[1] In 1962 Tsuyoshi Chitose recognized Tsuruoka's accomplishments by appointing him as Chief Representative of Chito-ryu karate in Canada.
[8] During the occupation of Japan, a number of American service personnel had trained at the Yoseikan Chito-ryu ‘’hombu dojo" (headquarters) in Kumamoto.
In the early sixties Tsuruoka contacted these former students in an effort to expand the Chito-ryu karate organization in North America.
[10] In 1964 Tsuruoka founded the National Karate Association of Canada (NKA) and served as its first president.
[12] On November 16, 1973 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the Pan-American Karate Union elected Masami Tsuruoka first Vice-President.
His former senior student, Shane Higashi, assumed leadership of the Canadian Chito-kai (Chito-ryu Karate Association).