Chiaki Ishii: key obituary facts
Is Chiaki Ishii dead? Yes. Chiaki Ishii died on October 16, 2026, at age 85.
Cause of death: Chiaki Ishii's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Chiaki Ishii known for?
He was a Brazilian judoka.
More about Chiaki Ishii
Born: 1 October 1941.
Place of birth: Ashikaga.
Gender: male.
Occupation: judoka.
Nationality: Brazil.
Education: Waseda University.
Children: Vânia Ishii, Tânia Ishii.
Chiaki Ishii, the Japanese-born Brazilian judoka who won Brazil’s first Olympic medal in judo, died on October 16, 2026, aged 85.
Born in Ashikaga, Japan, on October 1, 1941, he began training at a dojo near his home while still young. He later graduated in pedagogy from Waseda University.
Ishii hoped to compete in judo’s first Olympic tournament at the 1964 Tokyo Games, but Japan’s place went to Isao Okano, who won the gold medal. Disappointed, Ishii quit the sport and decided to emigrate to Brazil, where he planned to become a farmer. His boat journey to Brazil took 60 days. Ishii later returned to judo competition, winning bronze at the 1971 World Judo Championships. At the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, he also took bronze, securing Brazil’s first Olympic medal in the sport. The two international medals came in successive years and established Ishii as a leading figure in Brazilian judo. He was the father of Vânia Ishii and Tânia Ishii.