Tokushige Noto

While attending junior high school, Tokushige Noto was an all-round sportsman playing baseball and tennis and practiced running and kendo. Later he enrolled in the physical education department of the Tokyo Higher Normal School, being trained by Gensaburo Noguchi and Shizo Kanakuri. From 1922-25 he won three consecutive national titles over 400 metres, and in 1923 in the 800 as well. During this time, he broke Japanese records in both events. He bettered the 800 record with 2:00.4 just months before the Paris 1924 Olympics. At the Games, however, he did not proceed to the finals. In the next year, he set a national record in the 400 with 50.0.

At the first Meiji Shrine Games in October 1924, Noto took the oath as the athletes’ representative and competed in the Hakone Ekiden relay in 1925. After graduating in 1927, he worked as a sports journalist for a major newspaper in Fukuoka. He also helped organize sporting events sponsored by his newspaper and promoted sports in Kyushu. In 1952, along with Kanakuri, he was one of the founders of the Ekiden Around Kyushu, which was held until 2013.

Personal Bests: 400 – 50.2 (1925); 800 – 2:00.4 (1924); Dec – 5090 (1924).