“Kisshomaru Ueshiba’s stamp on modern aikido,” by Stanley Pranin

“Kisshomaru Ueshiba’s stamp on modern aikido,” by Stanley Pranin

Aikido Journal Online, Mar 27, 2011

"Kisshomaru worked to create an official version of aikido history, starting with his biography of his father titled “Morihei Ueshiba, Founder of Aikido” in 1977. In addition to providing a great deal of previously unpublished material on his father’s life and the early years of aikido, Kisshomaru’s work staked out the official stance of the Aikikai on a number of sensitive historical issues. These included the following:

• the influence of Sokaku Takeda and Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu on the formation of aikido
• a Morihei-centric version of the founder’s involvement in the Omoto religion
• the minimizing of the extensive connections of early aikido to right-wing political and military figures and institutions
• the obscuring of the respective roles of Morihei’s nephew Yoichiro Inoue, Kenji Tomiki and Koichi Tohei in the evolution of the art

...

During the last decade or so of his life, Kisshomaru created conditions whereby political rebels who had sided with Koichi Tohei on his split from the Aikikai could return to the good graces of the mother organization. His attitude of forgiveness where deep-seated wounds lingered will no doubt accrue to his credit on analysis by future aikido historians. Kisshomaru also had the foresight to accept various independent and desenfranchised federations into the Aikikai fold, in those instances where their size and cohesiveness met the necessary criteria."

http://blog.aikidojournal.com/blog/2011/03/27/kisshomaru-ueshibas-stamp-on-modern-aikido-by-stanley-pranin/