he developed signs of illness. He had ALS, a rare disease of the nervous system also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. In the beginning of the 1990s, his condition worsened, until he died on April 24, 1995 in Matsuyama at only 50 years old. Over 1000 people attended his funeral. Three autobiographies were written, the first in 1981 "Sasurai Karate. Kagiri naki Charenji Supirittu", the second in 1986 "Karate ni moe karate ni ikiru", and the third "inochi no kotoba : Karate o aisuru hitobito e" translated is titled "The Word of life: For those who love Karate" was published after his death with the final chapter written by senior Honbu instructor Hiroshi Harada. References 1944 births 1995 deaths Deaths from motor neuron disease Neurological disease deaths in Japan Japanese male karateka Karate coaches Martial arts school founders Sportspeople from Hiroshima Prefecture Ashihara kaikan practitioners Kyokushin kaikan practitioners 20th-century philanthropists