was a Japanese swimmer who competed at the 1932 Summer Olympics. Kawatsu was a native of Hiroshima City, where his father was a physical education instructor at the predecessor of Hiroshima University. In 1930, while still in middle school, Kawatsu set a new Japan record of 33.2 seconds for the 50-meter backstroke. In 1932, while a student at Meiji University, he was selected for the Japanese Olympic team to the Los Angeles Olympics. The team took the gold, silver and bronze medals in the 100 meter backstroke event, with Kawatsu winning the bronze medal. He subsequently participated in the 1934 Far Eastern Games held in Manila. Kawatsu committed suicide by burning himself to death on March 23, 1970. References Further reading Lohn, John. Historical Dictionary of Competitive Swimming. Scarecrow Press, (2010). Profile 1914 births 1970 suicides Sportspeople from Hiroshima Meiji University alumni Olympic swimmers of Japan Swimmers at the 1932 Summer Olympics Olympic bronze medalists for Japan Suicides in Japan Suicides by self-immolation Olympic bronze medalists in swimming Medalists at the 1932 Summer Olympics Japanese male backstroke swimmers 20th-century Japanese people