String datstr = "1972/12/31";
String regex1 = "(\\d{4})/(\\d{2})/(\\d{2})";
java.util.regex.Pattern p = java.util.regex.Pattern.compile(regex1);
java.util.regex.Matcher m = p.matcher(datstr);
if(m.find())
{
java.util.Calendar cal = java.util.GregorianCalendar.getInstance();
cal.set(Integer.parseInt(m.group(1)),Integer.parseInt(m.group(2))-1,Integer.parseInt(m.group(3)),0,0,0);
java.util.Date date = cal.getTime();
System.out.println(date);
}