The purpose of the International Naginata Federation is to “…develop and promote Naginata on a global basis and foster mutual trust and friendship among Affiliates through Naginata.”
The International Naginata Federation was officially launched on 8th December 1990. The first affiliates were America, France, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Sweden, Belgium, and Japan. The elected officers were President Yanagawa Kakuji (Japan), Vice Presidents Kondō Tadahiko (France), Dorothy Ichiyasu (America), Shimoyama Takeshi (Japan), Standing Director Konishi Shizuko (Japan), Directors Simone Charton (France), Helen Nakano (America), Alex Bennett (New Zealand), Funahara Shizue (Japan), Kimura Yasuko (Japan), Kozawa Takiko (Japan), and Kawamori Keiko was appointed Secretary General. On December 9, the 1st INF Friendship Tournament was held at the Nippon Budokan in commemoration of the launching.
The tournament was followed by an international training seminar at the Nippon Budokan’s training centre in Katsuura City, Chiba Prefecture. Since then, international friendship tournaments have been held in Paris (1992), America (1993), and the World Naginata Championships in Japan (1995), France (1999), America (2003), and Belgium (2007).