Yoshihiro Nitta (新田佳浩, Nitta Yoshihiro; born 8 July 1980) is a Japanese Paralympic cross-country skier and biathlete.…
Yoshihiro Nitta (新田佳浩, Nitta Yoshihiro; born 8 July 1980) is a Japanese Paralympic cross-country skier and biathlete. He is regarded as one of the most experienced Japanese Paralympic competitors as he went onto represent Japan at the Paralympics in 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022. Yoshihiro Nitta has won 4 medals in his Paralympic career, including 2 gold medals at the 2010 Winter Paralympics. He achieved his 4th Paralympic medal in his career and the first medal since the 2010 Winter Paralympics after claiming a silver medal in the men's 1.5km sprint classic standing cross-country skiing event during the 2018 Winter Paralympics.
Famous Alumni of the University of Tsukuba
University of Tsukuba: 311 people
Mitsuru Chiyotanda (千代反田 充, Chiyotanda Mitsuru; born June 1, 1980) is a former Japanese football player.
Kensaku Abe (阿部 謙作, Kensaku Abe; born May 13, 1980) is a former Japanese football player.
Keiko Teshima (手島 桂子, Teshima Keiko; née Maeda Maeda (前田); born 25 March 1980) is a Japanese retired judoka. Teshima…
Keiko Teshima (手島 桂子, Teshima Keiko; née Maeda Maeda (前田); born 25 March 1980) is a Japanese retired judoka. Teshima was born in Takasago, Hyogo, and began judo at the age of 12. She entered Miki House after graduating from Tsukuba University. She was good at Seoinage and Newaza. In 1998, Teshima won a gold medal the World Junior Judo Championships. In 1999, she won a gold medal at the World Judo Championships and the Ippon Trophy. Teshima also participated in the 2000 Summer Olympics but was defeated by Celita Schutz from USA.
Aiko Hayafune (早船 愛子, Hayafune Aiko; born 1980) is a Japanese team handball player. She plays on the Japanese national…
Aiko Hayafune (早船 愛子, Hayafune Aiko; born 1980) is a Japanese team handball player. She plays on the Japanese national team, and participated at the 2011 World Women's Handball Championship in Brazil.
Tatsuya Ishikawa (石川 竜也, Ishikawa Tatsuya; born December 25, 1979) is a Japanese former football player.
Naotake Hanyu (羽生 直剛, Hanyū Naotake; born December 22, 1979) is a former Japanese football player. He played for the…
Naotake Hanyu (羽生 直剛, Hanyū Naotake; born December 22, 1979) is a former Japanese football player. He played for the Japan national team.
Tomoyoshi Tsurumi (鶴見 智美, Tsurumi Tomoyoshi; born October 12, 1979) is a former Japanese football player.
Yusuke Kanamaru (金丸 雄介, Kanamaru Yūsuke; born 14 September 1979) is a retired Japanese judoka. Kanamaru was born in…
Yusuke Kanamaru (金丸 雄介, Kanamaru Yūsuke; born 14 September 1979) is a retired Japanese judoka. Kanamaru was born in Tsurugi, Ishikawa, and began to train in judo at the age of 5. He entered the Ryotokuji Gakuen after graduating from Tsukuba University. Kanamaru is good at Seoinage and Sode tsurikomi goshi. Since 2000, He got a gold medal at the Kodokan Cup, and has been a judoka representing Japan in the Lightweight category. Kanamaru placed seventh in the men's 73 kg class at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Taizō Sugimura (杉村 太蔵, Sugimura Taizō; born 13 August 1979) is a Japanese politician and a member of the Diet of Japan…
Taizō Sugimura (杉村 太蔵, Sugimura Taizō; born 13 August 1979) is a Japanese politician and a member of the Diet of Japan, representing the Liberal Democratic Party until 2009. He ran in House of Councillors election in 2010 as a proportional candidate of the Sunrise Party of Japan. Sugimura was born in Asahikawa, Hokkaidō. He attended the University of Tsukuba but dropped out in 2004. Sugimura became the youngest member of the House of Representatives after the 11 September 2005 general election. He was not expected to win a seat, as he had been placed in 35th position on the LDP's proportional representation ticket for the Minami-Kanto bloc. He first came to media attention for his excitement at the prospect of the range of perks available for elected politicians, including high class restaurants, first class travel on the Shinkansen, and being able to afford a BMW. Sugimura was reprimanded by LDP executives for his comments, and publicly apologised at a news conference on 27 September 2005, saying they had been "immature and irresponsible". Sugimura is a character in a satirical mahjong manga Mudazumo Naki Kaikaku. Sugimura announced his engagement with Aya Kazama (風間文) on 14 March 2006, and their daughter was born on 4 April 2007.
