An open letter...

from Greg O'Connor

7th Dan Aikikai

Chief Instructor, Aikido Centers NJ LLC


Dear Fellow Dedicated Aikidoka, 

As many of you know, I have worked on this proposal for an open umbrella Aikido alliance/initiative for a number of years now. It was initially announced on April 26, 2019, the 50th Anniversary of O Sensei's passing. — an auspicious date to plant the idea. Then with Covid and other delays it was sidelined. Now, as of Sept. 27, 2025, the United States Aikido Alliance is coming into fruition with the initial formal commitment of Sensei's Kei Izawa, Yasumasa Itoh and myself. With this U.S. Aikido Alliance we join our arms in solidarity and invite you to join us in this unique idea to grow the spirit of Aikido as envisioned by the Founder..

Those of us who are in currently in positions of leadership or influence have an implied obligation to  provide for those who are following. Therefore, we founding members of the U.S. Aikido Initiative hereby submit this proposal that current Hombu-recognized organizations, dojos and significant senior instructors in the United States seriously consider joining together now in the spirit of Aikido, and in the intention of the Founder, for solidarity and friendship in order to form a simple, unified umbrella — with each member maintaining full and complete autonomy. 

Perhaps you may agree that it is our generation, the first wave of students under O Sensei's direct deshi (we're not getting any younger and time is picking up speed!) , who should work towards this next evolution, to set a good example — or, at the very least, to encourage and mentor the next generation to consider these advantages and seek a solution. I'm the first one to agree that there are many roadblocks to such a coalition ever coming to fruition, but it is still an immensely worthwhile and mutually enriching prospect to consider and pursue. If it's generally determined that this idea has merit then perhaps an online or in-person symposium could be scheduled in order to meet and discuss its possible formation. 

The pages contained within list the benefits, advantages and basic egalitarian structure of the U.S. Aikido Initiative (which, by the way, has also been introduced and working very well in other countries). 

If, after reviewing the following pages, you feel you'd like to support the idea of the U.S. Aikido Initiative then please let us know through the Contact Us page. If you have any words of support or encouragement please share them with us or your fellow aikidoka. I encourage you to think about this and to share and discuss this unique alliance amongst each other to whatever degree that’s possible. 

The U.S. Aikido Initiative is now here for everyone's consideration and discussion. We are willing and happy to continue to do what we can to help facilitate good people with good intentions to come together for a common cause — to possibly better secure the future of Aikido in the United States. The United States Aikido Initiative is about US — US as in "us" as colleagues in Aikido and "U.S." as in our "United States". The future of Aikido in the U.S. is up to US.

Our sincerest heartfelt thanks goes out to all of you for all you do, and have done, to bring this gift — this Way of Aikido that we are all so devoted to — to the lives of so many. Whether through such an umbrella alliance or not, I hope that we continue to see our efforts come to worthwhile fruition. 

All my best always, 
In solidarity with fellow founding members