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Japan at the 1920 Summer Olympics

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Japan at the
1920 Summer Olympics
IOC codeJPN
NOCJapanese Olympic Committee
Websitewww.joc.or.jp (in Japanese and English)
in Antwerp
Competitors15 in 4 sports
Flag bearerGensabulo Noguchi[1]
Medals
Ranked 17th
Gold
0
Silver
2
Bronze
0
Total
2
Summer Olympics appearances (overview)

The Empire of Japan competed at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium.

Background

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Following Japan's poor showing during its Olympic debut at the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden, Japan planned for increased participation and the discipline of its athletes in the 1916 Summer Olympics planned for Berlin, Germany (which was subsequently cancelled by World War I. Japan also expanded its participation in international sporting events, by competing in the Far Eastern Games held in Manila in 1913, Shanghai in 1915, Tokyo in 1917 and Manila in 1919. By the time of the 1920 Olympics, Japan was able to field a fifteen-man team. Although most of its track-and-field runners and swimmers failed to pass the initial heats, Japan did considerably better in tennis, securing its first Olympic medals. However, the Japan Amateur Athletic Association, which sponsored the team, grossly underestimated the costs of journey, and was unable to pay for the team's return from Belgium. Local representatives of the Mitsubishi and Mitsui zaibatsu agreed to pay the $15,000 necessary for the stranded team to come home, but the embarrassment was so great that the Japanese government agreed to provide subsidies for future Olympic participation.[2]

Medalists

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Aquatics

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Diving

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Main article: Diving at the 1920 Summer Olympics

A single diver represented Japan in 1920. It was the nation's debut in the sport. Masayoshi Uchida was unable to advance past the first round of the plain high diving competition.

Men

Ranks given are within the semifinal group.

Diver Event Semifinals Final
Points Score Rank Points Score Rank
Masayoshi Uchida Plain high dive 40 94.0 8 did not advance

Swimming

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Main article: Swimming at the 1920 Summer Olympics

Two swimmers, both men, represented Japan in 1920. It was the nation's debut in the sport. Neither of the swimmers advanced to the finals.

Ranks given are within the heat.

Men
Swimmer Event Quarterfinals Semifinals Final
Result Rank Result Rank Result Rank
Kenkichi Saito 100 m free Unknown 6 did not advance
400 m free 6:16.8 2 Q did not finish
Masayoshi Uchida 100 m free Unknown 5 did not advance
400 m free 6:40.0 3 did not advance

Athletics

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Main article: Athletics at the 1920 Summer Olympics

11 athletes represented Japan in 1920. It was the nation's second appearance in athletics, having competed in the sport both times Japan had appeared at the Olympics. Japan continued to seek its first medals in the sport unsuccessfully, with a 12th-place finish in the decathlon the best result of the Games for Japanese athletes.

Ranks given are within the heat.

Athlete Event Heats Quarterfinals Semifinals Final
Result Rank Result Rank Result Rank Result Rank
Saburo Hasumi 800 m N/A 2:02.2 6 did not advance
1500 m N/A 6 did not advance
Ichiro Kaga 100 m 5 did not advance
200 m 4 did not advance
Shizo Kanakuri Marathon N/A 2:48:45.4 16
Hiroshi Masuda Pentathlon N/A did not finish
Yahei Miura Marathon N/A 2:59:37.0 24
Zensaku Motegi 10000 m N/A 12 did not advance
Marathon N/A 2:51:09.4 20
Gensabulo Noguchi Decathlon N/A 3668.630 12
Tomeichi Oura 5000 m N/A 6 did not advance
Kunosuke Sano 5000 m N/A 7 did not advance
10000 m N/A 8 did not advance
Shinichi Yamaoka 100 m 11.6 4 did not advance
200 m 23.9 4 did not advance
Kenzo Yashima Marathon N/A 2:57:02.0 21

Tennis

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Main article: Tennis at the 1920 Summer Olympics

Two tennis players, both men, competed for Japan in 1920. It was the nation's debut in the sport. Kumagae took the men's singles silver medal, and the pair also took silver in the men's doubles. The two would have faced each other in the quarterfinals of the singles tournament had Kashio advanced that far, so could not have won any more than the two medals they did win.

Player Event Round of 64 Round of 32 Round of 16 Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals Rank
Opposition
Score 		Opposition
Score 		Opposition
Score 		Opposition
Score 		Opposition
Score 		Opposition
Score
Seiichiro Kashio Men's singles Bye  Tegner (DEN)
W 6–3, 6–1, 6–2 		 Dodd (RSA)
L 6–3, 4–6, 6–2, 3–6, 6–1 		did not advance 9
Ichiya Kumagae Men's singles  Alonso (ESP)
W 7–5, 6–3, 6–3 		 de Laveleye (BEL)
W 6–0, 6–1, 6–0 		 Lammens (BEL)
W 7–5, 6–1, 6–4 		 Dodd (RSA)
W 7–5, 6–1, 6–1 		 Winslow (RSA)
W 6–2, 6–2, 6–2 		 Raymond (RSA)
L 5–7, 6–4, 7–5, 6–4 		2nd place, silver medalist(s)
Seiichiro Kashio
Ichiya Kumagae 		Men's doubles N/A Bye  Lammens & Washer (BEL)
W 6–1, 6–4, 6–4 		 Norton & Raymond (RSA)
W 6–3, 6–2, 4–6, 6–3 		 Blanchy & Brugnon (FRA)
W 6–4, 4–6, 6–3, 6–1 		 Turnbull & Woosnam (GBR)
L 6–2, 5–7, 7–5, 7–5 		2nd place, silver medalist(s)

References

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  1. ^ "Flagbearers for Japan". olympedia.org. OlyMADMen. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  2. ^ Guttman, Allen. Japanese Sports: A History (University of Hawaii Press, 2001), p. 119-120.
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