About SIA
Committed to excellence, preserving tradition, and fostering the global growth of Shotokan Karate through dedication, discipline, and a strong international community.
Why Now?
As it currently stands, today’s Shotokan world is a bit chaotic.
Karate practitioners are interested in how Shotokan’s principles, excitement, philosophies, and training methods strengthen us to deal with the challenges we face in the real world – not just the karate world.
The Shotokan International Alliance (SIA) Mission Statement is simple:
Provide an arena for Shotokan groups, instructors and students to grow and develop in the art, free of politics and separatism.
We accept direct membership and welcome affiliation with like-minded groups – in accordance with the Alliance’s guidelines and criteria.
Our Structure
The Shotokan International Alliance is composed of two interrelated sub groups – members and affiliates.
SIA Members are an exclusive, close knit network of national and regional Shotokan organisations, single dojos, and individual Shotokan practitioners. Members have access to skill development, high-level instruction, technical training, and internationally recognised rank and certification. Members come to us with a desire to enhance, build upon, and expand the technical and philosophical foundations of the JKA style of Shotokan karate.
SIA Affiliates compose an interactive consortium of Shotokan groups and individuals with existing highly recognised technical standards. Unlike other multi-association karate organisations, the Affiliation is not competition based and does not require exclusivity of membership.
Join the Shotokan International Alliance
Become part of a global Shotokan community dedicated to high technical standards, shared knowledge, and collaboration among instructors and practitioners.
Please send questions and statements of interest regarding Shotokan International Alliance membership or affiliation directly to Chairman Edmond Otis at edmondotis@ShotokanIA.org
Chairman Profile – Edmond Otis, 8th dan
Edmond Otis Sensei, a dual US and New Zealand citizen, is an internationally recognized Shotokan instructor, coach, and judge. He has guided numerous athletes to national and international championships and developed many high-ranking instructors.
He began training in 1967 under Hidetaka Nishiyama Sensei and Yutaka Yaguchi Sensei, later becoming a full-time student of Ray Dalke Sensei. He was a long-time senior member and captain of the respected Riverside Dojo team and worked closely with renowned instructors including Frank Smith Sensei and Leslie Safer Sensei.
Otis Sensei travels globally, conducting seminars that emphasize karate as a disciplined martial art, effective self-defense system, competitive sport, and philosophy of life.
Beyond the dojo, he is a licensed psychotherapist, speaker, and consultant, helping individuals and organizations apply martial arts principles to real-world challenges. He currently serves as a Senior Lecturer in Health and Sport Science in New Zealand and has previously held academic and leadership roles at the University of California, Riverside.
Vice Chairman, John Hanratty, 8th dan
John Hanratty sensei has been training and teaching Shotokan Karate for over 49 years. He is Chief Instructor for the Canadian Shotokan Karate Association and National Coach. He is also past president and current Vice President to the World Shotokan Karate Association.
Hanratty sensei was elected the 3M Coach of the Year in 1989 by Karate Canada and has been nominated for Air Canada Sportsman Award. He has received a Distinguished Citizen Award from the City of Calgary for services to sport and is an internationally ranked official and a top level NCCP coach.
Hanratty Sensei instructs and conducts seminars throughout North America and Europe and is considered a leading authority on Karate Kata history and application.
- Our Team
Meet Our Leadership & Advisors
7th Dan
Jörg Kohl
7th Dan
Kenshin T. Iwata
6th Dan
Nathan Scarano
6th Dan
Robert T. Myles
6th Dan
Ladislav Pokorný
4th Dan
Examiner and Rank Criteria
Please send questions and statements of interest regarding Shotokan International Alliance membership or affiliation directly to Chairman Edmond Otis at edmondotis@ShotokanIA.org