Abacus versus calculator

On 12 November 1946 the U. S. Army newspaper Stars and Stripes sponsored a contest between the Japanese abacus and the electric calculating machine in Tokyo. Private Thomas Nathan Wood of the 20th Finance Disbursing Section of General MacArthur's headquarters, the most expert operator of the electric calculator in Japan, was selected for the USA. The Japanese representative was Kiyoshi Matsuzaki, a champion operator of the abacus in the Savings Bureau of the Ministry of Postal Administration. The result of the contest was 4 points for the abacus, 1 point for the electric calculator.

In reporting the contest, Stars and Stripes remarked:

"The machine age tool took a step backward yesterday at the Emie Pyle Theater as the abacus, centuries old, dealt defeat to the most up-to-date electric machine now being used by the United States Government. ... The abacus victory was decisive."

The Nippon Times wrote:

"Civilization, on the threshold of the atomic age, tottered Monday afternoon as the 2,000-year-old abacus beat the electric calculating machine in adding, subtracting, dividing and a problem including all three with multiplication thrown in, according to UP. Only in multiplication alone did the machine triumph."
The competition between Matsuzaki (M) and Wood (W)
Type of problem 1st try 2nd try 3rd try score
Addition:
50 numbers, each containing 3 to 6 digits		 M 1min 14.9sec 1min 16.0sec   1
W 2min 0.2sec 1min 58.0sec    
Subtraction:
5 problems with minuends and subtrahends of from 6 to 8 digits each		 M 1min 4sec 1min 8sec
4 correct		 1min 0sec 1
W 1min 30sec 1min 35sec
4 correct		 1min 22sec
4 correct		  
Multiplication:
5 problems, each containing 5 to 12 digits in the multiplier and multiplicand		 M 1min 44.6sec
4 correct		 1min 19sec 2min 14.4sec
3 correct		  
W 2min 22sec
4 correct		 1min 20sec 1min 53sec
4 correct		 1
Division:
5 problems, each containing 5 to 12 digits in the divisor and dividend		 M 1min 36.6sec 1min 23sec
4 correct		 1min 21sec 1
W 1min 48sec 1min 19sec 1min 25sec
4 correct		  
Composites:*
1 addition, 3 subtractions, 8 multiplications 3 divisions		 M 1min 21sec     1
W 1min 26sec
4 correct		      
Final score: Matsuzaki 4
Wood 1

* Composite problems: 1 problem in addition, 30 6-digit numbers; 3 problems in subtraction, each with two 6-digit numbers; 8 problems in multiplication, each with two figures containing a total of 5 to 12 digits; 3 problems in division, each with two figures containing a total of 5 to 12 digits.

Reference

Takashi Kojima (1987) The Japanese Abacus, Its Use and Theory. Charles E. Tuttle Company Inc.

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