Kansai Karate Academy was established by Stephen Kelly in Queensland in 1993. Kansai Karate Academy is part of the worldwide Shito-ryu Shukokai World Karate Union which was established by the founder of Shito-ryu Shukokai, Sensei Tani. Kansai Karate is one of the leading martial arts organisations in the state of Queensland. In 2007 and 2008, Kansai Karate won the Quest Newspaper Business Achiever of the Year for Fitness and Sport, beating large fitness centres and personal training studios. It can boast the operations of a fully equipped, professional, full time dojo in Sumner Park and Satelite dojos in the suburbs of Clayfield and Moggill .

The award winning Queensland Honbu (Headquarters) dojo is located in the western suburb of Sumner Park, which is approx. 15 kms from the city. Being a full time professional dojo, enables students to train safely 6 days a week, Monday to Saturday, in a facility that is equipped with jigsaw safety mats, kick bags, mirrors, TV/video, as well as many other training aids. Kansai Karate, also has a speciality karate retail outlet that carries brands such as Shureido, Adidas and SportsMaster.
Kansai at Sumner Park offers specialised classes to all, starting from age specific Kansai Cubs at 3 years of age to those adults of any age who wish to keep fit and learn self-defence.

Kansai Karate Academy Chief Instructor and principle instructor at our full-time Sumner Park Honbu Dojo is Sensei Stephen Kelly who holds the rank of 6th Dan, Renshi, Jun-Shihan, has trained extensively for over 25 years and has been teaching since 1985. Sensei Stephen is a multiple State and 3 times National Champion and has placed 2nd and 3rd in three World Shito-ryu Shukokai Karate Championships held internationally.
Sensei Stephen is the Oceania Chief Instructor of the Shito-ryu Shukokai Karate Union and has trained exclusively with the founder of Shito-ryu Shukokai, Sensei Tani (9th Dan). Sensei Steve continually visits Japan to train with World Shito-ryu Shukokai Chief Instructor, Sensei Yamada (9th Dan) and Sensei Ishitobi (8th Dan).

As well, Sensei Stephen has had the opportunity to train with many of the elite Karate Coaches of the world, Ticky Donovan (English Coach), Antonio Oliva (Spanish Coach), Sakamoto (Japan) and Francis Didia (French Coach) to name a few. In 2002, Sensei Stephen won the Queensland Karate Associations overall kata competitor of the year award.

In 2002 and 2003, Sensei Stephen was awarded National Sports Star Award for Kata, from the Australian Karate Federation. 

At present Sensei Stephen Kelly is the Queensland Karate Association's Karate Coach and as well as the Australian Karate Federation's National Kata Coach.