Takashi Hatakeyama

Takashi Hatakeyama was captain of the judo club in junior high school before he started rowing. In 1935, was a member of the eights that won the All Japan Championship. While attending Waseda University, he was selected to represent Japan at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Three years later, Hatakeyama graduated from the university’s Faculty of Commerce. Subsequently, he worked for the South Manchuria Railway but continued to row competitively winning at the Meiji Jingu Games.

Later, Hatakeyama was involved in the fishery management of the family business. In 1963, he was elected as mayor of his hometown Karakuwa and held this position for six years. He then became a member of the Miyagi Prefectural Assembly holding his seat for 20 years until 1992, after having been appointed its chairman in 1985. For his services, he was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun with Gold Rays and was declared an Honorary Citizen of Karakuwa.