Shihomi Shinya (新谷 志保美, Shin'ya Shihomi; born 10 August 1979) is a Japanese speed skater. She competed in the women's…
Shihomi Shinya (新谷 志保美, Shin'ya Shihomi; born 10 August 1979) is a Japanese speed skater. She competed in the women's 500 metres at the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Megumi Ikeda (池田 めぐみ, Ikeda Megumi; born 1 August 1979) (née Harada) is a Japanese former fencer. She competed in the…
Megumi Ikeda (池田 めぐみ, Ikeda Megumi; born 1 August 1979) (née Harada) is a Japanese former fencer. She competed in the women's individual épée events at the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics. At the end of October 2025, it was announced that Ikeda would be one of the winners of the HEROs AWARD, along Hakuhō Shō. The prize is delivered by the Nippon Foundation and aimed at recognizing athletes who promote social action through sport. for her contributions to her home prefecture.
Shuichi Sakamoto (坂本 修一, Sakamoto Shuichi; born June 14, 1979 in Ibaraki) is a male badminton player from Japan.
Keiko Suenobu (Japanese: すえのぶ けいこ, Hepburn: Suenobu Keiko; March 23, 1979) is a female Japanese shōjo manga artist from…
Keiko Suenobu (Japanese: すえのぶ けいこ, Hepburn: Suenobu Keiko; March 23, 1979) is a female Japanese shōjo manga artist from Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka. She graduated from the School of Art and Design at the University of Tsukuba with a major in sculpture. In 2006, Suenobu's manga series, Life won the Kodansha Manga Award for best shōjo manga. Life and her manga series Limit were adapted for broadcast as live-action television drama series. Bullying is a recurring theme in her stories.
Aiko Miyake (三宅 愛子, Miyake Aiko) (born 6 July 1978) is a former freestyle swimmer from Japan. She competed for her…
Aiko Miyake (三宅 愛子, Miyake Aiko) (born 6 July 1978) is a former freestyle swimmer from Japan. She competed for her native country at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. There, she finished in fourth place in the 4x200m freestyle relay, alongside Eri Yamanoi, Naoko Imoto, and Suzu Chiba. On her sole individual start, in the 800m freestyle, she ended up in 21st place, clocking 8:55.77 in the preliminary heats.
Yushi Soda (曽田 雄志, Soda Yushi; born July 5, 1978) is a former Japanese football player.
Mika Haruna (春名 美佳, Haruna Mika; born 14 June 1978) is a former Japanese swimmer who competed in the 1992 Summer…
Mika Haruna (春名 美佳, Haruna Mika; born 14 June 1978) is a former Japanese swimmer who competed in the 1992 Summer Olympics and in the 1996 Summer Olympics.
Miwako Yamanaka (山中 美和子, Yamanaka Miwako; born 24 May 1978) is a retired Japanese long-distance runner. Her first and…
Miwako Yamanaka (山中 美和子, Yamanaka Miwako; born 24 May 1978) is a retired Japanese long-distance runner. Her first and only international medal came at the 1997 Summer Universiade where she took the bronze in the 10,000 metres. She won the Kobe Women's Half Marathon in 2001, setting a personal best time of 1:08:54 for the event. Her greatest achievements came in 2002 when she won the Fukuoka International Cross Country and went on to finish in fourth in the long race at the 2002 IAAF World Cross Country Championships. She also won the Chiba International Cross Country competition in 2005.
