Osamu Noguchi
{{short description|Kickboxing promoter}}
{{Expand Japanese|topic=culture|date=June 2015|野口修}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Osamu Noguchi
| image =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1934|01|24}}
| birth_place = Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| birth_name =
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2016|5|9|1934|01|24}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.boutreview.com/3/interview/item_48007.html|title=沢村忠に真空を飛ばせた男―昭和のプロモーター・野口修 評伝― 著者・細田昌志インタビュー【Part1/3】「キックボクシング創始者・野口修を調べるうち、『これは完全なる戦後右翼史だ』と思ったんです。」 | BOUTREVIEW|date=13 January 2021}}
| death_place =
| known_for = Pioneering Kickboxing in Japan{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9uM5id-uMA0C&dq=osamu+noguchi+kickboxing&pg=PA132 |title=Physical Exercises & the Martial Arts |page=132|author=Philip Shapira |date= July 2009|publisher=Readworthy Publications (P) Limited |access-date=2017-02-24|isbn=9789380297057 }}
| father = Susumu Noguchi
| relatives = Kyō Noguchi (brother)
| occupation = Kickboxing promoter
| nationality = Japanese
}}
{{nihongo|Osamu Noguchi|野口 修|Noguchi Osamu|lead=yes|24 January 1934 – 9 May 2016}} was a Japanese kickboxing promoter. He is often credited for creating the sport and the term kickboxing.{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BNcDAAAAMBAJ&dq=osamu+noguchi+kickboxing&pg=PA35|title=Black Belt|page=35|access-date=16 February 2015|date=February 1972}}{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q84DAAAAMBAJ&dq=osamu+noguchi+kickboxing&pg=PA8|title=Black Belt|page=8|access-date=16 February 2015|date=October 1968}}{{cite book |last1=Malcolm|first1=Dominic|last2= Velija|first2= Philippa|date=2018 |title=Figurational Research in Sport, Leisure and Health |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dQxpDwAAQBAJ |publisher= Routledge|isbn= 9781351781329|quote=Kickboxing became popular in Japan, stimulated by the techniques pioneered by Kenji Kurosaki, and the marketing promotion of Osamu Noguchi.}}{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=MMAchannel com |title=What Is Japanese Kickboxing? Easily Explained For Beginners |url=https://mmachannel.com/what-is-japanese-kickboxing-easily-explained-for-beginners/ |access-date=2022-04-14|quote=Japanese kickboxing is a hybrid version of karate with full-contact rules, which is based on a mix of karate and Muay Thai rules put into one style of fighting. The founders of this style were Tatsuo Yamada and boxing promoter Osamu Noguchi, who first named their style “Kickboxing.”[...]Noguchi founded the first kickboxing association in 1966, and this marks the birth of Japanese kickboxing. |website=MMACHANNEL |date=30 November 2021 |language=en-us}}{{Cite web|url=https://gonkaku.jp/articles/3032|title=日本最古のキックボクシングジム「目黒ジム」が閉鎖、54年の歴史に幕。沢村忠ら多数の王者を輩出|publisher=ゴング格闘技|date=2020-02-01|accessdate=2021-09-15}}
Biography
Osamu Noguchi family moved to Shanghai{{Cite web|url=https://www.nikkan-gendai.com/articles/view/geino/290060|title = 戦時中、海外に駐留する日本軍の慰問興行から芸能プロに｜芸能界と格闘技界 その深淵| date=4 June 2021 }} in 1938 at the invitation of Yoshio Kodama, Noguchi spent his childhood being entertained by Japanese jazz singer Dick Mine in nightclubs run by his father Susumu Noguchi.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nikkan-gendai.com/articles/view/geino/291106|title = "ピス健"が現れると道がサッと開く「一緒にいる俺までが偉くなったみたいで…」｜芸能界と格闘技界 その深淵| date=26 June 2021 }} When the Japanese were defeated in the Pacific War, the Noguchi family were repatriated back to Japan.
After Osamu Noguchi graduated Meiji University, he became the manager of Noguchi Boxing Gym which was owned by his father Susumu Noguchi, and worked as a boxing promoter. In 1961, Noguchi became the owner of Noguchi Gym after his father died, and also promoted his younger brother Kyō Noguchi's boxing matches on television with NET (Nihon Educational Television Co., Ltd, now TV Asahi).{{Cite web|url=https://kangaeruhito.jp/trial/22773|title=特別寄稿「前人未到の昭和史発掘。まさに巻を措く能わず!!」完全版 ｜ 水道橋博士による12000字激アツ書評！ 『沢村忠に真空を飛ばせた男―昭和のプロモーター・野口修 評伝―』 ｜ 水道橋博士 ｜ 本の試し読み ｜ 考える人 ｜ 新潮社|website=Kangaeruhito.jp|access-date=5 February 2022}} However, Noguchi was arrested for matchfixing of world title fights, and was backlisted from the boxing promotion in Japan, including being cut off from his contract with NET.
