(b. 1924 Mar 1). 6th dan Tomiki Aikido and judo. B. Fukuoka. Graduate of Kobe Marine University. Began practice of judo in middle school, and received 1st dan at age 16. Became outstanding competitive judoka, eventually reaching the rank of 6th dan. Met and trained with Morihei UESHIBA after the war and spent several months in intensive training with the founder in Wakayama Prefecture. Returned to Tokyo where he met Kenji TOMIKI whose approach to aikido also had a major influence on Yamada's thinking. Went to England from 1960 to 1965 to teach judo and introduced TOMIKI AIKIDO to some of his judo students, among them Jim ELKIN, Bill LAWRENCE, John WAITE, John GAY; later he also taught Ah Loi LEE and Bob FORREST-WEBB.