HCMC - Japan on June 18 donated 20 sets of Jukendo training equipment to the HCMC Kendo Federation under the Japanese Foreign Ministry’s 2025 Sports Diplomacy Promotion Program, aiming to support the development of Japanese martial arts and people-to-people exchanges between Japan and Vietnam.

The handover ceremony was held at the Japanese Consulate General in HCMC, with the participation of Japanese Consul General Ono Masuo and representatives of the HCMC Kendo Federation.

Speaking at the event, Ono said the federation had promoted Kendo, Jukendo and Iaido since its establishment in April 2020 and currently had around 800 to 1,000 practitioners of Japanese martial arts. He noted that the federation’s growth within less than five years reflected the efforts of its leadership, coaches and members.

Ono recalled a visit by a Japanese martial arts delegation to HCMC in October 2024, during which members of the Japan Jukendo Federation held demonstrations and exchange training sessions with local martial arts enthusiasts. The visit later led to the establishment of the Saigon Jukendo Club, which subsequently became a member of the HCMC Kendo Federation.

According to Ono, the donation of training equipment builds on the results of sports exchanges between the two countries and is expected to support daily training activities while contributing to the promotion of Japanese martial arts and a broader understanding of Japanese culture in HCMC.

Tran Thanh Tung, president of the HCMC Kendo Federation, said the donated equipment would provide support for the development of Jukendo, which remains a relatively new martial art in the city.

He added that the federation looked forward to continued cooperation with the Japanese Consulate General in promoting Japanese martial arts and cultural values in HCMC and Vietnam.

During the ceremony, athlete Mai Anh Thuy received a first-dan Tankendo certificate in recognition of training achievements in the discipline. The event also featured demonstrations of Tankendo, Jukendo and Kendo by Saigon Jukendo Kai and Saigon Kendo Club.