Paul Kuniaki MARUYAMA

Paul Maruyama attended San Jose State University. He was US National Champion in judo in the 154-lb class in 1966, 1970, and 1975, and placed second in the open class in 1966. At the time of the 1964 Olympics Maruyama was an Air Force officer and eventually retired as a colonel in the Air Force. After retiring from competition, Maruyama coached the US judo team in both 1980 and for the 1984 Olympics. He became a martial arts instructor at the US Air Force Academy where he also taught Japanese, later teaching Japanese language and Asian Studies at Colorado College.

Maruyama was awarded the Japanese Order of the Rising Sun, often called the Gold Rays with Rosette, one of less than 40 Americans so honored. He is a co-founder and president of the Japan America Society of Southern Colorado. Maruyama was also a founding member of the John Manjiro Whitfield Foundation, which supports grassroots cultural exchange of people between the USA and Japan.