Taiji Kase (加瀬 泰治, Kase Taiji, 9 February 1929 – 24 November 2004) was a Japanese master of Shotokan karate who was one of the earliest masters responsible for introducing this martial art into Europe.

[1] He taught his style of karate, Shotokan Ryu Kase Ha, in France from the late 1960s to the mid-1980s.

[6] He began learning judo before he turned 6 years old, and later in boyhood also studied aikido and kendo.

[1] In 1944, at the age of 15 years, Kase attained the rank of 2nd dan black belt in judo.

[12] Kase had been due to be tested for his 3rd dan in judo, but elected to focus on karate instead.

[1] In March 1945, during the closing stages of World War II, Kase enlisted in the Imperial Japanese Navy and joined the Kamikaze corps.

[1] One of his biographers, Martin Fernandez, wrote: "[Kase] usually says that since he could have died in the war and is alive, he never has a reason to be sad.

[1] One of his duties in the JKA was to train instructors in kumite (sparring); amongst his students were Keinosuke Enoeda and Hiroshi Shirai[1] as well as Hideo Ochi.

Following Funakoshi's death in 1957 and a subsequent division in the JKA, Kase maintained ties with both factions.

[21] He returned home later on, and appeared to be recovering, but on the morning of 19 November his wife was unable to wake him.

[21] Kase died at 5:25 PM on 24 November 2004,[5] leaving behind his wife and two daughters,[1][3][21] and his mother (then 101 years old) and two brothers.