Beamed Across the World:
Tokyo 64 – The First “TV” Olympics
by Philip Barker
On a clear afternoon in Tokyo 60 years ago, the Olympic Flame burned to set in motion Games that were symbolic in many ways.
For the host nation, it represented a new chapter after the horrors of the second world war. This was even represented in a deliberate choice of young people to carry the Torch which was carried in four separate Relays across Japan.
It was also the first to be beamed by an intercontinental satellite and the first transmitted on television in colour, although the viewing audience was very limited.
Japan had earlier been chosen to stage the 1940 Games in Tokyo. It had been forced to abandon the project when the country’s militaristic regime embarked on a war in China.
After the second world war, Japan had been excluded from the 1948 London Games and was only re-admitted to the Olympic Movement in 1952.
Yet by 1958, the city was welcoming the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for its annual session.
“We firmly believe that in this world of suspicion and jealousy, nothing could be more essential for the peace and security of mankind, than the faith, fair play and good sportsmanship embodied in the Olympic ideal. I hope sincerely, that the Torch of Olympism may continue to burn ever brighter on all of the five continents.” said Japanese IOC member Ryotaro Azuma.
He was soon to become Tokyo’s Governor and proved an influential figure in Japan’s Olympic ambitions.
Tokyo also hosted the 1958 Asian Games. These were widely praised particularly by IOC President Avery Brundage.
“With what has been learnt on these occasions and in the light of the natural efficiency of the Japanese I am sure that Japan is prepared to organise an even greater international event, such as the Olympic Games,” Brundage insisted.
The dossier presented in the course of their bid emphasised that the Japanese had been “enthusiastic and sincere advocates of the Olympic Movement ever since their first participation in 1912”
At their 1959 Session in Munich the IOC voted for Tokyo as the 1964 host city. They were convincing winners over Detroit, Vienna and Brussels.
Azuma insisted that hosting the Games would be “a gallant march along the programme of civic improvements of the municipality.”
Improvements were made to the National Stadium and other facilities took shape all seemed on course.
Unfortunately, political tensions of the time once again threatened Olympic harmony.
South Africa were not yet excluded from the Olympic movement but international opposition to their racially segregated society, a system known as “Apartheid” was growing. They did not take part in the Tokyo Games.
The tension between East and West Germany had also grown since the erection of the Berlin Wall in 1961.
The 1962 Asian Games had been held in Jakarta but the Indonesian government had refused entry visas to those from Taiwan and Israel.
The Indian IOC member Guru Dutt Sondhi, a senior figure in the Asian Games Federation,protested. In response, there were demonstrations outside the Indian Embassy and also in front of Sondhi’s own hotel. He was forced to leave the country for his own safety.
IOC sanctions prompted a reaction from Indonesia’s President Sukarno.
He announced the formation of a new movement. The Games of New Emerging Forces (GANEFO) were to be sport with a clear political aspect.
“The Olympics are a children’s Game, GANEFO is much better” officials claimed.
The first GANEFO events were held in 1963. The IOC warned that all those who participated would render themselves ineligible for the Olympics.
This meant that the world was later denied the opportunity to see North Korea’s star athlete Shin Keum-dan who had recorded a succession of remarkable times.
For the 1964 Olympics, Tokyo had insisted that October would be the most suitable month.
In those days, the Opening Ceremony was usually held in the afternoon. It was a day of bright sunshine and blue skies. The organisers were lucky, the previous day it had been raining.
“Electronic music” greeted the arrival of Emperor Hirohito.
An hour later, teenage runner Yoshinori Sakai, born in Hiroshima on the day the atom bomb fell in 1945, ran up the steps to light the cauldron.
Greece had led the parade into the stadium.Their Flag-bearer was hurdler George Marcellos, who had been the first Torchbearer in the relay from Ancient Olympia.
The teams entered, to what were described as “inspiring band selections” which included a specially composed Olympic March.
The musicians were from the Ground and Maritime Self-Defense Forces, police and fire brigade . A choir of 350 included singers from the Japanese Broadcasting Corporation, the Tokyo Art University of Music and the Kunitachi and Musashino Colleges of Music.
Ethiopia’s standard bearer Abebe Bikila, a guard at the Imperial Palace, later won the Olympic marathon for a second successive Games.
East and West Germany marched under a German tricolour emblazoned with five Olympic rings in white carried by Ingrid Engel-Kramer, double diving gold medallist at the 1960 Rome Games.
A team with the name board displaying “Northern Rhodesia” also entered the stadium. By the time of the Closing Ceremony, the country had achieved independence as Zambia.
The flag of the Netherlands was brought in by the giant Anton Geesink. To the delight of the Japanese, judo had been included on the programme for the first time, albeit for men only.
Although each of the other weight categories was won by Japanese competitors, many were shocked that the prestigious open category was won by Geesink.
The Japanese public were however delighted by gold in another sport making its debut.
Players in the successful Japanese women’s volleyball team came from the Dai Nippon spinning factory in Kaizuka. Rather unflatteringly, they were dubbed the “Oriental Witches”
On the track there were some remarkable late bursts. Billy Mills of the United States came through to take the 10000m. The women’s 800 went to Ann Packer of Great Britain who seemed to have left it too late but came through with remarkable speed.
Her compatriot Mary Rand had won a long jump gold. She added silver in the pentathlon and bronze in the 4x100m relay. Details of how her achievements were recognised in her home town will appear in the final Journal of Olympic History in 2024.
In the pool, Don Schollander of the United States was the first swimmer to win four gold medals at the same Olympics. His victories came in the 100m and 400m freestyle and two freestyle relays.
Dawn Fraser won the women’s 100m freestyle for the third consecutive Games but many will also remember an incident involving a flag at the Imperial Palace. Fraser was given a ban by the Australian authorities but Fraser is said to have kept silent rather than inform on others involved in the escapade.
The race walks were held on the streets of Tokyo. Ken Matthews of Great Britain won over 20 kilometres and Italy’s Abdon Pamich took gold in the 50km.
Curiously, “Walk Don’t Run,” a feature film starring Cary Grant was set against the backdrop of the Olympics in Tokyo. It depicted Grant’s character gatecrashing the race walk as part of the plot. Released in 1966 it was Grant’s last film.
The actual competitions were recorded in a documentary directed by Kon Ichikawa, still considered one of the great Olympic films to this day.
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