Tsuruta was sent to compete in the 2nd Meiji Shrine Games in 1925, winning the 200-meter breaststroke event with a time of 3 minutes, 12.3 seconds.

Selected to be a member of the 1928 Japanese Olympic team, he beat his personal record in the semi-finals with a time of 2 minutes 50.0 seconds.

Tsuruta was the second Japanese to be awarded with a gold medal (after Mikio Oda in the Triple jump on August 2).

On his graduation from Meiji University, he was employed by the South Manchurian Railway, who sponsored his participation in the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics.

In 1962, Tsuruta was honored with the Medal with the Purple Ribbon by the Japanese government and was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1968.