 Later that December Kushida was dismissed by Shioda and his rank (8th dan) was withdrawn.It was then that Kushida changed AYANA's name to the Aikido "Yoshokai" Association of North America and began to work independently from Yoshinkai Aikido.Kushida assisted by his son Akira Kushida, taught classes at the Genyokan Dojo, AYANA's headquarters facility, located near his home in Ann Arbor, Michigan.