Hiroaki Shukuzawa
Encyclopedia
was a successful rugby coach of the Japan national rugby union team
until now. As a player, he was capped three times by Japan as a scrum-half, and he also advised the Japan Rugby Football Union
. He held important posts as a banker also.
Shukuzawa died of a heart attack on the way back from a mountain climbing expedition in Gunma prefecture
. More than four thousand people, including Seiji Hirao
and Katsuyuki Kiyomiya
attended the overnight wake on June 22, 2006 at Honganji
temple in Tsukiji
, Tokyo.
, he began to play rugby as scrum-half at Kumagaya High School. He continued his study and rugby at Waseda University
. He became the first-choice scrum-half from his first year and was instrumental in Waseda winning the Japan Rugby Football Championship title for two consecutive years. He was the captain of the team in his fourth year but failed to defend the title as Waseda was beaten by Meiji University
in the final of the University Championship. He was chosen to represent Japan when in his second year at university and earned three caps. As he intended to give up playing after the graduation, he decided to join Sumitomo Bank (current Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
) that had no rugby club although he actually continued to play for a while for national duties.
, Finlay Calder
, Craig Chalmers
, Peter Dods
, John Jeffrey
, Gavin Hastings
, Scott Hastings
, David Sole
and Derek White) by 28-24 at Chichibunomiya Stadium
in Tokyo. It was the first time Japan had beaten a top-tier IRB nation.
Then in the 1991 Rugby Union World Cup his team convincingly defeated Zimbabwe
52-8 in Belfast
. This remains Japan's only Rugby World Cup victory out of a total of twenty games from all six World Cups between 1987-2007.
and the Top League
in an effort to modernize and strengthen the game in his country.
A graduate of Waseda University
, Shukuzawa joined Sumitomo Bank in 1973. He spent seven and a half years in the London branch of the bank. He worked as an executive director of Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
(SMBC) in Tokyo.
Japan national rugby union team
The Japan national rugby union team represent Japan in international rugby union competitions. Japan is traditionally the strongest rugby union power in Asia but has both enjoyed and endured mixed results against non-Asian teams over the years...
until now. As a player, he was capped three times by Japan as a scrum-half, and he also advised the Japan Rugby Football Union
Japan Rugby Football Union
The Japan Rugby Football Union is the governing body for rugby union in Japan. It was formed November 30, 1926 and is currently one of only two federations from a "Tier 2" country with a seat on the International Rugby Board executive council, the sport's international governing body...
. He held important posts as a banker also.
Shukuzawa died of a heart attack on the way back from a mountain climbing expedition in Gunma prefecture
Gunma Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the northwest corner of the Kantō region on Honshu island. Its capital is Maebashi.- History :The remains of a Paleolithic man were found at Iwajuku, Gunma Prefecture, in the early 20th century and there is a public museum there.Japan was without horses until...
. More than four thousand people, including Seiji Hirao
Seiji Hirao
Seiji Hirao was a Japanese rugby union footballer and is a current coach. He played as a fly-half. He was one of the most popular Japanese players of his time, earning the name of "Mr. Rugby"....
and Katsuyuki Kiyomiya
Katsuyuki Kiyomiya
is a notable Japanese rugby union coach, formerly of Waseda University RFC and now of Suntory Sungoliath. Many in Japan hope he will coach the national side in the future.-Early life:...
attended the overnight wake on June 22, 2006 at Honganji
Tsukiji Hongan-ji
, sometimes archaically romanized Hongwan-ji, is a Jodo Shinshu Buddhist temple located in the Tsukiji district of Tokyo, Japan.Tsukiji Hongan-ji's predecessor was the temple of Edo-Asakusa Gobo , built in Asakusa in 1617 at the behest of the 12th monshu, Junnyo Shōnin.The temple burned during a...
temple in Tsukiji
Tsukiji
Tsukiji is a district of Chūō, Tokyo, Japan, the site of the Tsukiji fish market. Literally meaning "reclaimed land," it lies near the Sumida River on land reclaimed from Tokyo Bay in the 18th century, during the Edo period....
, Tokyo.
Player
Born in Hino, TokyoHino, Tokyo
is a city located in central Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 182,092 and a population density of 6,610 persons per km². The total area was 27.53 km².-Geography:...
, he began to play rugby as scrum-half at Kumagaya High School. He continued his study and rugby at Waseda University
Waseda University
, abbreviated as , is one of the most prestigious private universities in Japan and Asia. Its main campuses are located in the northern part of Shinjuku, Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as Tokyo Senmon Gakko, the institution was renamed "Waseda University" in 1902. It is known for its liberal climate...