Takayoshi Ono (小野 隆儀, Ono Takayoshi; born April 30, 1978) is a former Japanese football player.
Risa Kazumi (born 24 April 1978) is a Japanese judoka. She competed in the women's middleweight event at the 1996…
Risa Kazumi (born 24 April 1978) is a Japanese judoka. She competed in the women's middleweight event at the 1996 Summer Olympics.
Atsushi Kanazawa (金澤篤志, Kanazawa Atsushi) is the former head coach of the Rizing Zephyr Fukuoka in the Japanese…
Atsushi Kanazawa (金澤篤志, Kanazawa Atsushi) is the former head coach of the Rizing Zephyr Fukuoka in the Japanese B.League.
Mitsuhiro Toda (戸田 光洋, Toda Mitsuhiro; born 10 September 1977) is a Japanese former professional footballer. He…
Mitsuhiro Toda (戸田 光洋, Toda Mitsuhiro; born 10 September 1977) is a Japanese former professional footballer. He currently serves as the assistant manager of J1 League club Kyoto Sanga. His younger brother Takayoshi Toda is also a former footballer.
Koji Komuro (Japanese: 小室 宏二, Komuro Kōji; born 29 July 1977) is a Japanese judoka and amateur mixed martial arts…
Koji Komuro (Japanese: 小室 宏二, Komuro Kōji; born 29 July 1977) is a Japanese judoka and amateur mixed martial arts fighter. Taught by kosen judo master Kanae Hirata, Komuro is a ne waza (ground techniques) expert known for its use of sutemi (sacrifice throws) such as variations of tomoe nage, and submission techniques like jujigatame (armlock) and sode guruma jime (circular choke with the sleeves). He is the author of a book dedicated to ground techniques, Judo Newaza of Koji Komuro Komlock!.
Atsushi Inoue (井上 敦史, Inoue Atsushi; born May 28, 1977) is a Japanese former footballer.
Daisuke Tomita (冨田 大介, Tomita Daisuke; born April 24, 1977) is a former Japanese football player.
Ryuji Sato (佐藤 隆治, Satō Ryūji; born 16 April 1977) is a former Japanese football referee. He has officiated matches in…
Ryuji Sato (佐藤 隆治, Satō Ryūji; born 16 April 1977) is a former Japanese football referee. He has officiated matches in the J1 League, AFC Champions League and FIFA World Cup qualifiers and is currently a director of referees in the J.League.
Kan Takahama (Japanese: 高浜 寛, Hepburn: Takahama Kan; born April 6, 1977) is a Japanese manga artist born in Amakusa…
Kan Takahama (Japanese: 高浜 寛, Hepburn: Takahama Kan; born April 6, 1977) is a Japanese manga artist born in Amakusa, Kumamoto Prefecture. Debuting in 2001, she became known for her short stories published in the alternative magazine Garo, later collected and republished in her award-winning Kinderbook. Her unique style often depicts the darker sides of everyday life through simplistic character designs and illustrations that blend manga and Franco-Belgian comics. She is internationally known for the manga Nyx no Lantern, winner of the 24th Osamu Tezuka Cultural Award in 2020.
Yohei Taniike (谷池 洋平, Taniike Yohei; born April 5, 1977) is a former Japanese football player.
Yoichi Kato (加藤 陽一, Katō Yōichi; born August 12, 1976 in Ōita) is a former volleyball player from Japan, who was one of…
Yoichi Kato (加藤 陽一, Katō Yōichi; born August 12, 1976 in Ōita) is a former volleyball player from Japan, who was one of the leading players in the Men's National Team in the early 2000s. He played as a wing-spiker. In 2003 he completed his first season for Sisley Treviso, who reached the final of the Italian League.
