- Official website of the NKJF HONBU. (Established - November 1974) -
About Us
Five Decades of Martial Arts Excellence
The National Karate Jujutsu Federation (NKJF) is a soon-to-be 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the traditions and spirit of authentic Japanese and Okinawan martial arts. With a lineage tracing back to 1974, NKJF welcomes qualified instructors and students from all traditional disciplines, offering affordable training, leadership opportunities, and recognition for excellence through its Wall of Honorable Mentions and member-driven programs.
A message from Steven E. Johnson, Founder and President/Director of the NKJF.
Welcome to the National Karate Jujitsu Federation, USA-International (NKJF) — a respected and time-honored martial arts family formerly known as the National Karate Jujitsu Union (NKJU) and NKJU-International. For over five decades, we have carried forward the warrior traditions of Imperial Japan and Okinawa, shaping martial artists who embody discipline, respect, and perseverance.
At NKJF, we proudly welcome practitioners from all traditional martial arts styles and systems. Members have the unique opportunity to train, grow, and exchange knowledge with highly qualified instructors and masters from across the globe — all united under one banner.
Whether you’re pursuing personal growth, seeking rank advancement, or looking to join a supportive community of dedicated martial artists, NKJF offers a welcoming home. We promote lifelong learning, mutual respect, and authentic Budo values that transcend rank and style.
Our mission extends beyond technique — we aim to empower individuals and communities through improved mental and physical well-being, greater self-confidence, and a more profound sense of personal dignity and unity.
Join our non-political, ego-free, and tradition-driven community devoted to excellence, integrity, and the true spirit of martial arts.
Join us— your martial arts family awaits.
From NKJU to NKJF: Honoring the Past, Protecting the Legacy
Our Legacy: From NKJU to NKJF, USA-International
In a nutshell...
As recorded in our history, the late Shodai (1st) Kaicho, Richard Peter Baillargeon, aka as Soke, Soke B., and Mr. B., was the founder of the National Karate Jujitsu Union (NKJU). Before his passing, he recognized and appointed Hanshi Tola E. Lewis Jr. as his successor, making Lewis the Nidai (2nd) Kaicho of the NKJU.
Through the decades, both Soke Baillargeon and Hanshi Lewis worked under the names NKJU and NKJU-International (NKJU-I). They never trademarked these names, seeing no need to at the time—their focus was on teaching, not paperwork.
In 2016, Sensei Lewis formally appointed Hanshi Steven E. Johnson as his successor in writing, making him the Sandai (3rd) Director of NKJU and the Nidai Kaicho of NKJU-International. After assuming leadership, Johnson pursued trademark protection for NKJU/NKJU-I to preserve its legacy, but soon discovered that an unaffiliated individual had already registered the names.
To protect the organization’s heritage, Johnson officially re-established the name as the National Karate Jujitsu Federation (NKJF), USA-International. The Founding under the new NKJF name was a notable and historical occasion, as Hanshi Johnson was recognized as Founder, Shodai Kaicho, and President/Director of the NKJF. This ensures its continuity and rightful lineage. The NKJU and NKJU-I names, history, and memories remain forever honored—recorded in published writings and preserved in the hearts of our members.
Since 1974, many instructors, friends, and supporters have continued to uphold elements of traditional budo as established by the late Soke Baillargeon. Since 2016, the responsibility of preserving NKJF’s legacy—and its rightful direction—ultimately rests with those who understand its origin, its founders, and the generations who came before. That legacy now belongs to Steven E. Johnson, Hanshi, 9th Dan, Founder, President/Director of the National Karate Jujutsu Federation (NKJF).
The late Soke Shogo Kuniba performing a tobi yoko geri to the head of the late Founder of the NKJU
Those Who Came before Us...
In October 2024, I made what I believed would be a peaceful transition into retirement. After five decades of service to the martial arts community, I entrusted the leadership and daily operations of the National Karate Jujitsu Federation (NKJF), USA-International, to one of our senior yudansha, Hanshi Richard Dixon. I intended to quietly step away and allow the next generation to guide the Federation forward.
At the time, I could not have foreseen the impact this decision would have across our organization. Within months, I began receiving numerous phone calls, emails, and messages from instructors—both domestic and international—expressing deep concerns about NKJF's direction. One by one, resignations followed.
Out of respect, I personally called each sensei who stepped away. I listened. Their words echoed the same sentiment. They asked that I please resume leadership of the NKJF.
My sensei once told me, “Always listen to those who came before you.” Many of these instructors were the same pioneering teachers who helped shape the very foundation of our Federation when it was known as the National Karate Jujitsu Union (NKJU). Their reputations carry weight and honor throughout the budo community. They are the torchbearers of our heritage—the ones who built the very path I walk upon today.
In October 2025, after much reflection and counsel, I informed Mr. Dixon that I would be resuming control of NKJF. To date, he has chosen not to recognize this decision. Understandably, it isn't easy to let go of an organization with over fifty years of history, legacy, and international respect.
However, as the Founder, Shodai Kaicho, and successor appointed under traditional succession from the NKJU lineage, it is my responsibility to preserve the Federation’s honor and history. The honorable course would be to ensure that NKJF’s story continues unbroken—untainted by politics or division.
On October 23, 2025, I retained legal counsel to begin formal steps to resume organizational control. Whether this moment becomes a “blip” in our history or a defining chapter remains to be seen. As I often remind myself, history always finds a way to rewrite itself.
And for those who ask why I ever handed over leadership in the first place, I can only answer with humility: “If I knew then what I know now, I would not have made such a foolish decision.”