During the 2017 Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) in Russia’s Far East, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe jokingly proposed that both Russian president Vladimir Putin and his Mongolian counterpart Khaltmaa Battulga take part in a judo exhibition against Japanese Olympic gold medalist Yasuhiro Yamashita.
Speaking directly to Yamashita, who was also present at the international forum, Abe asked whether the grappling demonstration would be possible.
“Yamashita-san, can you not invite the two presidents with black belts to Japan, via the Japanese judo federation? That way Mr. Yamashita and the two presidents could demonstrate kumite [training against adversary in martial arts].