Yuji Okumoto

Yuji Okumoto was born to Yoshiharu and Yemiko Okumoto. His father was a Japanese immigrant who worked as a short-order cook and later a gardener in Los Angeles after World War II. Okumoto, who was Sansei, was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. He began karate at age 13, studying under various sensei. By the time of The Karate Kid Part II, the 27-year-old Okumoto held a brown belt in Karate, and had learned basic skills in other martial arts, including Taekwondo and Judo. His Judo Instructor was Hayward Nishioka, his Chitō-ryū Karate Sensei was Yukinori Kugimiya, his Kajukenbo Instructor was Sensei Ron Takaragawa, and his Yau Kung Moon Sifu was Kevin Quock. He graduated from Hollywood High School and Cal State Fullerton, where he studied acting. ==Career==

Acting His performance in the play Indians led to being signed by an agent, and eventually a role on The Young and the Restless. His first roles were in The Check is in the Mail, Real Genius, and Better Off Dead. Perhaps his most well-known role is as Daniel's rival, Chozen Toguchi in the 1986 film, The Karate Kid Part II. In 2021, Okumoto reprised his Karate Kid II role as Chozen Toguchi, who, beginning with Season 3 of Cobra Kai, is now a friend and ally of Daniel. Okumoto said he believes "Perfectionism is the death of good acting." == Personal life ==

Okumoto lives in Seattle, Washington, with his wife Angela Okumoto (née Mar) and their three daughters. In 2002, Okumoto, together with his wife and mother-in-law, opened a Hawaiian restaurant called Kona Kitchen in Maple Leaf, Seattle. A second location opened in Lynnwood, Washington in 2019. ==Filmography==

Film Television Video games ==References==