Japan at the 1920 Summer Olympics explained

Noc:JPN
Nocname:Japanese Olympic Committee
Games:Summer Olympics
Year:1920
Website: 
Location:Antwerp
Competitors:15
Sports:4
Flagbearer:Gensabulo Noguchi[1]
Rank:17
Gold:0
Silver:2
Bronze:0
Appearances:auto
App Begin Year:1912

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

Background

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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MedalNameSportEventDate
August 23
August 23
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Medals by sport
Sportbgcolor=#f7f6a8 bgcolor=#dce5e5 bgcolor=#ffdab9 Total
0203
Total0202

Aquatics

Diving

See 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.

Swimming

See 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
SwimmerEventQuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinal
ResultRankResultRankResultRank
Kenkichi Saito100 m freeUnknown6align=center colspan=4did not advance
400 m free6:16.82 Qalign=center colspan=4did not finish
Masayoshi Uchida100 m freeUnknown5align=center colspan=4did not advance
400 m free6:40.03align=center colspan=4did not advance

Athletics

See 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.

AthleteEventHeatsQuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinal
ResultRankResultRankResultRankResultRank
Saburo Hasumi800 malign=center colspan=2N/A2:02.26align=center colspan=4did not advance
1500 malign=center colspan=4N/A6align=center colspan=2did not advance
Ichiro Kaga100 m5align=center colspan=6did not advance
200 m4align=center colspan=6did not advance
Shizo KanakuriMarathonalign=center colspan=6N/A2:48:45.416
Hiroshi MasudaPentathlonalign=center colspan=6N/Aalign=center colspan=2did not finish
Yahei MiuraMarathonalign=center colspan=6N/A2:59:37.024
Zensaku Motegi10000 malign=center colspan=4N/A12align=center colspan=2did not advance
Marathonalign=center colspan=6N/A2:51:09.420
Gensabulo NoguchiDecathlonalign=center colspan=6N/A3668.63012
Tomeichi Oura5000 malign=center colspan=4N/A6align=center colspan=2did not advance
Kunosuke Sano5000 malign=center colspan=4N/A7align=center colspan=2did not advance
10000 malign=center colspan=4N/A8align=center colspan=2did not advance
Shinichi Yamaoka100 m11.64align=center colspan=6did not advance
200 m23.94align=center colspan=6did not advance
Kenzo YashimaMarathonalign=center colspan=6N/A2:57:02.021

Tennis

See 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.

PlayerEventRound of 64Round of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinalsRank
Opposition
Score		Opposition
Score		Opposition
Score		Opposition
Score		Opposition
Score		Opposition
Score
Seiichiro KashioMen's singlesBye
W 6–3, 6–1, 6–2
L 6–3, 4–6, 6–2, 3–6, 6–1		align=center colspan=3did not advance9
Ichiya KumagaeMen's singles
W 7–5, 6–3, 6–3
W 6–0, 6–1, 6–0
W 7–5, 6–1, 6–4
W 7–5, 6–1, 6–1
W 6–2, 6–2, 6–2
L 5–7, 6–4, 7–5, 6–4
Seiichiro Kashio
Ichiya Kumagae		Men's doublesN/ABye
W 6–1, 6–4, 6–4
W 6–3, 6–2, 4–6, 6–3
W 6–4, 4–6, 6–3, 6–1
L 6–2, 5–7, 7–5, 7–5
Opponent nation Wins Losses Percent
3 0 1.000
1 0 1.000
1 0 1.000
0 1 .000
3 2 .600
1 0 1.000
Total 9 3 .750
Round Wins Losses Percent
Round of 64 1 0 1.000
Round of 32 2 0 1.000
Round of 16 2 1 .667
Quarterfinals 2 0 1.000
Semifinals 2 0 1.000
Final 0 2 .000
Bronze match 0 0 –
Total 9 3 .750

References

Notes and References

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

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