Takanori Sugibayashi (Japanese: 杉林 孝法; born 14 March 1976) is a retired Japanese triple jumper. His personal best is…
Takanori Sugibayashi (Japanese: 杉林 孝法; born 14 March 1976) is a retired Japanese triple jumper. His personal best is 17.02 metres, achieved in July 2000 in Sapporo. He has competed at the Olympic Games twice.
Akiyuki Kido (木戸 章之, Kido Akiyuki; born August 28, 1975) is a Japanese former ice dancer. He competed with Nozomi…
Akiyuki Kido (木戸 章之, Kido Akiyuki; born August 28, 1975) is a Japanese former ice dancer. He competed with Nozomi Watanabe. They are three-time Japanese national champions. They placed 15th at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino.
Sayuri Maruyama (Japanese: さゆり丸山; born December 22, 1975) is a Japanese sprint canoer who competed from the mid-1990s…
Sayuri Maruyama (Japanese: さゆり丸山; born December 22, 1975) is a Japanese sprint canoer who competed from the mid-1990s to the early 2000s (decade). At the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, she was eliminated in the semifinals of both the K-1 500 m and the K-4 500 m events. Four years later in Sydney, Maruyama was eliminated in the heats of the K-1 500 m event.
Junko Onishi (大西 順子, Onishi Junko; born October 18, 1974 in Hyōgo) is a former butterfly swimmer from Japan, who won…
Junko Onishi (大西 順子, Onishi Junko; born October 18, 1974 in Hyōgo) is a former butterfly swimmer from Japan, who won the bronze medal in the 4 × 100 m medley relay at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. Her winning teammates in that race were Mai Nakamura, Masami Tanaka, and Sumika Minamoto.
Ryoko Tokuno (徳野 涼子, Tokuno Ryōko; born 27 August 1974 in Matsuyama, Ehime) is a Japanese beach volleyball player.…
Ryoko Tokuno (徳野 涼子, Tokuno Ryōko; born 27 August 1974 in Matsuyama, Ehime) is a Japanese beach volleyball player. Tokuno competed at the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour between 1997 and 2005. In 2004 she qualified to the Summer Olympics, in Athens, alongside your long-time partner Chiaki Kusuhara. They won only one of the three matches in the group stage and did not advance to the medal round.
Toshiyuki Abe (阿部 敏之, Abe Toshiyuki; born August 1, 1974) is a former Japanese football player.
Manabu Yokoyama (横山 学, Yokoyama Manabu; born 20 July 1974) is a Japanese track and field athlete. He competed in the…
Manabu Yokoyama (横山 学, Yokoyama Manabu; born 20 July 1974) is a Japanese track and field athlete. He competed in the men's pole vault at the 2000 Summer Olympics.
Yoshie Nishioka (西岡 由恵, Nishioka Yoshie; born 11 July 1974) is a Japanese former swimmer who competed in the 1988…
Yoshie Nishioka (西岡 由恵, Nishioka Yoshie; born 11 July 1974) is a Japanese former swimmer who competed in the 1988 Summer Olympics.
Kazuki Sato (佐藤 一樹, Satō Kazuki; born June 27, 1974) is a former Japanese football player and manager.
Koji Yoshinari (吉成 浩司, Yoshinari Koji; born May 19, 1974) is a former Japanese football player.
Yoko Koikawa (肥川 葉子, Koikawa Yōko) (born May 18, 1974, in Fukuoka, Japan) is a retired Japanese backstroke swimmer, who…
Yoko Koikawa (肥川 葉子, Koikawa Yōko) (born May 18, 1974, in Fukuoka, Japan) is a retired Japanese backstroke swimmer, who represented her native country at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. She is best known for winning the gold medal in the Women's 200m Backstroke event at the 1995 Summer Universiade in her hometown Fukuoka.
