1964 Summer Olympics

The Summer Olympic Games held in Tokyo from 10 to 24 October 1964. They were the first Olympics staged in Asia and marked Japan’s postwar return to the international community.

Abebe Bikila: Ethiopian marathon runner who won Olympic gold in 1960 and 1964. He became the first athlete to win the Olympic marathon twice, racing barefoot in Rome and shod in Tokyo.
Tokaido Shinkansen: Japan’s first high-speed railway, opened between Tokyo and Osaka in October 1964. Its launch just before the Games showcased a modern transport system to international visitors.
1964 Summer Olympics opening ceremony: The ceremony that opened the Tokyo Olympics on 10 October 1964. Its cauldron lighting by Yoshinori Sakai gave the Games a distinctive postwar symbol.
1940 Summer Olympics: The Summer Olympics awarded to Tokyo but cancelled because of the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II. Tokyo’s cancelled 1940 Games preceded its successful return as host in 1964.
1960 Summer Olympics: The Summer Olympic Games held in Rome from 25 August to 11 September 1960. Rome was the preceding host, offering a point of comparison for the first Asian Summer Olympics.
Dawn Fraser: Australian swimmer who won the women’s 100-metre freestyle at three consecutive Olympics. Her 1964 victory completed an unprecedented third consecutive Olympic title in the event.
Japanese economic miracle: Japan’s rapid economic growth from the 1950s through the early 1970s. The Olympics displayed the infrastructure and industrial capacity built during this postwar expansion.
1964 Summer Olympics medal table: The ranking of national teams by medals won at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Japan finished third, its strongest overall Olympic performance up to that time.
International Olympic Committee: The international organization that oversees the Olympic Movement and awards the Olympic Games. The IOC selected Tokyo as host in 1959 and supervised the 1964 competition.
1968 Summer Olympics: The Summer Olympic Games held in Mexico City from 12 to 27 October 1968. Mexico City followed Tokyo as host and became the first Olympic city in Latin America.

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