KENDOJIDAI 2024.6
Translation: Hoshino Maki
The All Japan Kendo Federation held a press conference to announce Japan’s national team for the 19th World Kendo Championships, revealing the selection of 10 male and 10 female representatives. These 20 representatives will compete in four categories—men’s team, men’s individual, women’s team, and women’s individual—aiming for complete victories.
The press conference to announce Japan’s national team for the 19th World Kendo Championships (19WKC) was held on Wednesday, April 3, 2024, at the Japan Sport Association Press Conference Room (Japan Sport Olympic Square, 4th floor). Attendees included Senior Executive Director of the All Japan Kendo Federation Nakatani Yukimichi, Delegation leader Hamasaki Mitsuru, General Manager Furukawa Kazuo, Men’s Manager Higashi Yoshimi, and Women’s Manager Takenaka Kentaro.
The 19WKC will take place from July 4th to 7th, 2024, at the Mediolanum Forum Assago in Milan, Italy.
The tournament is organized by the International Kendo Federation (FIK), which currently has 62 member countries and regions. The tournament consists of four categories: men’s team, men’s individual, women’s team, and women’s individual. In the team divisions, 59 men’s teams and 45 women’s teams have registered, totaling 649 competitors. In the individual divisions, each organization can enter up to four competitors, bringing the total to 242 men and 203 women, all vying for the world title. The WKC, held every three years, will take place for the first time in six years due to the cancellation of the 18th championship because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Average Age: 27.9
Captain of the Men’s Team: Ando – participating in the WKC for the third time
Ando Sho, a Renshi 6th dan who achieved individual and team victories at the 17WKC (Incheon, South Korea), was selected as the men’s team captain. Ando, after serving with the Hokkaido Police, is now a lecturer at his alma mater, Kokushikan University. When the intensive training sessions for selecting the Japan’s national team began in 2022, Ando was constantly in the lead. Among the ten male representatives are four All Japan Kendo Championship (AJKC) winners: Kunitomo Rentaro (R-6th Dan), Takenouchi Yuya (6th Dan), Hoshiko Keita (5th Dan), and Matsuzaki Kenshiro (5th Dan). This national team is considered one of the “strongest” in Japan’s history.
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