Koji’s Encounter with a Former Osaka Detective

“The day I caught Koji.”

“I thought that once I passed 40, taking on new challenges would become more difficult. I have four children, and I had thorough discussions with my wife. She wasn’t easily convinced, but in the end, I kind of pushed through with my decision. Right before I left the Osaka Prefectural Police, I had the chance to have a meal with Koji and told him about my decision. He said, ‘I respect you for taking on this challenge.’ He also told me, ‘Whether you stay in the police or move on to a new path, I’ll always consider you a friend and support you.’”

I wanted to support Koji in his journey, to witness things we had never seen before together. That was the moment I caught Koji, whom I had been watching closely since he was 15. My next goal became ‘supporting Kouji’s dream.’ In February 2023, I joined Kouji’s company, TEAM ONE. I was put in charge of the project to open a gym in Osaka.

“I had no experience as a trainer, so I trained at a gym called SFK in Kobe while also searching for a location. With the support of many people, I was finally able to achieve my long-awaited goal of opening the gym. While I do plan to focus on developing professional fighters in the future, for now, I want to concentrate on training juniors, welcoming office workers who want to lose weight, and helping company employees improve their health. If we can nurture young talent and eventually send a second Kouji from Kansai into the world of martial arts, that would be the ultimate goal. I’d love to build this gym with the concept of rising to the top.”

—-Thank you very much. Lastly, what does Kouji mean to you?

“He’s someone who changed my life. If I hadn’t met him, I think I would still be a police officer, feeling frustrated with myself for not taking on new challenges. When he challenged Tenshin, it was the same—I might be exaggerating a bit, but seeing him take on the highest-level challenges in the world felt truly admirable. He’s younger than me, but I respect him.”

The world of martial arts has gained an incredibly reliable ally.

TEAM ONE R-GYM

2F Main Stage Ashiya Higashiyama, 4-13 Higashiyama-cho, Ashiya-shi, Ashiya