VLADIMIR PUTIN
ARCHIVE OF THE OFFICIAL SITE
OF THE 2008-2012 PRIME MINISTER
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
VLADIMIR PUTIN
ARCHIVE OF THE OFFICIAL SITE
OF THE 2008-2012 PRIME MINISTER
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
VLADIMIR PUTIN
Yasuhiro Yamashita, born June 1, 1957, at Yabecho, in Kumamoto Prefecture, Kyushu.
Between October 1977 and his retirement from competition in April 1985 as a 6th degree black belt, Yasuhiro Yamashita won 203 consecutive matches. Later he became the head coach of the Japanese judo team and was awarded the title of National Hero.
In all, he took part in 599 competitions and 528 matches (15 ties and 16 losses), and did not lose a single match in Japan.
Yamashita visited St Petersburg several times. During the celebration of the city's 300th anniversary in 2003, he held a demonstration lesson for the St Petersburg judo team, attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.
In 2005, he gave a judo master class together with Mr Putin.
He is a full professor at Tokai University, director of educational programmes at the International Judo Federation, and a member of the Japanese-Russian Council of Wise Men.
A holder of the 9th degree black belt, Olympic champion (1984, absolute category), world heavyweight champion (1979, 1981, 1983), absolute champion (1981), and nine-time champion of Japan.
