Tokutaro Ukon

Tokutaro Ukon
Personal information
Full name	Tokutaro Ukon
Date of birth	September 23, 1913
Place of birth	Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
Date of death	March 1944 (aged 30)
Place of death	Bougainville Island, Papua New Guinea
Height	1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s)	Defender, Midfielder, Forward
Youth career
	Kobe Daiichi High School
1931–1937	Keio University
Senior career*
Years	Team
	Kobe Club
National team
1934–1940	Japan
Honours
Keio BRB
	* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Tokutaro Ukon (右近徳太郎, Ukon Tokutarō, 23 September 1913 – March 1944) was a Japanese football player. He played for the Japan national team.

Biography[change | change source]

Ukon was born in Kobe on September 23, 1913. When he was a Keio University student, he won the 1932 Emperor's Cup with Teiichi Matsumaru and so on as a member of Keio BRB which was consisted of Keio University players and graduates. He also played for his local club Kobe Club. He played in many positions defender, midfielder and forward.

In May 1934, when Ukon was a Keio University student, he was selected the Japan national team for Far Eastern Championship Games in Manila. At this competition, on May 15, he debuted against Philippines. In 1936, he was also selected Japan for 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin and scored a goal against Sweden. Japan completed a come-from-behind victory against Sweden. The first victory in Olympics for the Japan and the historic victory over one of the powerhouses became later known as "Miracle of Berlin" (ベルリンの奇跡) in Japan. In 2016, this team was selected Japan Football Hall of Fame. He played 5 games and scored 1 goal for Japan until 1940.

In 1942, Ukon served in the military for World War II. In March 1944, he was killed in action in Bougainville Island, Papua New Guinea at the age of 30.