In 1964 Osamu Noguchi and Tatsuo Yamada organised a 3-on-3 competition of Kyokushin Karate vs Muay Thai competition with Tadashi Nakamura, Kenji Kurosaki and Tadashi Sawamura being the representatives for Karate and defeating their Muay Thai opponents at the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Thailand.{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ms4DAAAAMBAJ&dq=Ky%C5%8D+Noguchi+boxer&pg=PA21|title = Black Belt|date = December 1968}} This would be the basis of what would be popularly known as the sport of Kickboxing and established the Japan Kickboxing Association.{{cite web|url=https://www.kick-france.fr/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/kickboxing-history-1950s-1970s-mike-miles-usa.pdf|title="A HISTORY OF KICKBOXING" : NORTH AMERICA'S SURPRISINGLY TABOO 'KICKBOXING' HISTORY! (Part 1) : 1950's and 1960's|website=Kick-france.fr|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181102163205/https://www.kick-france.fr/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/kickboxing-history-1950s-1970s-mike-miles-usa.pdf|access-date=27 October 2018|archive-date=2018-11-02}} Noguchi coined the term "kickboxing" in the 1960s as a Japanese anglicism{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BNcDAAAAMBAJ&q=osamu+noguchi+kickboxing&pg=PA35|title=Black Belt|access-date=16 February 2015|date=February 1972}} for a hybrid martial art combining Muay Thai and karate, which he had introduced in 1958.
In 1970 under the guidance of Yoko Yamaguchi persuaded Noguchi to sign Hiroshi Itsuki as a singer with great success.{{Cite web|url=https://news.livedoor.com/article/detail/9630633/|title = 「紅白歌合戦」の見どころ、五木ひろしを見出したあの作詞家}}
In October 1972, Noguchi opened a Kickboxing gym on Ratchadamri Road which sparked a backlash in Thailand.{{cite journal|url=https://eprints.lib.hokudai.ac.jp/dspace/handle/2115/54088|title=1970年代におけるタイ学生運動 : 「野口キック・ボクシング・ジム事件」と「日本製品不買運動」を事例に|first=シリヌット|last=クーチャルーンパイブーン|date=20 December 2013|journal=Research Journal of Graduate Students of Letters|volume=13|access-date=27 October 2018}}{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TtgDAAAAMBAJ&dq=osamu+noguchi+kickboxing&pg=PA13|title=Black Belt|date=March 17, 1973|publisher=Active Interest Media, Inc.|via=Google Books}} In 1976 Noguchi, founded the World Kickboxing Association.{{Cite web|url=https://miruhon.net/57076|title = 復活Wkba世界スーパーバンタム級王座決定戦！3・9 新日本キックボクシング協会「Magnum 34」| date=6 March 2014 }}{{Cite journal|url=https://eprints.lib.hokudai.ac.jp/dspace/handle/2115/54088|title = 1970年代におけるタイ学生運動 : 「野口キック・ボクシング・ジム事件」と「日本製品不買運動」を事例に|journal = 研究論集|date = 20 December 2013|volume = 13|pages = 475(左)–493(左)}}
On 9 May 2016, Noguchi died.{{cite web|url=https://ameblo.jp/upper/entry-12158772764.html|title=『トークイベントに参加くださった皆さんに感謝!!/キックボクシングの生みの親,野口修氏逝く/他』|website=Ameblo.jp|access-date=27 October 2018}}
Popular culture
Osamu Noguchi appears as character in Kick no Oni a Japanese anime based on the life of the kickboxer Tadashi Sawamura.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=E03KBgAAQBAJ&dq=osamu+noguchi+kickboxing&pg=PT1609|title=The Anime Encyclopedia, 3rd Revised Edition: A Century of Japanese Animation|first1=Jonathan|last1=Clements|first2=Helen|last2=McCarthy|date=9 February 2015|publisher=Stone Bridge Press|via=Google Books|isbn=9781611729092}}
References
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Category:Kickboxing executives
Category:Meiji University alumni
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