Tokyo Olympiad 1964: Peace and Friendship

The Olympiads in Japan is mystically unlucky-Tokyo was moved due to Pandemia of Coronavirus to July 2021. In the twentieth century, Tokyo submitted applications for the summer Olympiads twice. About why the first (1940) did not take place, we talked in the Trv-hunger No. 303, while the second was successfully carried out in 1964. The process of nomination of the Tokyo candidate and the course of preparation for games allow you to understand the features of the political and cultural situation in the post-war world, as well as to evaluate the vast path that Japan has been traveled since the 1940s.

Ending ( beginning in the TRV-HOWN No. 303 dated 05.05.2020).

As a result of cruel defeat in World War II, Japan was occupied by American troops. Along with Germany, it was not accepted by international organizations (including the UN), Japan was also refused the participation of the 1948 London Olympic Games. The country for some time turned into an outcast. She faced a large -scale task - to get rid of the stigma of the aggressor and return to the international community. One of the tools to achieve these goals was Olympic sport.

The Japanese team has already been allowed to be admitted to the Helsinki (1952) Olympics. True, in an unofficial medal standings, she did not even fall into the top ten. The USSR team participated in the Olympiads for the first time and was the second after the United States. The winners in the war won in sports.

At the same time, the desire to rehabilitate itself for the abolition of the 1940 games did not leave the Japanese. The mayor of Tokyo Seyitiro Yasui began the campaign to hold the XVII Olympiad of 1960 in Tokyo a month after the occupation of Japan by American troops was completed in April 1952. The grounds were nominated: 7 million Tokyts are eager to accept the Olympics, since Japan wants to contribute to strengthening trust between peace -loving peoples. If, in the preparation of the 1940 games, the emphasis was on the fact that Japan wants to demonstrate its culture and traditions to the world, it was now emphasized: it was the Olympic movement that has a “glorious history and traditions”, which Japan wants to follow.

The US President of the IOC, American Avery Brundage, was invited to Japan, who held this post from 1952 to 1972. He participated as a pentacle in the 1912 games in Stockholm, was known as a collector of oriental art and a great lover of Japanese cuisine (at that time few people were fond of it). Fascinated by reception and gifts, Brandige nevertheless said bluntly that the Olympics will not be able to get the first time to Tokyo.

The 1956 Olympiad was planned in Melbourne, that is, far from Europe. Members of the IOC feared that it would be difficult for Europeans to send their teams to such a distance twice in a row. Air inspiration at that time was an expensive pleasure, and Europe has not yet restored after the terrible consequences of the war. Indeed, the growing Olympic movement was clearly “stalled” in Australia: 4104 athletes took part in the 1948 Olympics, 4925 in 1952, and only 3184 athletes reached Melbourne.

Having resigned to the fact that the Olympics will not be able to get in 1960, the Japanese NOC decided to hold the next Asian games in 1958 in Tokyo as a preparatory measure for the next Olympics. Unlike preparations for the 1940 Olympics, this time the Japanese National Olympic Committee (Yanok) has completely coordinated with the government. Neither the Olympics nor the Asian games could take place without a long -term government financial support.

These were unprofitable projects, which, however, had a huge ideological load. Asian games were supposed to show the world the hospitality and peacefulness of Japan, which got rid of the totalitarian militaristic past. In this sense, the government was much more interested in holding the Olympics than Yanok, who played a technical role. The future Prime Minister (1957–1960) Nobusuke Kishi headed the Coordination Committee for the preparation of the Olympiad. This time of her hot supporters was the prominent Japanese politician Kono Itiro (grandfather of the current Foreign Minister of Japan Taro Kono. - Ed. ), With the same heat opposed the Olympics in pre -war periods.

In 1958, perfectly organized third Asian games took place. This was the first major international event that Japan held after the war. At the IOC session, which took place in Tokyo at the same time with Asian Games, Brandig resolutely supported Tokyo's candidacy. This was the first session of the IOC held in Asia. And although the President of the IOC supported Japan, the final decision was made at the IOC session in Munich in June 1959.

During the time that remained before, the Japanese developed enormous activity not only in the construction of roads in Tokyo (and they left much to be desired), but also in attracting members of the IOC to their side. In particular, this concerned members of the IOC from underdeveloped countries with a high level of corruption. They made generous gifts, fed in chic restaurants, promised to pay the road to Munich and vice versa, invited to visit Japan.

