Tokyo Olympics 1

We are lucky enough to have Tokyo Olympics 2 in 2020. How many people here remember we had another Tokyo Olympics almost 50 years ago? Yes, it was 1964 when The TO 1 was held. I was an elementary school boy at that time. And I saw a very shocking scene there.

Ladies and gentlemen, my fellow toastmasters!

It was the final match of the Judo tournament. Open weight division, which was the most important for the Japanese Judo athletes, because all the other 5 divisions were already won by Japanese Judo athletes. There, Japanese Judo champion, Mr Kaminaga, who had become a legend in the world of Judo was completely defeated by Mr Anton Geeshing from Holland. It was not a close match. It was Mr Geeshing's one-sided winning..

Until that time, in the world of Judo, Japan is "God", almighty, in a sense. In the World wide Judo champion ship tournament which had been held every year, the champions, the first prize winners are almost always Japanese Judo athletes. There was no exception at all. And the Tokyo Olympics 1 was the very first exception.

After that final match, Mr Anton Geeshing became a "Hero" national as well as international. When Geeshing came back to his home country, a big welcome back party was held in honor ho him. The prime ministers and some noble persons were present at the party. He created another legend in Europe's Judo World.

Later Mr Geeshing established a new company for new Judo uniforms which was a big success. After that he founded some companies and became the president. One company he founded was the one that produce professional wrestlers which proved to be a great success. Yes, he had a big talent as an entrepreneur.

Mr. Kaminaga remained one office worker for Japan's company for the rest of his life.  After a big success, Mr Geeshing passed away in 2010. Mr. Kaminaga also died some years before Mr Geeshing. That was the end of one story.

There is another drama, which had been kept secret, behind the first story. It was about Mr. Kaminaga's life. Mr. Kaminaga worked for a company in Japan and he was also had a special work in Kodokan. He worked for Kodokan as a chief of international section of Kodokan, because he could speak some English.

Before the Tokyo Olympics 1, all the international Judo tournaments was dealt with by International Judo Association. But the Tokyo Olympics was completely different and bigger event. From all over the world more than three thousand Judo people came to visit Tokyo. The section of international affairs of Kodokan had to handle every chores like Visa, plane tickets, hotels, accommodations, and of course, suitable food!.

How many people were there in the international section of Kodokan then. You never believe if I tell you the truth. Just 5!! and two of which were part time workers. This means that Mr Kaminaga should take all the responsibilities for that matter, and he did!

Six months before the Olympics, Mr Kaminaga didn't go back home, staying almost all day long at Kodokan, doing those chores. What made the situation worse was that those works prevented him from having a spare time to go to judo dojo and do his own practice.

I am very sorry to say that there was another accident just one month before the Olympics. He was involved in a traffic accident and had a very severe ligament injury in his left leg. Ligament is a stream of muscle around here and if you have injured here severely, you cannot walk. So was Mr Kaminaga.

In the final match, that was the truth. The result? That's what all of you already know.

Mr Geeshing was the winner of Judo tournament, and he was also a successful entrepreneur. He died as such. His death made a big headline on major newspapers. On the contrary Mr. Kaminaga's  death was reported in a very small article on newspapers.

Yes, Mr Geeshing was a winner. But does that mean Mr Kaminaga was a loser?

I don't think so.

Mr Kaminaga devoted his whole life to the development of Judo. He never think of himself or his reputation before and after the Olympics. Whenever Mr Kaminaga was asked about the final match with Mr Geeshing, all the words he said was "He was strong".

Mr Kaminaga didn't speak about his own result of the match, and he never let the people around him say anything about it, including his situation and physical injury he had before the match.

Was Mr Kaminaga a Loser?

No. He was the winner of his Life.
As a Japanese, I am proud of having him as a great Judo master, and one of the Last Samurai's.