How the 1964 Tokyo Olympics Rewrote Japan's Story

In October 1964, the eyes of the world turned toward Tokyo. Less than twenty years after the devastation of World War II, Japan hosted the 1964 Summer Olympics—an event that was about far more than sports.

In this episode of History Shorts, we explore how the Tokyo Olympics became Japan's grand reintroduction to the world. Determined to shed memories of war and demonstrate its remarkable recovery, Japan used the Games to showcase cutting-edge technology, modern infrastructure, and a thriving economy. New highways transformed the capital, the world's first high-speed Shinkansen bullet train began service just days before the op...