Shimoku Kio (木尾 士目, Kio Shimoku; born 1974) is a Japanese manga artist best known for his manga Genshiken, which was…
Shimoku Kio (木尾 士目, Kio Shimoku; born 1974) is a Japanese manga artist best known for his manga Genshiken, which was originally serialized in Kodansha's Monthly Afternoon. Kodansha later published its volumes in Japan, and by Del Rey in the United States. Genshiken is an anime, manga, and light novel series about a college otaku club and its members.
Yusaku Ueno (上野 優作, Ueno Yusaku; born November 1, 1973) is a former Japanese football player. He was most recently…
Yusaku Ueno (上野 優作, Ueno Yusaku; born November 1, 1973) is a former Japanese football player. He was most recently manager of J3 League club FC Gifu.
Shinzo "Shin" Yamada (born August 9, 1973) is a Japanese former professional American football player who was a…
Shinzo "Shin" Yamada (born August 9, 1973) is a Japanese former professional American football player who was a linebacker for the Memphis Maniax of the XFL and the Amsterdam Admirals of NFL Europe. He played college football at Kwansei Gakuin University. He also played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the 2003 NFL preseason. Yamada was believed to be the first Japanese person to play professional American football in the United States.
Satoru Kobayashi (小林 悟, Kobayashi Satoru; born August 26, 1973) is a former Japanese football player.
Shuhei Yomoda (四方田 修平, Yomoda Shūhei; born March 14, 1973) is a Japanese professional football manager and former…
Shuhei Yomoda (四方田 修平, Yomoda Shūhei; born March 14, 1973) is a Japanese professional football manager and former player.
Tsuyoshi Otsuki (大槻 毅, Otsuki Tsuyoshi; born December 1, 1972) is a former Japanese football player and manager. He was…
Tsuyoshi Otsuki (大槻 毅, Otsuki Tsuyoshi; born December 1, 1972) is a former Japanese football player and manager. He was most recently manager of J2 League club Thespa Gunma.
Noriko Narazaki (楢崎 教子, Narazaki Noriko; née Sugawara Sugawara (菅原); born on 27 September 1972 in Yamato, Kanagawa…
Noriko Narazaki (楢崎 教子, Narazaki Noriko; née Sugawara Sugawara (菅原); born on 27 September 1972 in Yamato, Kanagawa, Japan) is a retired Japanese judoka.
Satoru Tanigawa (谷川 聡, Tanigawa Satoru; born 5 July 1972 in Tokyo) is a retired Japanese athlete who specialised in the…
Satoru Tanigawa (谷川 聡, Tanigawa Satoru; born 5 July 1972 in Tokyo) is a retired Japanese athlete who specialised in the 110 metres hurdles. He represented his country at the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics reaching the second round on both occasions. His personal best of 13.39 (+1.5 m/s), set in the heats of the 2004 Olympic Games, is the current national record.
Gō Ōiwa (大岩 剛, Ōiwa Gō; born 23 June 1972) is a Japanese football manager and former player who is the manager of the…
Gō Ōiwa (大岩 剛, Ōiwa Gō; born 23 June 1972) is a Japanese football manager and former player who is the manager of the Japan under-23 national team.
Kazue Nanjo (南條 和恵, Nanjō Kazue; née Nagai Nagai (永井); born 19 March 1972) is a retired Japanese judoka. Nanjo was born…
Kazue Nanjo (南條 和恵, Nanjō Kazue; née Nagai Nagai (永井); born 19 March 1972) is a retired Japanese judoka. Nanjo was born in Uji, Kyoto, and began judo at the age of 5. She belonged to Daicolo Co., Ltd. after graduating from University of Tsukuba in 1995. In 1997, she participated in the World Championships but was defeated by Carolina Mariani from Argentina. In 1998, she also participated in the Asian Games held in Bangkok and won a bronze medal. Nanjo was good at Seoi nage, Tomoe nage and Newaza, learned by Shōzō Fujii at Tenri University. She was known as a rival of Noriko Narazaki who is a classmate of the same university and former world champion. As of 2010, Nanjo coaches judo at Sendai University with her husband.