The second Monday in October is “Sports Day,” which is a national holiday. “Sports Day” was formerly known as “Health and Sports Day” and was observed on October 10. The Tokyo Olympics were held on October 10, 1964, and “Health and Sports Day” was established as a national holiday to commemorate that historic date. Later, in 2020, during the second Tokyo Olympics, it was renamed “Sports Day.” The purpose of the holiday appears to be a day for the public to engage in sports and cultivate healthy minds and bodies. Isn’t it a wonderful holiday when people of all ages—young and old alike—engage in and enjoy sports and physical education to cultivate healthy minds and bodies? Moreover, because this day is currently observed on a Monday under the “Happy Monday” system, it always results in at least a three-day weekend.
“Sports Day” traces its origins back to the Tokyo Olympics—following a period when it was known as Health and Sports Day—and was renamed to its current title during the second Tokyo Olympics; thus, it can be said that its origins lie in the Olympic Games. The Olympic spirit, or “Olympism,” advocated by Baron de Coubertin, the founder of the Olympic Games, is defined as the improvement of mind and body through sports; friendship and solidarity that transcend differences in culture and nationality; and the realization of a peaceful world through the spirit of fair play. It is proclaimed that the purpose of Olympism is to use sports to uphold human dignity, promote a peaceful society, and contribute to the harmonious development of humanity. In that sense, it can be said that “Sports Day” carries a powerful message of peace—one that involves physical training through exercise, the cultivation of a well-balanced mind, and the building of a better, more peaceful world.
I have several seniors who are in their 90s and are still active and in good health. When they look back on their youth, they speak candidly of the agonizing days they had to devote themselves to their studies and physical training while bracing for the looming storm of war. They confide that if that war had lasted just a few more years—no, even just one more year—they would have been sent to the battlefield as part of the student mobilization, only to perish in the wilderness of Manchuria or be sent on a kamikaze mission to meet their end at the farthest reaches of southern seas. Among these elderly people, there may be some who feel compelled to criticize, thinking, “Compared to us, young people these days…” However, since the war, Japan’s youth—both men and women—have been making remarkable strides in all walks of life. Their achievements in the world of sports, in particular, are truly breathtaking. Not only national sports like judo and sumo, but also ball games such as baseball, soccer, basketball, volleyball, tennis, and badminton; track and field events involving running, jumping, and throwing; and even swimming and gymnastics—the list goes on and on.
Why are today’s young people able to excel on such a global scale in the world of sports? I am occasionally struck by this question. While there may be various answers and it’s impossible to say for certain, I believe one reason is the current Constitution of Japan. This is the so-called “Peace Constitution,” said to have been drafted by young idealists from the General Headquarters (GHQ) of the Allied Forces who occupied Japan after the war. While its stated aim was to dismantle Japan’s military and prevent it from ever waging war again, Japan turned this to its advantage by forging ahead with economic reconstruction, eventually building up enough economic power by the 1980s to pose a threat to the United States. On the other hand, the United States—which created this idealistic constitution—has pledged to defend Japan with its military power, including nuclear weapons, thereby fulfilling its responsibility as the constitution’s drafter to a certain extent. During this time, Japan simultaneously made steady, concerted efforts in the world of sports—with support from both the public and private sectors—channeling the energy of the younger generation into this field rather than military service, and thereby building a world-class sporting powerhouse.
“Sports Day” seems to be the day when this Peace Constitution shines most brilliantly.
