New Record

"Since the war," complained a 22-year-old Tokyo girl, "we Japanese have been feeling no passion in our lives." Last week, the citizens of Tokyo felt a sort of patriotic passion for Konoshin Furuhashi, 19, a muscular, close-cropped literature student at Nippon University. In the all-Japan swimming championships at Meiji Shrine pool, Furuhashi thrashed out the 400-meter free style in 4:38.4, three-tenths of a second better than the world record set in 1934 by the U.S.'s Jack Medica. Supreme Command Allied Powers officials thought that Furuhashi's mark would be internationally recognized, making him the first postwar Japanese athlete to attract overseas attention. Overnight, Furuhashi became the toast of Tokyo. An earnest office-worker wrote to the Osaka newspaper Asahi: "Each of us must become a Furuhashi. Herein we may find a way to solve the economic crisis."

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.