Japan ambassador: I’m very happy that BUDO festival will be held in Armenia for first time

By Lusine Shahbazyan

YEREVAN. – The ambassador of Japan to Armenia will demonstrate his skills in Kendo, a modern Japanese martial art, in the BUDO Japanese Martial Arts Festival that will be held in Yerevan, the capital city of Armenia.

Japanese Ambassador Eiji Taguchi stated about the aforesaid at a press conference on Thursday.

The abovementioned festival will be held from Friday to Sunday.

“I’m very happy that the BUDO festival will be held in Armenia for the first time,” said Ambassador Taguchi. “The primary objective [of this event] is to inform the Armenian public about the BUDO martial art. I also will participate in this event. I’m a Kendo specialist.

“I’ve been to Yerevan and various provinces of Armenia, especially to Vanadzor [town]. I’m familiar with the development of martial arts in Armenia.

“This event is intended only for Armenia.”

As per Shinjuku Kendo Association Sensei Mitsunori Matsumura, who has been invited to Armenia to participate in this festival, the latter will serve as basis for organizing competitions with athletes from a variety of countries, including Armenian martial arts specialists.

And Grigor Mikayelyan, President of the Armenian National Karate Federation, expressed confidence that such sport events will contribute to the development karate and other types of martial arts in Armenia.

Follow NEWS.am SPORT on Facebook, Twitter and Telegram