Roger Jackson
Olympic rowing champion, Tokyo 1964 and past president of Canadian Olympic Association
Book Recommendations:
Recommended by Roger Jackson
“Roy has most wonderfully captured the background stories behind Olympic heroes and their many challenges, and has provided insightful political, social, and economic context of how the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games were so transformative for Japan. His book is an enjoyable and informative read for anyone interested in the Olympic Games and its athletes.” (from Amazon)
Japan was a physical and psychological wasteland at the end of World War II. With over 3 million dead, 39 percent of city populations homeless, 40 percent of all urban areas flattened, 80 percent of all ships destroyed, and 33 percent of all industrial machine tools rendered inoperable, the country was devastated and demoralized. And yet, just 19 years later, Japan stood proud--modern, peace-loving, and open--welcoming the world as the host of the 1964 Olympics, the largest global event of its time. In 1964--The Greatest Year in the History of Japan, Roy Tomizawa chronicles how Japan rose from the rubble to embark on the greatest Asian economic miracle of the 20th century. He shares stories from the 1964 Olympics that created a level of alignment and national pride never before seen in Japan, leaving an indelible mark in the psyche of the Japanese for generations.