Tokyo and the socialist camp, led by the USSR, helped. The American Detroit was considered the main competitor of the capital of the rising sun, but the Soviet Politburo made a wise decision to support Japan. At that time, the Soviet leadership hoped that their eastern neighbor could become a stronghold of anti -Americanism in Asia, and therefore the Soviet stamp praised the identity of Japanese culture, which seems to be able to resist the onslaught of cosmopolitanism.

The presentation of the alleged Tokyo Olympiad in Munich was entrusted with the famous television journalist Hirasavev Kazushige. He did not bore those present by tedious numbers, but performed very artistically: the flower of Western culture, namely the Olympics, let it now bloom in the east; The Far East in the current era of progress ceases to be distant thanks to reactive aircraft and international communication, and it is the basis of the world around the world.

Together with an attractive idea for the IOC about the advisability of holding the first Olympiad in Asia and, together with the real readiness of Tokyo to hold a major international forum, this led in Munich to an unconditional victory of the Japanese capital: Tokyo received 34 votes out of 55 (10 ballots were presented for Detroit).

The post -war incomplete complex has not yet been overcome, and many Japanese were not sure that the country would be able to adequately conduct the Olympics. In 1962, there were 73%of such “Littlenesses”. However, the country's economic successes were not in doubt. The 1956 White Book on Economics contained a key phrase that all the Japanese were remembered: "The post -expiration ended."

It was meant that the country overcame the devastation, the dynamics of growth in the standard of living was extremely positive. However, with all the achievements, one should not forget that this year the Japanese’s income was 7.7% of the income of the American, half - the Englishman and the Western German. Nevertheless, the Japanese consumed more and more electricity, things, food and drugs. The previous dreams of imperial greatness were transformed into consumer hopes to “three treasures”: a TV (so far black and white), a refrigerator and a washing machine.

The successful holding of the Olympiad was the task of state importance. The government introduced the post of minister responsible for holding the Olympics. He was taken by Kono Itiro. High -ranking officials, businessmen, and members of the parliament were introduced into the Olympiad organizing committee.

The functionaries acted efficiently and decisively. The tram beloved by the Tokyans was eliminated, many rivers and canals fell asleep, because they interfered with the improvement of the transport system. In the capital, it was better to remove garbage in the capital, tens of thousands of leaflets were heard, who called on the Japanese not to hit the mud in front of foreigners: not to litter, not to drink and not to urinate on the streets, not to fight, not to be rude and not to appear dousy. The stadiums, hotels, high -speed tracks, a monorail road connecting the city with Handa Airport were built in shock pace, new metro lines were laid, and streets expanded.

This led to the capital loss of the former appearance, which was perceived as a whole positively - as a triumph of progress. Immediately before the Olympics, the world's first high -speed railway (Sinkansen), connecting Tokyo and Osaka, was launched. The Olympic stadium near the sanctuary of Meiji contained 75 thousand spectators (the plans of the organizers of the 1940 Games was to build a stadium for 120 thousand). The organizers of the 1964 Olympics counted on the arrival of 30 thousand foreign tourists. These forecasts were more realistic than the plans of the organizers of the failed Olympiad of 1940: they anticipated the arrival of 100 thousand foreigners.

They were expected from Japanese athletes. In Melbourne, they won 19 medals (4 gold), taking ninth place. In Rome, they did not advance a step forward - the same ninth position with 18 medals (4 gold). To prepare the Japanese athletes for the Tokyo Olympics, significant funds were allocated, many lovers essentially turned into professional athletes. So, members of the women's volleyball team “worked” in a weaving factory, where they received a “salary”. Exactly the same practice existed in the USSR and other socialist countries.

The authorities needed successes that could consolidate the Japanese and prove the correctness of the course. The rapid development of the economy has carried not only an increase in living standards, but also numerous problems (pollution, cramped cities, psychological discomfort associated with the loss of the previous environment of natural and social habitat). The positions of the “left” in politics were quite strong, and they fought with all their might against the Japanese-American security agreement. The Olympiad provided good opportunities to distract the Japanese, unite them, torture the intensity of negative emotions.

Olympic fire was lit in Athens and delivered to Nahu - the main city of Okinava. At that time, this prefecture of Japan was under the American administrative department, the country was wrapped in the country for the return of Okinawa to Japanese jurisdiction. The delivery of Olympic fire there had a clear symbolic subtext: to show that Okinawa belongs to Japan. At the local stadium, Olympic fire was demonstrated by 75 thousand spectators, the anthem of Japan sounded, raised the state flag.

