[rengerts]

I think the 'ownership' of kendo does and will - for at least the foreseable future - rest in the hands of the ZNKR and the Japanese. If Korea win the WKC then thats great... but the majority of the world will not suddenly change their allegience to Korea and start looking for Olympic inclusion.

Inclusion in the Universiade Games says nothing about the Olympics for a few simple reasons. I will just outline the main one: a university level shiai would fit nicely into the Japanese paradigm of youth-kendo (primary-university level) with shiai at its core. Living and practising in Japan its obvious to me why the Universiade games are attractive to the ZNKR (and thus FIK), which is as obvious to me as to why the Olympics are unnatractive.

You also have to realise that the majority of Japanese Kendoka are only dimly aware of the existence of the WKC. Ive never had an 'olympic kendo' discussion with anyone over here. I suspect that the WKC is a much bigger thing for Korea, who have much more pride at stake. (I suspect if Japan lost to Korea there would be no tantrums and smashing of medals a la the last WKC)

As for anthems -- they stopped doing them at international kendo competion (like WKC and EuroKC) a few years ago because the playing of the national anthems was against the internationalisation of kendo. Japanese flags are usually hanging at shiai here in Japan, and often there is singing of the national anthem... though very few people sing. I guess that this is more to do with the Ministry of Education rather than anything else.