All Japan Championship (pool)

The All Japan Championship (also: Japan Championship) is an annual international pool tournament founded by Kazuo Fujima in 1967, when there was an all-around completion with multiple disciplines. In the Men's tournament the current discipline is Ten-ball, however for the Women's tournament it is played in the discipline of Nine-ball. The All Japan Championship is currently sanctioned by the JPBA (Japan Professional Pocket Billiard Association). The first 20 years only held men's competitions. It was not until the 21st competition in 1988 that the women's event was established. Most of the competition period is after the middle of November each year. This is the most famous international large-scale pool event held in Japan, and the oldest tournament in pool that is still held. Takeshi Okumura had won the men's tournament the most times, having won thirteen times pre 1991, when the tournament was multiple divisions. Takeshi Okumura, Francisco Bustamante and Ko Pin Yi have won the men's tournament the most times, post 1990 in the single discipline modern format. Akimi Kajitani, Liu Hsin-mei & Pan Xiaoting have won the women's tournament the most times, three.