After Okinawa, the Olympic fire was delivered by plane to Kagosima at Kyusu, where it was divided into several parts. 100 713 runners carried a flash on all prefectures of the country. At the main Olympic stadium, he was lit on Saturday, October 10, 1964, Sakai Yoshinori. He was chosen not so much for his outstanding sports achievements, but for the fact that he was born on August 6, 1945 near Hiroshima - on the day of her atomic bombing. The Americans affectionately named the baby (Little Boy). She took away the lives of 140 thousand Japanese, but Yoshinori survived the “baby”.

The Olympics was opened by the Emperor of Sova. Before the war, Kono Itiro opposed the Olympics, in particular, because "the emperor’s voice should not be heard by millions of ordinary people." Kono was also present at the opening and this time did not put forward any objections to the emperor to say a few words into the microphone. A 5541 athlete from 94 countries passed before the stands. American aircraft of the Japanese Air Force, through smoke, drawn five multi -colored rings over the stadium. Before entering the stadium, the audience was handed out for garbage bags, which was a curiosity.

Before the war, in preparation for the Olympics, Japan itself created the main problems. Now it has become a peaceful country and behaved in full accordance with the Olympic rules. Now the problems of her and the Olympic movement were created by other countries. The Germans from Western and Eastern Germany managed to agree and sent a combined team to Tokyo. At first, an agreement was also reached between the North and South Korea on the formation of a single team, but as a result, the Koreans arrived in Tokyo separately, and the North Korea team returned home before the opening ceremony.

In Vietnam, a civil war with direct participation of the United States raged. The Severovetnetnamians did not want to perform on the same arenas with their enemies. Due to the policy of apartheid, the IOC did not allow South Africa to participate in the games and therefore managed to avoid the boycott of the Olympiad from the African countries. China did not participate in the Olympics, because Taiwan participated in them. The PRC showed herself at the Olympics in another way: on October 16, at the height of the Olympics, she tested a nuclear bomb, becoming the first nuclear country in Asia. Two days before, N. S. Khrushchev was shifted, and the world began to guess which way the USSR policy would turn ...

The theme of war and peace, the 1940 Olympiad and the present, Japan of the past and present was one of the most important for the Japanese of 1960. The writer Sonoko Sugimoto recalled that at the very reconstructed stadium where the opening of games took place, exactly 20 years ago, in October 1944, she participated in the wires of young men who went to the front. In the place of the box, where the imperial couple was now sitting, Prime Minister Todzio, who called for defeating the United States and Great Britain, is located. And now, and then the state flag fluttered over the stadium, the anthem sounded, but a completely different meaning was put into these state symbols.

The Olympics in Tokyo saw a huge number of people. For the first time in history, television showed the International Sports Forum so widely. Some reports were carried out in color format (though there were only 67 thousand color televisions in Japan then in Japan). For the first time in history, a direct broadcast was conducted throughout the world. It was carried out through the American satellite of the Japanese state company NHK. During the broadcast of the Japan - USSR volleyball match, 95.4% of TVs were included in the country. In the history of manipulating the consciousness and mobilization of the masses, a new period has come. The trend was that the number of spectators increased, and the number of readers was reduced.

41 thousand foreigners arrived to see the Olympics. If you add athletes and functionaries to them, you will get 50 thousand. In total, in 1964, 353 thousand foreigners visited Japan, which was significantly more than last year, when 300 thousand entered the country. As the journalists wrote, these people were convinced that Japan is a highly developed industrial country, and not the country of geisha, samurai and harakiri.

The Olympics left the Japanese roads and railway tracks, sports facilities, hotels and memories. Including memories of victories. Japanese sport took a big step forward, and in the unofficial standings (which was actually the main one) the Japanese team took fourth place (29 medals) after the USSR (96 medals), the USA (90 medals) and the united German team (50 medals).

At that time, the word was not finally pushed to the periphery of consciousness. The most famous Japanese writers illuminated the Olympics on the pages of newspapers and magazines. This gave her not only a sports, but also a human dimension. The writer Ayako Sono (Ayako Sono) indignantly protested against the disgusting habit of modern sports, in which the further, the more the anti -human principle triumphed - the winner receives everything.

