The boy began lessons with an old Japanese judo master. The boy was doing well, so he couldn't understand why, after three months of training the master had taught him only one move.

She found that in her university Japanese students set up a "sakura club" in 2008, which teaches judo and the knowledge of Japanese tea serving and drinking culture of "sado".

This may sound counterintuitive, but I think of it as a form of mental judo.

But the American says that kind of passion is part of judo.

The 54-year-old black belt in judo is the sixth new leader in five years; he risks being laughed off even before he starts.