Tokyo 1964
With the success of the 1960 Games in Rome, Sir Ludwig Guttmann was keen to stage the Games again at the same venue as the Olympic Games in 1964, in Tokyo. Support for his plan was boosted by the positive reactions of Japanese observers who visited the 1960 Games in Rome. Based on their reports upon returning to Tokyo, and with the agreement of the International Stoke Mandeville Games Committee, contact was established between Guttmann and the Japanese authorities.
Further progress was made when a Japanese specialist, Dr. Nakamura, visited Stoke Mandeville to study rehabilitation methods. In 1962, two Japanese competitors took part in the 11th International Stoke Mandeville Games in England, and at the next games in July 1963, Dr. Nakamura brought along a team of specialists. On this team was Mr. Y. Kasai, Chairman of the newly organized Japanese Sports Association for the Disabled (JSAD) and a leading official in the Japanese government. Mr. Kasai later became Chairman of the Japanese Organizing Committee for the 1964 Paralympic Games.
Funds for hosting the Games were raised through donations from a range of organizations, in particular the public and private sectors of the Japanese economy. These organizations included: the National and Metropolitan Governments, the Japanese Chamber of Commerce, and the Professional Baseball Association and some 2,000 smaller contributors.
The Opening Ceremony was held at the Oda Field located within the Olympic village, with some 5,000 spectators. The patrons of the Games, His Imperial Highness Prince Akihito and Princess Michiko, were in attendance. The local and national press, radio and television responded with intense coverage, contrary to the Organizing Committee’s earlier worries that it might be difficult to create media interest because of the focus on the Olympic Games.
A total of 375 athletes (307 men and 68 women) from 21 countries participated in the Games. The largest delegation came from Great Britain, with 70 athletes, followed by the USA with 66. A significant addition was made at the 1964 Games—wheelchair racing in the form of a 60m race for men and women. Wheelchair racing has since grown into one of the most exciting Paralympic sports and helped to raise the profile of wheelchair athletes.
Several competitors turned in stellar performances—Ron Stein of the USA in Athletics, Margaret Harriman of Zimbabwe in Archery, Serge Bec of France in Fencing, and Dick Thompson of Great Britain and Daniel Erasmus of South Africa in Athletics. In all, 144 gold medals were presented during the Games, with the USA, Great Britain and Italy at the top of the medal table.
A capacity crowd of 5,000 cheered the competitors at the Closing Ceremony on 12 November in the National Gymnasium. In attendance were the Crown Prince and Princess, Sir Guttmann, the representative of the Prime Minster of Japan, the Minster of Health and the Governor of Tokyo.
