Judo is not a marginalized sport and the first step of the sport within the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 1964 is a great example of this incredible and unstoppable expansion. It is in the Japanese capital that the global dimension of the educational method founded by Kano Jigoro in 1882 suddenly became noticed, and it is in Tokyo where judo was showcased across 7 female and 7 male categories alongside the mixed-team event. The latter was debuted at the 2021 Olympic Games.
Judo as a sport grew rapidly in the years following World War II.
- 1951: European Championships in Paris
- 1956: First World Championships in Tokyo (Competition without weight categories)
- 1964: Olympic Games in Tokyo (-68kg; -80kg; +80kg; Open)
- 1980: First female World Championships in New York
- 1988: Female judo is present in the Seoul Olympic Games as a demonstration sport
- 1992: Since the Barcelona Olympic Games, both male and female competition are part of the Olympic programme.