A graduate of Nihon University, Yoshihiro Hamaguchi had successful careers as both an international swimmer and a Japanese film and television actor. On the former path, his crowning achievement was the silver medal he earned as a member of Japan’s 4×200 freestyle relay team at the 1952 Summer Olympics. He also competed in the 100m freestyle event, but was eliminated in a tie-breaking heat following the semi-finals. Remaining active in the sport following his retirement in the mid-1950s, he served as the director of the Japanese National Swimming Team from 1976 through 1984, which saw him acts as coach for the squad at the 1980 and 1984 Summer Olympics.
Hamaguchi began his acting career in 1955 and appeared in numerous television shows and films – over 100 by some estimates – and was perhaps best known for appearing as the Japanese Tarzan in 1955 and in the 1959 Kon Ichikawa film “Fires on the Plain”. His range was extensive and he even had a bit part in the 1966 Kaiju film “Gamera vs. Barugon”. He died of heart failure in August 2011 in Tokyo at the age of 85.
Japan