Đỗ Trí Nhân, president of the Việt Nam Kendo Federation for the 2025-30 term. — Photo vov2.vov.vn

HÀ NỘI — The Việt Nam Kendo Federation (VKF) was officially established in Hà Nội on Sunday, aiming to become an integral part of the global Kendo community.

The VKF Executive Board comprises 19 members, led by Đỗ Trí Nhân, chairman of the Board of Directors of ETECH Việt Nam Corporation and deputy director of the Hùng Vương Cultural Research and Development Centre. Nguyễn Xuân Vĩnh, deputy director of Industrial Style Company Limited, will serve as the General Secretary of VKF for the 2025-30 term.

Kendo is a martial art that evolved from traditional Japanese swordsmanship known as Kenjutsu in the 19th century. The Japan Kendo Federation was founded in 1952, followed by the establishment of the World Kendo Federation in 1970, which started with 17 member countries. As of April 2023, this number has grown to 62 countries and territories, with approximately eight million Kendo practitioners worldwide. Of these, about 1.5 million are in Japan, supported by a comprehensive system of competitions across various regions and continents.

Kendo was introduced to Việt Nam prior to 1975 and saw significant growth in the early 21st century. A pivotal moment occurred in 2007 when Vietnamese Kendo practitioners first participated in an international tournament – the eighth Southeast Asian Kendo Championship held in Thailand, in which athletes competed under the name Vietnamese Kendo Club, securing one individual silver medal.

Vietnamese Kendo martial artists have participated in many international tournaments in the past few years. — Photo vov2.vov.vn

Starting with a few clubs and small groups in Hà Nội and HCM City, the Kendo movement has expanded to numerous provinces and cities, including Đà Nẵng, Hải Phòng, Nha Trang, and Đà Lạt, with nearly 10,000 practitioners. Among these, around 2,000 practise regularly at long-established clubs, leading to the formation of local Kendo federations.

To further support the development of Kendo in Việt Nam, the World Kendo Federation organised two international certification exams, first in Hà Nội in 2017 and later in HCM City in 2018.

Over the past few years, several quality training programmes have been conducted under the guidance of Japanese and South Korean coaches. Kendo has garnered significant interest among young Vietnamese people, contributing to a robust growth of the practice across the country.

With the establishment of the VKF, more support and coordination is available for the movement, elevating it to engage effectively with world and regional Kendo federations. As a result, the achievements of Vietnamese Kendo are expected to flourish in years to come, promoting friendship, cooperation and strategic partnership between Việt Nam and Japan. — VNS