Isamu Takeshita - Activities After Retirement

Activities After Retirement

During late summer 1935, Takeshita made his fifth trip to the United States. His mission was to try to explain to American audiences that Japan's invasion of China in the Second Sino-Japanese War, was to stop the spread of Communism. As for Japan's relationship with the United States, Takeshita stated that "No Japanese warship has ever crossed the Pacific except on a mission of peace," he said during a radio broadcast in San Francisco. "No Japanese soldier has ever come to these shores except on a similar mission."

In February 1937, Takeshita was appointed head of the Japanese Boy Scouts, Sea Scouts, and YMCA. This was part of the general militarization of Japanese sports and athletics taking place at that time. Later that year, he was also approached about becoming the head of the Japanese Amateur Athletic Federation, but he declined this offer.

In May 1939, Takeshita became the third president of the Japan Sumo Association. He held this post until November 1945.

In April 1941, he became head of Japan's New Sword Society. This organization supported makers of modern Japanese swords that were hand-made in the traditional fashion.

Takeshita died in Tokyo in July 1949. Takeshita Street in Shibuya, Tokyo takes its name from the location of Isamu Takeshita’s residence.