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.
The remaining five members are Tsuchitani Yuki (6th dan), a two-time individual champion at the All Japan Police Kendo Tournament (AJPKT), and Jodan kenshi Kusano Ryujiro (5th dan) from Osaka Prefectural Police, and Miyamoto Keita (5th dan) and Ohira Shoshi (4th Dan) from Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. The youngest member, 22-year-old Kimura Keito (4th dan), is the only one among the ten who has not participated in the AJKC. However, he has achieved victory in the All Japan University Kendo Championship (AJUKC) and played a pivotal role in his team’s triumph at the National Sports Festival, held in his hometown of Kagoshima. His role in bringing momentum to the team is highly anticipated at the 19WKC. Notably, the team comprises four graduates each from Kokushikan University and University of Tsukuba, as well as two from National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya. The team’s average age is 27.9 years.
Captain of the Women’s Team: Watanabe– All Japan Women’s Kendo Championship winner
Suenaga, participating in the WKC for the fifth time
Watanabe Tai (6th dan) was selected as the women’s team captain. She won the Empress’s Cup at the All Japan Women’s Kendo Championship (AJWKC) last September, bringing momentum to the team. Suenaga Mari (6th dan), who first represented Japan at the WKC (Brazil) in 2009, will make her fifth appearance, an unprecedented achievement for both men and women.
Kondo Mihiro (6th Dan), from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, who has competed in the All Japan Women’s Kendo Championship nine times and All Japan Police Kendo Tournament winner, earned a long-awaited spot on the national team. Takahashi Moeko (6th Dan), first selected during her senior year of high school for the 2012 WKC (Italy), will be representing Japan for the fourth time. Matsumoto Chika (5th Dan) from the Kanagawa Prefectural Police and Takenaka Miho (5th Dan) from the Tochigi Sports Association will be representing for the second time. First-time representatives include Sato Minori (5th Dan) from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, Kawai Kanna (4th Dan) a fourth-year student at University of Tsukuba, and Mizukawa Haruna (4th Dan) a fourth-year student at Hosei University.
The Japanese national team, both men and women, will undertake three training camps before traveling to Italy, with an unwavering determination to achieve total victory.
Hamasaki Mitsuru, Hanshi 8th Dan (Tokyo・Delegation Leader)
Furukawa Kazuo, Hanshi 8th Dan (Hokkaido・General Manager)
Japan National Team Male Representatives
Representatives’ Affiliated Prefecture・ Age・ Affiliation. Home Prefecture. High School・University. Competition Achievements. Current Dan.
Ando Sho (安藤 翔)
Tokyo・33yrs old・Kokushikan University. Hokkaido. Tokaidai Daiyon HS・Kokushikan University. WKC team champion twice, individual champion once. AJKC participation 10 times (2nd once, 3rd twice). AJPKT teams 3rd・individual champion. Kyoshokuin Kendo Taikai team champion. WKC participation third time. Renshi 6th dan.
Kunitomo Rentato (國友鍊太朗)
Fukuoka ・33yrs old ・Fukuoka Prefectural Police. Fukuoka. Fukuoka Maizuru HS・ Kokushikan University. AJKC participation 8 times(1st once, 2nd twice). AJPKT Div. 2 teams champion. WKC participation first time. Renshi 6th dan.
Tsuchitani Yuki (土谷有輝)
Osaka・32yrs old・Osaka Prefectural Police. Ishikawa. Kanazawa HS・Kokushikan University. AJKC participation 3 times, AJKPT teams champion four times, 2nd and 3rd once each・individual champion twice, 3rd once. WKC participation second time. 6th dan.
Takenouchi Yuya (竹ノ内佑也)
Tokyo・30yrs old・Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. Miyazaki. Ohori Senior HS・ University of Tsukuba. WKC team champion twice・individual 2nd and 3rd once each. AJKC participation 5 times (1st, 3rd once each), AJKPT teams champion twice, individual champion and 2nd once each. WKC participation third time. 6th dan.
Miyamoto Keita (宮本敬太)
Tokyo・28yrs old・Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. Ibaraki. Mito Kiryo HS・Kokushikan University. AJKC participation 5 times (3rd once). AJKPT teams champion twice. WKC participation first time. 5th dan.
