In furtherance of Tomiki Sensei's desires and goals, the Association helps to coordinate national events, provides support for regional events, encourages the interchange of information on training methods and the coordination of our grading and promotion standards with those used by the Japan Aikido Association, raises public funds to support the Association and its educational goals, and to engage in related activities. Because each of us has a different way of practicing aikido based on our experiences and training (and it is this difference that can help to make Tomiki Aikido a strong and vibrant martial art), the JAA(USA) does not set binding guidelines on how individual clubs and schools are run. Those are decisions that should be made by the individual sensei who runs the dojo.
The JAA(USA) functions as a central coordinating and support center rather than as an authoritarian governor. We strive to unify our teaching methods and promotion standards so that the members of all of our clubs can plactice and compete effectively and safely together with members of other clubs, while retaining as much as possible each club's individuality. The JAA itself has been developing for over thirty years and even still is working toward ever more consistent grading and training standards. The Tomiki Aikido International Network (TIN) was founded in 1993 for the pupose of propagating and developing Tomiki Aikido and developing mutual trust and friendship internationally through aikido. The TIN organizes international aikido tournaments, conducts international aikido seminars, exchanges information and holds General Assemblies to help promote goodwill and develop more consistency in the training standards.