Japan has participated in the summer Olympics since 1912. 362 medals combined have been won by Japanese athletes in these summer games, with 123 of the 362 being gold medals.
Every sport has at least one dominating athlete. And there's Sawao Kato (pictured). To this date, he holds the Olympic record for most gold medals by a male gymnast with eight. He won those gold medals in four events-the individual all around (Mexico City 1968, Munich 1972), the team all around (Mexico City 1968, Munich 1972 and Montreal 1976), the floor exercise (Mexico City 1968), and the parallel bars (Mexico City 1968 and Montreal 1976).
Another gymnast, Akinori Nakayama (pictured), won six medals of his own in the summer games. He won in team all around (Mexico City 1968 and Munich 1972), parallel bars (Mexico City 1968), horizontal bar (Mexico City 1968) and men's rings (Mexico City 1968 and Munich 1972).
Three other gymnasts have won five gold medals each for Japan-Takashi Ono, Yukio Endo and Mitsuo Tsukahara, all in an area between Rome 1960 and Montreal 1976, a dominating era for Japanese gymnastics.
The most recent summer games success from Japan is that of Kosuke Kitajima (pictured). He has had some great swims recently, especially at the FINA World Championships, but Kitajima did win four Olympic gold medals of his own. He won the 100m breaststroke at Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 and in the 200m breaststroke at Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008. Kitajima could be the favorite, if qualified, for those races at London.
Another gymnast, Eizo Kenmotsu, won three gold medals, as well as judoken Tadahiro Nomura.
Eighteen Japanese athletes have won two gold medals in the summer games.
At the team level, men's volleyball took home gold at Munich 1972, while the women's volleyball team won gold at Tokyo 1964 and again at Montreal 1976. The softball team won gold at Beijing 2008; unfortunately it was the last year for softball in the summer Olympics (sadly).
As of now, 164 Japanese athletes are headed to London and will compete in 17 events, including athletics, boxing, cycling, modern pentathlon, swimming, taekwondo, triathlon, weightlifting and wrestling. Women's football is headed there, taking their momentum from their emotional Women's World Cup final win back in July over the United States. This will be the first Olympics for Japan since the devastating earthquake that rocked and damaged areas of the country over a year ago.
Japan was the host country of the 1964 summer Olympics (Tokyo).
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