Kusano Ryujiro (草野龍二朗)
Osaka・28yrs old・Osaka Prefectural Police. Nagasaki. Nagasaki Seiryo HS・ National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya. AJKC participation twice. AJKPT teams champion, 2nd and 3rd once each. WKC participation first time. 5th dan.
Hoshiko Keita (星子啓太)
Tokyo・25yrs old・Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. Kagoshima. Kyushu Gakuin HS ・University of Tsukuba. WKC team champion once. AJKC participation 4 times (1st once, 3rd twice). AJPKT teams champion twice・individual champion once. WKC participation second time. 5th dan.
Matsuzaki Kenshiro (松﨑賢士郎)
Ibaraki・25yrs old・University of Tsukuba. Nagasaki. Shimabara HS ・University of Tsukuba. AJKC participation 5 times (1st once, 2nd twice). WKC participation first time. 5th dan.
Ohira Shoshi (大平翔士)
Tokyo・23yrs old・Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. Tokyo. Sano Nihon University Senior HS・ University of Tsukuba. AJKC participation 3 times. AJPKT teams champion once. AJUKC team champion once, 3rd once・individual 2nd once. WKC participation first time. 4th dan.
Kimura Keito (木村恵都)
Osaka・22yrs old・Osaka Kendo Association. Gunma. Mito Kiryo HS・National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya. AJUKC individual champion. WKC participation first time. 4th dan.
Japan National Team Women Representatives
Watanabe Tai(渡邊タイ)
Kumamoto・31yrs old・Kumamoto Prefectural Police. Aso Chuo HS・Nippon Sport Science University. WKC team champion twice. AJWKC participation 9 times (1st once, 3rd twice). AJKPT individual champion once. WKC participation third time. 6th dan.
Suenaga Mari (末永真理)
Wakayama・35yrs old・Miyu-zi. Osaka. PL Gakuen Senior HS. WKC team champion four times・individual 2nd once. AJWKC participation 12 times (1st three times, 2nd once, 3rd four times). AJKPT team champion and 2nd once each・individual champion five times, 2nd once, 3rd twice. WKC participation fifth time. Renshi 6th dan.
Kondo Mihiro (近藤美洸)
Tokyo・30yrs old・Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. Kanagawa. Toin Gakuen Senior HS・Hosei University. AJWKC participation 9 times (3rd twice), AJKPT team champion and 2nd once each・individual champion, 2nd and 3rd once each. WKC participation first time. 6th dan.
Takahashi Moeko (高橋萌子)
Kanagawa・30yrs old・Kanagawa Prefectural Police. Niigata. Moriya HS・Hosei University. WKC team champion three times. AJWKC participation 8 times (1st twice). AJKPT individual champion once. WKC participation fourth time. 5th dan.
Matsumoto Chika (松本智香)
Kanagawa・27yrs old・Kanagawa Prefectural Police. Fukuoka. Chikushidai HS・National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya. WKC team champion once. AJWKC participation twice (3rd once). AJKPT individual 2nd once. WKC participation second time. 5th dan.
Sato Minori (佐藤みのり)
Tokyo・26yrs old・Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. Fukushima. Reitaku Mizunami Senior HS・Hosei University. AJWKC participation 6 times (2nd once), AJKPT teams 3rd once・individual 3rd once. WKC participation first time. 5th dan.
Takenaka Miho (竹中美帆)
Tochigi・26yrs old・Tochigi Sports Association. Tottori. Shimabara HS・University of Tsukuba. WKC team champion once. AJWKC participation 7 times (3rd twice). WKC participation second time. 5th dan.
Senoo Maika (妹尾舞香)
Fukuoka・23yrs old・Fukuoka Prefectural Police. Fukuoka. Nakamura Gakuen Girls’ Senior HS・National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya. WKC individual 3rd once. AJWKC participation four times (1st once, 2nd twice), AJKPT team champion once,・individual 3rd once. WKC participation second time. 4th dan.
Kawai Kannna (川合芳奈)
Shizuoka・21yrs old・University of Tsukuba 4th year. Shizuoka. Tokai University Shizuoka Shoyo Senior HS. AJWKC participation three times (3rd once), AJUWKC team champion once・individual champion once. WKC participation first time. 4th dan.
Mizukawa Haruna (水川晴奈)
Okayama・21yrs old・Hosei University 4th year. Okayama. Saidaiji Senior HS. AJWKC participation three times, AJUWKC team 2nd once, 3rd twice・individual champion twice. WKC participation first time. 4th dan.
