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MV: athletes demonstrate Karate techniques in Mali.
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2.
MV: Japanese champion Sensei T. Kase and Vladimir Jorga (Yugoslava) give demonstration.
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MV PAN: spectators watch as two other experts give demonstration (3 shots)
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4.
SV: spectators watch as Kase fights several opponents. (3 shots)
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5.
SV: Mali Karate experts give demonstration.
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Initials RH/DE/DE/1800


SPORT: KARATE

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: INTRODUCTION: Japanese Karate expert, Taiji T. Kase, gave a demonstration in Mali on Wednesday (2 March) to promote the Shotokan form of the sport.

SYNOPSIS: Japan is the acknowledged champion country in Karate and Taiji Kase is one of its top sportsmen. He has been practising Karate for more than 30 years and he has undertaken numerous tours to promote Shotokan, which is regarded as the basis for many other karate techniques.

Karate experts disagree about which form should be recognised world-wide and an international conference is to be held in Tokyo in July to decide this. Taiji Kase says Shotokan has at least an 80 percent chance of being adopted.

Karate is an ancient sport that has its origins in China and India more than a thousand years ago. It's meant to assist the spiritual as well as the physical well-being of those who take part. Each movement is part of a well disciplined set of actions which are practised for hours each day.

The sport is relatively new in Mali, but already it has attracted hundred of young people. They also gave demonstrations on Wednesday.