of the shihankai would be to: act as custodians for the integrity of Chiba Sensei's work for the future in Europe (UK & Continental Europe), be closely involved with maintaining and developing the high quality of future and existing teachers in Europe, look to the future and plan for the time after Chiba sensei's retirement in Europe, take a strategic view of Aikido within Birankai and across the world with Aikikai Hombu Dojo in Japan and other Aikido associations. In particular since Chiba Sensei was in the US, after the dissolution of Birankai Continental Europe (BCE) and the creation of the national Birankai organisations each country had an internal shihankai composed of the Shihans who lived there, and others were appointed Shihans to oversee the technical development within the organisation. As a result, in Europe the following teachers oversee the technical development within the associated countries: Patrick Barthélémy - France Daniel Brunner - Switzerland, Poland Dee Chen - Britain Noberto Chiesa - France Mike Flynn - Britain, Greece, Portugal Chris Mooney - Britain, Switzerland, Germany, Israel, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan Gabriel Valibouze - France References External links Official Birankai International Homepage 1995 interview with Aikido Journal 1940 births 2015 deaths Japanese aikidoka Shihan