James Mitose
Japanese American martial artist who brought Kempo to the U.S. in the early 1940's
ジェームズ・ミトセ
- Born
- 30 December 1916, Kailua-Kona
- Died
- 26 March 1981, San Quentin
- Citizenship
- United States
- Sport
- martial arts
- Occupation
- martial artist
James Masayoshi Mitose (born Masayoshi Mitose, December 30, 1916 – March 26, 1981) was a Japanese American martial artist who brought the art of Kosho Shorei-ryū Kenpo to the United States starting in 1936.
Many Kenpo teachers trace their lineage to him. Mitose was and remains a controversial figure in the history of Kenpo in America. He was convicted of murder and extortion in 1974 and given a life sentence. He died in prison in 1981 due to complications from diabetes.
Students
External links
Facts from Wikidata Q6139856 (CC0); quoted introduction from English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Data retrieved 2026-10-22.
Data: Wikidata (CC0 1.0); Wikipedia (English) (CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.