Tokyo: Hojo produced a strong finish in the running stage after placing fourth in swimming and fifth in cycling to secure the top spot.
China’s Zhang Xirui finished nine seconds behind to take the silver medal, while Kazakhstan’s Arlan Zhanabay claimed bronze, crossing the line a further six seconds later.
Hojo, who was part of Japan’s gold medal-winning mixed relay team at the Hangzhou Asian Games three years ago, expressed delight at securing the host nation’s first gold medal.
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He said the victory provided a strong boost for the Japanese delegation and marked an encouraging start ahead of the women’s triathlon and mixed relay events.
Uzbekistan’s Alexander Kureshov was the first athlete out of the water following the swimming leg but lost ground during the cycling stage and eventually finished 20th.
Meanwhile, swimming competitions at the Asian Games also got underway on Sunday at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre.