Satoko Tanaka, terribly disappointed with her fourth place in swimming one hundred meters on her back, she addressed the following words: “It is very good that you lost! Having lost, you stopped being a monkey on a leash! You again became a woman, an ordinary woman with a beautiful body. " The writer also fell upon the sports functionaries “in the Blue Blazers”, who, after the Tokyo Olympiad, began to immediately look for new “monkeys” for the next Olympiad in Mexico City, since the former “monkeys” will become old by that time.

However, skeptics were in an absolute minority. The media did their job. According to sociological surveys, more than 90% of the Japanese felt the joy of the Olympics.

Attention, which was attracted to Japan during the Games, direct contacts with foreigners, their opinions about the country who accepted them gave the Japanese a reason to look at themselves from the side. Писатель Хитоми Ямагути (Hitomi Yamaguchi) отмечал, что Олимпиада «дала возможность поразмышлять, что же представляет собой страна под названием Япония и народ, который называют японцами».

В шестидесятые годы Япония привлекла внимание всего мира своими экономическими успехами. После прекрасно организованной Олимпиады в стране Восходящего солнца заговорили о том, что она вернулась в клуб мировых держав. Успех вселял гордость в сердца японцев. Лейтмотивом послеолимпийских публикаций было восклицание: мы сумели сделать это!

Журналисты находили, что деньги, вложенные в Олимпиаду, были потрачены на «битву», имевшую целью возрождение Японии после поражения в войне. Во время спортивного форума часто звучал японский гимн, всюду развевались национальные флаги. Знаменитый писатель Юкио Мисима (Yukio Mishima) полагал, что в результате Олимпиады были реабилитированы государственный флаг и гимн, которые многие считали символами тоталитаризма. В отличие от Германии, Япония после окончания войны не отказалась ни от своего флага, ни от гимна, представляющего собой здравицу императору.

Именно после токийской Олимпиады случился настоящий бум научных (а чаще околонаучных или совсем ненаучных) «рассуждений о японцах» ( нихондзинрон ). Главной задачей этого дискурса было позитивное самоописание японцев, которые, с одной стороны, стремились избавиться от послевоенного комплекса неполноценности, с другой — страшились потерять свою идентичность под напором урбанизации в условиях изменения среды природного и социального обитания, наплыва западных ценностей и представлений. Эта идеология утверждала отличие японцев от всех других народов, их особость, которая трактовалась как предмет гордости. Разумеется, не одна Олимпиада запустила этот мощный дискурс, но и она внесла важный вклад в повышение самооценки японцев в своих глазах.

После токийской Олимпиады японские спортсмены больше никогда не добивались таких успехов. Основные усилия общества и государства были направлены на экономику, повышение благосостояния, экологию. В 1964 году помимо Олимпиады в Токио состоялось еще одно знаковое событие: первая в Азии сессия Международного валютного фонда. И долгосрочное сотрудничество с ним оказалось для Японии важнее, чем сотрудничество с МОК.

Существовала и еще одна важнейшая причина относительного пренебрежения в Японии спортом высших достижений. Дело в том, что в японских школах занятия физкультурой рассматриваются прежде всего с точки зрения поддержания здоровья, а не достижения высокого результата. В спортивные секции вовлечены практически все школьники, но занятия там, помимо обеспечения здоровья, призваны привить им навыки коллективной жизни, что плохо совместимо с воспитанием личности, настроенной на то, чтобы победить, то есть выделиться из коллектива. В связи с этим на низовом уровне не воспитывается массовая готовность к состязательности, что, безусловно, сужает базу профессионального спорта, который является уделом ограниченного числа людей.

Как видим, Олимпиада как инструмент «мягкой силы» вошла в драматическое противоречие с господствующими настроениями в довоенной политической элите Японии, сделавшей ставку на силу «грубую». Это привело к добровольному отказу от проведения Олимпиады 1940 года. В послевоенное время Япония стала мирной страной, и все её упования были связаны с «мягкой силой» (развитием экономики, науки и культуры, повышением качества жизни). Такая ориентация обеспечила успешное проведение Олимпиады 1964 года, что позволило японцам существенно повысить самооценку и международный престиж страны. Однако в последующее время государственное внимание к спорту высших достижений ослабело, поскольку он стал рассматриваться как второстепенное средство в арсенале «мягкой силы».

Александр Мещеряков, японист, профессор, гл. scientific. sore.
Института классического Востока и античности НИУ ВШЭ