A Study on the Beginning of the Media Sports Event in Japan
　-Focused on "The 12 Hours Long Distance Race" sponsored by JIJISHIMPO in 1901-

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Minoru MATSUNAMI
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　(Fukuoka Women's University)

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Abstract

   The concern with the Media Sports has been growing year by year. However, the be-
ginning situation of the Media Sports Event in Japan has not been studied so far.
    The purpose of this study is to discuss about the beginning situation of the Media Sports
Event in Japan.
    In this paper, the long distance race that was sponsored by the newspaper publishing
company was focused on. It is "The 12 Hours Long Distance Race". This race was spon-
sored by JIJISHIMPO and was held in 1901 as the first Media Sports Event in Japan.
   The points of this study are followings.
1) In the 1890's the enlargement of railroads spread the newspapers all over the country,
  and the readers realized the same sensibility from the newspapers. "The 12 Hours Long
  Distance Race" was a part of the events that were held for sales promotion of newspa-
  pers by the newspaper publishing company.
2) The purpose of "The 12 Hours Long Distance Race" was the promotion of physical edu-
  cation and comparing the physical strength between the Westerner and the Japanese.
  The way of "The 12 Hours Long Distance Race" was to walk around the Lake Shinobazu
  for 12 hours. Furthermore, the participants of the race aimed to walk more than 70
  miles.
3) There was the issue to promote the physical strength of Japanese in the background
  of "The 12 Hours Long Distance Race". It was considered that the physical strength de-
  veloped by the long distance race promote the national physical strength. Besides, "The
  12 Hours Long Distance Race" was asked to break the Western Record. Thus, the first
  Media Sports Event in Japan was connected with the Nationalism.
4) The "Narrative" of "The 12 Hours Long Distance Race" had the theme of the promotion
  of physical education and comparing the physical strength between the Westerner and
  the Japanese. The readers realized the same sensibility from this "Narrative". Having
  the same sensibility, the people confirmed a sense of belonging in the same community.
  Thus, the people had a sense of "Nation".
5) The first Media Sports Event in Japan made an important role to nationalize the peo-
  ple.