. He became the first-choice scrum-half from his first year and was instrumental in Waseda winning the Japan Rugby Football Championship title for two consecutive years. He was the captain of the team in his fourth year but failed to defend the title as Waseda was beaten by Meiji University
Meiji University
is a private university in Tokyo and Kawasaki, founded in 1881 by three lawyers of the Meiji era, Kishimoto Tatsuo, Miyagi Kōzō, and Yashiro Misao. It is one of the largest and most prestigious Japanese universities in Tokyo, Japan....
in the final of the University Championship. He was chosen to represent Japan when in his second year at university and earned three caps. As he intended to give up playing after the graduation, he decided to join Sumitomo Bank (current Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
is a Japanese bank based in Yurakucho, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. It is a member of the Sumitomo Group and Mitsui Group. As of the year 2009, SMBC was the second largest bank in Japan in terms of assets.-History:...
) that had no rugby club although he actually continued to play for a while for national duties.
Coach of Japan (1989-91)
On May 28, 1989 his team beat a weakened Scotland team shorn of nine British Lions then on tour in Australia (Gary ArmstrongGary Armstrong
Gary Armstrong is a former Scottish rugby union player who played scrum-half. He played for Jed-Forest RFC, Newcastle Falcons, The Borders and represented Scotland and the British Lions. His nickname is the Border Terrier...
, Finlay Calder
Finlay Calder
Finlay Calder is a Scottish former rugby union player.Born in Haddington, East Lothian and educated at Stewart's Melville College, Calder played at open side flanker and won 34 caps representing Scotland from 1986-91. He captained the British Lions tour to Australia in 1989...
, Craig Chalmers
Craig Chalmers
Craig Minto Chalmers is a former Scottish rugby union footballer for Melrose.-International career:The fly-half represented Scotland and the British Lions at international level...
, Peter Dods
Peter Dods
Peter Dods is a former international rugby union player, who played fullback for Gala and Scotland.He made his international debut against Ireland in the opening match of the 1983 Five Nations. It was a largely disappointing championship for Scotland, but Dods scored 11 points in a 22-12 win over...
, John Jeffrey
John Jeffrey
John Jeffrey is a Scottish former internationalistrugby union player. His nicknames are "The Great White Shark" and "JJ", the former because of his blond "thatch of hair"....
, Gavin Hastings
Gavin Hastings
Andrew Gavin Hastings, OBE is a former Scotland rugby union player. He is frequently considered one of the best, if not the best, rugby player to come out of Scotland. His nickname is "Big Gav".Hastings was born in Edinburgh...
, Scott Hastings
Scott Hastings (rugby player)
Scott Hastings is a Scottish Rugby Union player. He won 65 caps at centre for Scotland from 1986 to 1997. Scott is the younger brother of Scottish great Gavin Hastings. They both earned their first cap on 17 January 1986 against France. When he retired, he was Scotland's most-capped player ever...
, David Sole
David Sole
David Sole is a former Scottish rugby union footballer. He was educated at Blairmore prep school and Glenalmond College, a private school in Perthshire....
and Derek White) by 28-24 at Chichibunomiya Stadium
Chichibunomiya rugby stadium
in the Aoyama district of central Tokyo is the spiritual home of Japanese rugby union and the headquarters of the Japan Rugby Football Union.-Facilities:...
in Tokyo. It was the first time Japan had beaten a top-tier IRB nation.
Then in the 1991 Rugby Union World Cup his team convincingly defeated Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe national rugby union team
The Zimbabwe national rugby union team is the rugby union team representing Zimbabwe. They are considered to be a third tier rugby union nation...
52-8 in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
. This remains Japan's only Rugby World Cup victory out of a total of twenty games from all six World Cups between 1987-2007.
Administrator
He played a leading role in Japanese rugby and helped to establish both the Microsoft CupMicrosoft Cup
The Microsoft Cup is a knock-out Japanese rugby union tournament sponsored by Microsoft Japan, first played in February 2004. For the first three seasons the top eight teams of the Top League participated and it was a separate competition to the Top League, but in 2007 this was cut to the top four...
and the Top League
Top League
The Top League is a professional rugby union league created by the Japan Rugby Football Union to drive up the overall standard and popularity of the sport in the country and improve the results of the Japan national rugby union team. The first season was 2003-04 and featured 12 teams...
in an effort to modernize and strengthen the game in his country.
A graduate of Waseda University
Waseda University
, abbreviated as , is one of the most prestigious private universities in Japan and Asia. Its main campuses are located in the northern part of Shinjuku, Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as Tokyo Senmon Gakko, the institution was renamed "Waseda University" in 1902. It is known for its liberal climate...
, Shukuzawa joined Sumitomo Bank in 1973. He spent seven and a half years in the London branch of the bank. He worked as an executive director of Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
is a Japanese bank based in Yurakucho, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. It is a member of the Sumitomo Group and Mitsui Group. As of the year 2009, SMBC was the second largest bank in Japan in terms of assets.-History:...
(SMBC) in Tokyo.
See also
- Waseda University Rugby Football ClubWaseda University Rugby Football ClubWaseda University R.F.C. was founded in 1918. It is one of the top rugby union clubs for students in Japan, together with Kanto Gakuin University RFC, Keio University RFC and Doshisha University RFC....