About James Williams

James Williams is the President of Bugei Trading Company, Inc. He has been studying martial arts since 1960 and teaching since 1975. James has trained, competed in, and taught a number of different martial disciplines: Japanese, Okinawan, Chinese, Filippino, as well as the Brazilian system of Jujitsu as taught by Rorion and Royce Gracie.His experience includes western wrestling, which he also coached, as well as competing in boxing and kickboxing.

His love of samurai martial traditions came with his study of the Yanagi ryu of the Yoshida han under Don Angier Sensei and the martial traditions of the Kuroda han as taught by Kuroda Tetsuzan Sensei. James also studied Daito ryu Roppokai with Okamoto Seigo sensei.

James also teaches Close Quarters Combat to police and military both foreign and domestic. The method used, “The System of Strategy,” is based on those skills developed and cultivated by ancient warriors. He is the designer of the “Hissatsu,” a close quarter battle knife that is produced by Columbia River Knife and Tool.

James is certified as an instructor of Systema, an Ancient Russian Martial Art taught by Mikhail Ryabko and Vladimir Vasiliev. Williams sensei teaches Nami Ryu Aiki Heiho, (kenjutsu, iaijutsu, tanto jutsu and aikijujutsu) and The System in Encinitas California.

Television Appearances 

  • National Geographic “Force Recon”
  • Discovery Channel “The Ten Greatest Weapons”
  • Outdoor Network “Shooting Gallery”
  • Discovery Channel “Katana” Fox 6 News

Teaching Experience

  • Naval Special Warfare Combatives Instructors
  • Law Enforcement SWAT agencies nation wide
  • USAF Air Mobility Warfare Center
  • State of California Correctional Facility Emergency Response Teams
  • Singapore Police STAR Unit
  • Brazilian National Police
  • Trinidad Police
  • ALERT Academy
  • COPEX (Covert Operations Exposition)
  • US Army Special Operations
  • US Naval Special Warfare
  • US Marine Force Recon
  • US Air Force Special Operations
  • Edged weapons and combatives instructor for the Surefire Institute
  • Government Security Agencie
  • Special Operations Units from Allied countries
  • Agencies and members of State, County, and City Law Enforcement nationwide

Martial Arts Experience 

  • Wrestling at the high school and collegiate level
  • Kenjutsu-Japanese sword art
  • Iaijutsu-Samurai sword art
  • Shorin ryu Okinawa-te• Tanto jitsu-Samurai knife art
  • Taekwondo
  • Hojojitsu-Samurai restraining art
  • Judo
  • Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
  • Aikido
  • Temple Tai Chi
  • Arnis de Mano
  • Hung Gar Kung Fu
  • Boxing
  • Kick-Boxing
  • Tang Soo Do
  • Aiki Jiu Jitsu-Samurai unarmed art
  • Systema-Russian military art (certified in Russia)

Instructional Experience

  • Coached wrestling – Jr. High and High School Level
  • Taekwondo
  • Tang Soo Do
  • Coached Boxing and Kick Boxing
  • Currently teaching Kenjutsu Iaijutsu Aikijujutsu Systema Military combative and knife defense Police Arrest and Control and knife defense
  • Teaching seminars and giving demonstrations throughout the United States & Canada
  • SureFire Institute Low Light and Combative Instructor Specialized Experience
  • Employed as personal bodyguard
  • State of California Concealed Weapons Course
  • Current CPR qualified
  • Designer of the Hisstasu, a CQB/Anti-Terrorist knife being produced by CRKT (Columbia River Knife and Tool).

Tactical Experience

  • U.S. Army Infantry
  • Military Police
  • 6th Army Competitive Pistol Team
  • Officer Candidate School Graduate
  • California Post Certified Firearms Instructor
  • Advanced Hostage Rescue Course graduate
  • SFI Low Light Instructor

Published Articles

  • Aikido Journal
  • American Hangunner Magazine
  • Tactical Annual
  • Combat Annual
  • Combat Tactics