Japan at the 1920 Summer Olympics

Last updated
Japan at the
1920 Summer Olympics
Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg
IOC code JPN
NOC Japanese Olympic Committee
Website www.joc.or.jp  (in Japanese and English)
in Antwerp
Competitors15 in 4 sports
Flag bearer Gensabulo 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.

Contents

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

Aquatics

Diving

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.

DiverEventSemifinalsFinal
PointsScoreRankPointsScoreRank
Masayoshi Uchida Plain high dive 4094.08did not advance

Swimming

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 Saito 100 m free Unknown6did not advance
400 m free 6:16.82 Qdid not finish
Masayoshi Uchida 100 m free Unknown5did not advance
400 m free 6:40.03did not advance

Athletics

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 Hasumi 800 m N/A2:02.26did not advance
1500 m N/A6did not advance
Ichiro Kaga 100 m 5did not advance
200 m 4did not advance
Shizo Kanakuri Marathon N/A2:48:45.416
Hiroshi Masuda Pentathlon N/Adid not finish
Yahei Miura Marathon N/A2:59:37.024
Zensaku Motegi 10000 m N/A12did not advance
Marathon N/A2:51:09.420
Gensabulo Noguchi Decathlon N/A3668.63012
Tomeichi Oura 5000 m N/A6did not advance
Kunosuke Sano 5000 m N/A7did not advance
10000 m N/A8did not advance
Shinichi Yamaoka 100 m 11.64did not advance
200 m 23.94did not advance
Kenzo Yashima Marathon N/A2:57:02.021

Tennis

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 Kashio Men's singles ByeFlag of Denmark.svg  Tegner  (DEN)
W 6–3, 6–1, 6–2
Red Ensign of South Africa (1912-1951).svg  Dodd  (RSA)
L 6–3, 4–6, 6–2, 3–6, 6–1
did not advance9
Ichiya Kumagae Men's singles Flag of Spain (1785-1873, 1875-1931).svg  Alonso  (ESP)
W 7–5, 6–3, 6–3
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  de Laveleye  (BEL)
W 6–0, 6–1, 6–0
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Lammens  (BEL)
W 7–5, 6–1, 6–4
Red Ensign of South Africa (1912-1951).svg  Dodd  (RSA)
W 7–5, 6–1, 6–1
Red Ensign of South Africa (1912-1951).svg  Winslow  (RSA)
W 6–2, 6–2, 6–2
Red Ensign of South Africa (1912-1951).svg  Raymond  (RSA)
L 5–7, 6–4, 7–5, 6–4
Silver medal icon.svg
Seiichiro Kashio
Ichiya Kumagae
Men's doubles N/AByeFlag of Belgium (civil).svg  Lammens & Washer  (BEL)
W 6–1, 6–4, 6–4
Red Ensign of South Africa (1912-1951).svg  Norton & Raymond  (RSA)
W 6–3, 6–2, 4–6, 6–3
Flag of France.svg  Blanchy & Brugnon  (FRA)
W 6–4, 4–6, 6–3, 6–1
Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Turnbull & Woosnam  (GBR)
L 6–2, 5–7, 7–5, 7–5
Silver medal icon.svg

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References

  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.