The 1964 Tokyo Games were the second Paralympic Games and the first to officially use the term 'Paralympic' in association with the event.
Key Facts
- Edition
- 2nd Paralympic Games
- Original name
- 13th International Stoke Mandeville Games
- First use of 'Paralympic'
- Yes, first event to use the term
- IOC approved 'Paralympic Games'
- 1984
- IPC founded
- 1989
- Next Tokyo Summer Paralympics
- 2020 (held without spectators)
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Building on the inaugural 1960 Summer Paralympics in Rome, the international disabled sports movement sought to hold a second major multi-sport event for athletes with physical disabilities, again linked to the host city of the Summer Olympics, continuing collaboration with the International Stoke Mandeville Games organization.
The 1964 Summer Paralympics were held in Tokyo, Japan, in November 1964, making them the last Summer Paralympics to share a host city with the Summer Olympics until 1988. They featured more participants per event than the 1960 Games, meaning athletes could no longer be assured of a medal simply by completing their event.
The games introduced the term 'Paralympic' to the broader sporting world, a designation later formally approved by the IOC in 1984. The International Paralympic Committee was subsequently established in 1989, and Tokyo would go on to host the Summer Paralympics again in 2020.