Sport Diplomacy and Japanese-American Friendship in Japan

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  • 戦前日本のスポーツ外交と日米親善
  • 戦前日本のスポーツ外交と日米親善 : 1933年から1937年までのアメリカンフットボールを事例として
  • センゼン ニホン ノ スポーツ ガイコウ ト ニチベイ シンゼン : 1933ネン カラ 1937ネン マデ ノ アメリカンフットボール オ ジレイ ト シテ
  • ―1933年から1937年までのアメリカンフットボールを事例として―
  • A Case Study of American Football in Japan between 1933 and 1937

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Abstract

The aim of this paper is to investigate the history of American football in Japan between 1933 and 1937. <br>　American football was not commonly played in Japan before 1933, but when Nisei students began to play the game it gained in popularity. The national federation was established in 1934 and the first official game took place in the same year. Later, in 1935, American collegiate all-stars visited Japan and this was followed by a visit to the United States by Japanese all-stars in December 1936 and January 1937. <br>　Before 1934 Japan had been isolated from the international community as a result of the Manchurian Incident in 1931, the Shanghai Incident in 1932, and the establishment of Manchukuo in the same year, together with its secession from the League of Nations in 1933. Diplomatic actors in Japan tried to communicate with the international community in three ways. One was through international exchanges, one was by way of sport diplomacy, and the other was through Nisei students. Diplomatic actors realized that sport was useful for international friendship following the success of the Los Angeles Olympics in 1932. Also, diplomatic actors regarded Nisei students as a bridge between Japan and the United States. This means that diplomatic actors expected that Nisei students would become spokesmen for Japan after they went back to the United States. <br>　In conclusion, there are two reasons American football in Japan increased rapidly between 1933 and 1937. One was that most of the players were Nisei students who were regarded as spokesmen for Japan in the future. The other was that diplomatic actors supported sport diplomacy.

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