Vol. 5: Keio University Olympians / Soccer Club

2020/11/10

Image: Tokutaro Ukon (From the 1937 Faculty of Law, Department of Political Science graduation album)

In Japanese soccer, iconic matches have often been passed down through generations, such as the "Agony of Doha" in the US World Cup qualifiers, the "Miracle of Miami" at the Atlanta Olympics, and more recently, the "Tragedy of Rostov" at the Russia World Cup. However, the event that could be called the precursor to these was the "Miracle of Berlin," where Japan defeated Sweden at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Among the players who contributed significantly to this "miracle" was a single Juku student. He was Tokutaro Ukon, then a third-year student in the Department of Political Science, Faculty of Law. We would like to look back at this peerless player along with the history of the Soccer Club.

The roots of soccer in Japan lie in the Tokyo Higher Normal School, where it began in 1902 and is said to have spread primarily through middle schools. Soccer at the Juku, which originated with the Blue Soccer Club in 1921, was a latecomer. Subsequently, it operated as the Keio Association Football Club and joined the Athletic Association in 1927, marking the birth of the Soccer Club. At the time, soccer was generally called "Association Football" (A-shiki Shukyu), and the Juku intended to use that name. However, a Rugby Football Club already existed within the Athletic Association, and the name could not be used because it was considered confusing. Therefore, the name "Soccer Club" was chosen from "soccer," a slang term for association football. This unfamiliar name stems from the decision of the first captain, Yukichi Hamada, who believed that "Soccer" was closer to the actual pronunciation than "Sakka." Hamada had no playing experience until middle school and was described as not being particularly skilled as a player. However, he taught himself German to translate "Fussball," a book by Otto Nerz, the first manager of the German national team, to study playing methods. In this way, he became a theoretical leader for the Soccer Club and built its foundation. Players circulated the translated manuscripts and strove to master them, using this knowledge as a weapon to catch up with the more established schools.

Then, in 1931, as the club was gradually catching up with the reigning top teams, the University of Tokyo and Waseda, Ukon entered the Faculty of Law Preparatory Course. He came from Mikage Normal School Elementary School and Kobe First Middle School—what was then considered the golden route of soccer. He played as a key member from his first year in the preparatory course, supporting the first golden age, including the first Tokyo College League championship in 1932, and served as captain in 1935. Ukon was an all-round player who could play any position except goalkeeper. Teiichi Matsumaru, who supported Hamada as a coach and later built the second golden age as a manager—leading the team to four consecutive Kanto University League titles and three All-Japan Championship (now the Emperor's Cup) victories—evaluated Ukon as follows: "He deserves the highest rating as a playmaker" and "He was a rare, great player whose natural gifts and talent were unmatched wherever he went." The modern concept of a "box-to-box" player might be close to his style. On the other hand, he was said to have a personality that "always went at his own pace and disliked both being restricted and restricting others." His "un-Japanese appearance" and being "extremely fashionable" also left an impression on his juniors as a so-called playboy, making him an extraordinary figure in many respects.

Soccer, which was a relatively new sport in Japan, sent its first team to the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Waseda alumni accounted for 11 out of the 16 representatives, and Ukon was the only member from the Juku. Soccer at the Berlin Olympics was a straight knockout tournament among 16 participating countries, and the first-round opponent was Sweden, considered one of the favorites to win. At the time, the 2-3-5 formation, commonly known in Japan as the "Pyramid System," was mainstream. Ukon was placed in the inner-right position among the five forwards and served as the center of the team's attack. In this match, Japan was forced into a difficult situation, trailing by two goals in the first half. However, four minutes into the second half, Taizo Kawamoto scored from a Ukon assist to close the gap to one goal. Then, in the 17th minute, Ukon himself scored the equalizing goal. Finally, in the 40th minute, Akira Matsunaga scored the winning goal to complete the comeback victory. In the following quarter-finals, they lost 0-8 to the eventual champions, Italy, and left the tournament, but the match against Sweden was a magnificent giant-killing.

After graduating from university following the Olympics, Ukon also appeared in one match as a representative in the East Asian Games. However, he was later drafted into the Army during the Pacific War and died in battle on Bougainville Island. Besides him, other members of the "Miracle of Berlin," such as Matsunaga, who scored the comeback goal, and Captain Teizo Takeuchi, also died in the war, which was a great loss for Japanese soccer.

Participation from the Soccer Club in post-war Olympics has been limited, but Hiroshi Katayama appeared in consecutive Olympics in Tokyo and Mexico, contributing to the bronze medal win in Mexico. Additionally, Yasuharu Sorimachi, who currently serves as the Technical Director of the Japan Football Association, led the national team at the Beijing Olympics as manager.