The 12th World Kendo Championships in Glasgow (All Japan Kendo Federation)

Kendo, the traditional sport of Japanese fencing, has become more international in recent years. The 12th World Kendo Championships took place in Glasgow, Scotland, over a period of three days beginning July 4, and participation in the triennial event was at an all-time high: There were about 500 athletes from 42 countries and regions. While Japan extended its domination, other countries are continuing to make good progress, and there were a number of excellent matches. The All Japan Kendo Federation believes that its efforts to spread kendo will lead to an increase in the number of people taking part in the sport worldwide.

Japan Dominates; Other Countries Improve
The World Kendo Championships began in 1970 with the participation of 17 countries and regions. At the time, the only events were team and individual competitions for men. As the number of participants grew, a women's individual competition was added, and at this year's event the women's team competition became an official event.

	Two athletes face off (All Japan Kendo Federation)

At the tournament in Glasgow, Japan was represented by 10 men and 10 women. Japanese athletes won all four events: the individual and team competitions for both men and women. In fact, Japanese participants have won every event in the tournament's history. Recently, though, competition has grown stronger from such countries as South Korea, Taiwan, France, Hungary, the United States, Canada, Brazil, and Italy. Twice in the past the South Korean men's team has battled the Japanese men's team in the title match down to the taisho, the last member of the team. This time the two countries squared off in the final again. The result was evenly split, as both teams recorded one win, one loss, and three draws, and the Japanese team was forced to win a tiebreak match.

According to the All Japan Kendo Federation, a total of 44 countries and regions belong to the International Kendo Federation, and, excluding Japanese athletes, some 420,000 people around the world take part in kendo. There are also 39 nonmember countries and regions in which people practice kendo.

In the more than 40 years since its establishment, the All Japan Kendo Federation has promoted the sport by providing kendo clothing and equipment in developing countries. In addition to dispatching instructors to between 10 and 15 countries each year, the Federation invites foreign athletes at the rank of third dan or above to Japan for a one-week intensive training course every summer. A spokesperson for the international division of the Federation says, "We're not just looking to increase the number of competitors and tournaments; more than anything, we want to facilitate the spread of kendo while preserving the culture behind it."

Private Dojo Promoting Internationalization
The All Japan Kendo Federation, which is the principal actor in the Japanese kendo world is not the only body working to internationalize kendo; grassroots privately owned dojo are doing their part as well. One dojo known for pursuing international exchange in its own right is Kyumeikan, located in Tokyo's Itabashi Ward. The dojo has accommodation available, and it actively seeks out foreign students. Instructors from the dojo also travel overseas to share their knowledge and promote the spread of kendo. Kyumeikan has accepted more than 3,000 foreign students from 50 countries and regions over the past 30 years. This March in China's Shandong Province, a businessman there opened a dojo, and instructors from Kyumeikan are expected to travel there to hold practices in the near future.

Kyumeikan believes in "teaching kendo grounded in etiquette and patience." A spokesperson for the dojo comments on the desire for internationalization, saying, "If good instructors aren't sent overseas to develop and teach, it will be hard for kendo to spread internationally in the true sense. Rather than just creating dojo, we aim for international exchange by forming things like martial-arts schools that can train children." With this sort of positive effort, kendo is sure to attract more and more devotees around the world.