Lewis carried forward their work under the names NKJU and NKJU-International (NKJU-I). They did not trademark these names, not because they lacked foresight, but because their focus was on teaching, preservation, and the transmission of martial values rather than legal formalities. Their work was rooted in budo, not bureaucracy.

The Modern Era: Transition to NKJF

In 2016, Hanshi Steven E. Johnson was formally appointed in writing by Sensei Lewis as his successor, thereby becoming the Sandai (Third Generation) Kaicho of the NKJU and the Nidai Kaicho of NKJU-International.

Upon assuming this responsibility, Hanshi Johnson sought to protect the historic identity and legacy of NKJU/NKJU-I, only to discover that those names had already been registered by an unaffiliated individual. Rather than allow the lineage to be displaced, diminished, or detached from its rightful heritage, he took the necessary steps to preserve its continuity.

From that effort, the National Karate Jujutsu Federation (NKJF) was established in 1974—not as a departure from the past, but as the rightful continuation of the original mandate. Under the NKJF name, the organization entered a new era: renewed in identity, strengthened in purpose, and deepened in its philosophical commitment to true budo principles.

With this transition, Hanshi Steven E. Johnson was recognized as Founder, Shodai Kaicho, and President/Director of the NKJF, ensuring that the lineage, history, and mission of the organization would continue under honorable and traceable leadership.

The Full Circle of History

The significance of the present era becomes even more profound when one considers the striking historical parallels now brought full circle.

Just as Soke Shogo (Kosho) Kuniba was recognized in martial arts history as Meijin and a master of Shito-ryu Karate-Do, so too is Soke Hideharu Ishii recognized as Meijin and a master of Shito-ryu Karate-Do. This parallel is not incidental; it is deeply symbolic.

What began decades ago with the bond between Kuniba Soke and Baillargeon, and continued with Lewis Sensei, now finds renewed affirmation in the modern era with Johnson Sensei.

Adding to this historical symmetry is the fact that Hanshi Steven E. Johnson has been a practitioner of Kuniba’s Shito-ryu for 51 years. His lifelong devotion to that tradition gives profound meaning to the recognition he has now received. This is not the story of an individual seeking connection to a distant lineage; it is the story of a martial artist who has spent over half a century walking that path and now sees that journey affirmed in a manner that completes the historical circle.

Closing the Circle:  2026

In 2026, through the efforts of Hanshi Brett Mayfield and with recognition from Soke Hideharu Ishii and the Nippon Budo Kokusai Renmei / Japan Budo International Federation, Hanshi Steven E. Johnson received recognition, including 9th Dan (Kudan) and the Menkyo Daishihan (Grand Master License).

This moment represents more than personal recognition. It represents the closing of a historical circle.

What began through Kuniba Soke was transmitted through Baillargeon, preserved through Lewis, and carried faithfully by Johnson, has once again been affirmed through high-level Japanese recognition within the world of Shito-ryu Karate-Do. The full-circle similarities are profound: from one Meijin of Shito-ryu to another, from one era of Japanese-American martial connection to the next, from one generation of stewardship to another.

This affirms that the NKJF is not merely a modern organization, but the direct successor to the original 1974 vision and to the enduring bond between Japanese and American martial traditions.

A Legacy Carried by Many

No legacy is preserved by one person alone.

Since 1974, instructors, students, supporters, and friends have all played a part in upholding the budo spirit first established by Soke Baillargeon and those who came before him. Through every generation, this history has been carried not only by leaders, but by members, practitioners, and contributing instructors who believed in the organization and helped sustain its purpose.

The names NKJU and NKJU-International remain forever honored. Their memory lives on in our written history, in our lineage, and in the hearts of those who trained under them. The NKJF stands today because of the sacrifices, loyalty, and dedication of many.

Without our members—past and present—without the direct support of our students, contributing instructors, and friends, none of this would have been possible.

From all sides of my heart, and in the spirit of those who came before me, I offer my deepest gratitude.
I thank you, and so do they.

Continuing the Mandate

Today, that legacy continues under the leadership of every instructor within the NKJF!

Steven E. Johnson, Hanshi, 9th Dan
Founder, President/Director
National Karate Jujutsu Federation (NKJF)

Menkyo DaiShihan, JBIF