Hajime Nakamura (中村 元, Nakamura Hajime; November 28, 1912 – October 10, 1999) was a Japanese Orientalist, Indologist…Hajime Nakamura (中村 元, Nakamura Hajime; November 28, 1912 – October 10, 1999) was a Japanese Orientalist, Indologist, philosopher and academic of Vedic, Hindu and Buddhist scriptures.
Motosaburo Masuyama (増山 元三郎, Masuyama Motosaburō; October 3, 1912 – 3 July 2005) was a Japanese statistician who…Motosaburo Masuyama (増山 元三郎, Masuyama Motosaburō; October 3, 1912 – 3 July 2005) was a Japanese statistician who championed the ideas of R.A. Fisher and went on to influence the fields of quality control and biometrics.
Takaaki Hattori (Japanese: 服部高顯; October 1, 1912 – March 24, 1993) was the 9th Chief Justice of Japan (1979–1982). He…Takaaki Hattori (Japanese: 服部高顯; October 1, 1912 – March 24, 1993) was the 9th Chief Justice of Japan (1979–1982). He was a graduate of the University of Tokyo. He was a recipient of the Order of the Rising Sun.
Sir Masaharu Matsushita (松下 正治, Matsushita Masaharu; September 17, 1912 – July 16, 2012), was a Japanese businessman…Sir Masaharu Matsushita (松下 正治, Matsushita Masaharu; September 17, 1912 – July 16, 2012), was a Japanese businessman who served as the second President of Panasonic for sixteen years beginning in 1961. He was the son-in-law of Panasonic's founder, Konosuke Matsushita. Masaharu Matsushita has been credited with expanding Panasonic into a global brand during a time of high economic expansion in Japan.
Tomomi Narita (成田 知巳, Narita Tomomi; 15 September 1912 – 9 March 1979) was a Japanese politician who served as the…Tomomi Narita (成田 知巳, Narita Tomomi; 15 September 1912 – 9 March 1979) was a Japanese politician who served as the chairman for the Japan Socialist Party from 1968 to 1977. He also served in a few other capacities, such as Chief of the Policy Deliberation Group and Secretary General.
Ishimoda Shō (石母田 正; 9 September 1912 – 18 January 1986), born in Sapporo, was a Japanese historian specializing in…Ishimoda Shō (石母田 正; 9 September 1912 – 18 January 1986), born in Sapporo, was a Japanese historian specializing in ancient Japanese history, with a particular interest in the nature of the structural transition from the ancient to the medieval period. As an orthodox materialist, he was a lifetime member of the Communist Party, and influential Marxist scholar in the analyses on Japanese history conducted by members of the post-war Rekiken group. In the 1950s, after the success of the Chinese Communist Revolution in 1949, he espoused that model as the Asian alternative to Westernization, which had failed in Japan.
Tsuneari Fukuda (25 August 1912 – 20 November 1994) was a Japanese playwright, translator, literary critic and public…Tsuneari Fukuda (25 August 1912 – 20 November 1994) was a Japanese playwright, translator, literary critic and public intellectual. Born in Tokyo to a working-class family, Fukuda read English literature at Tokyo Imperial University. A scholar of D. H. Lawrence, he found his voice as a critic by contributing to literary magazines. Interested in theatre from a young age, Fukuda became associated with the shingeki genre of contemporary theatre, writing and producing numerous original plays, including The Man Who Stroked the Dragon (1952) and The Fuhrer is Still Alive! (1970), for which he was awarded the Yomiuri Prize and Grand Prize for Japanese Literature respectively. From the 1950s, he began a life-long endeavour to translate William Shakespeare's work into Japanese. He staged successful productions of these translations, starting with Hamlet in 1955, which set off a Shakespeare boom in Japan. Originally associated with the Bungakuza theatre company, he later broke away to found the Kumo and Subaru companies in 1963 and 1975 respectively. A contributor to popular magazines such as Bungei Shunjū, Chūō Kōron, and Shokun!, Fukuda became well-known to the Japanese public as a conservative intellectual from the 1950s. He opposed the post-war Japanese script reform, and was awarded another Yomiuri Prize for his book on the subject, My Japanese Language Classroom (1960). He criticised left-wing movements, such as the Anpo protests, and questioned the dominance of pacifism in post-war Japan. A supporter of individual liberty and freedom of expression, he rejected the politicisation of art, and expressed doubts about Japanese modernisation. From 1969, he began teaching at Kyoto Sangyo University, and in 1981, he became a member of the Japan Art Academy. After suffering more than a decade of declining health, he died at Ōiso in Kanagawa Prefecture in 1994.
Yojiro Kimura (木村 陽二郎, Kimura Yōjirō; 1912–2006) was a Japanese botanist, known for his classification of…Yojiro Kimura (木村 陽二郎, Kimura Yōjirō; 1912–2006) was a Japanese botanist, known for his classification of monocotyledons, and of Japanese species of Hypericum.
Hideo Itokawa (糸川 英夫, Itokawa Hideo; July 20, 1912 – February 21, 1999) was a pioneer of Japanese rocketry, popularly…Hideo Itokawa (糸川 英夫, Itokawa Hideo; July 20, 1912 – February 21, 1999) was a pioneer of Japanese rocketry, popularly known as "Dr. Rocket," and described in the media as the father of Japan's space development. The near-Earth asteroid 25143 Itokawa was named in honor of Itokawa, and is notable as the target of the Hayabusa mission.
Norio Taniguchi (谷口 紀男, Taniguchi Norio; May 27, 1912 – November 15, 1999) was a professor of Tokyo University of…Norio Taniguchi (谷口 紀男, Taniguchi Norio; May 27, 1912 – November 15, 1999) was a professor of Tokyo University of Science. He coined the term nano-technology in 1974 to describe semiconductor processes such as thin film deposition and ion beam milling exhibiting characteristic control on the order of a nanometer: nano-technology "mainly consists of the processing of separation, consolidation, and deformation of materials by one atom or one molecule." Taniguchi started his research on abrasive mechanisms of high precision machining of hard and brittle materials. At Tokyo University of Science, he went on to pioneer the application of energy beam techniques to ultra precision materials processing; these included electro discharge, microwave, electron beam, photon (laser) and ion beams. He studied the developments in machining techniques from 1940 until the early 1970s and predicted correctly that by the late 1980s, techniques would have evolved to a degree that dimensional accuracies of better than 100 nm would be achievable.
Taijun Takeda (武田 泰淳, Takeda Taijun; February 12, 1912 – October 5, 1976) was a Japanese novelist and Buddhist priest…Taijun Takeda (武田 泰淳, Takeda Taijun; February 12, 1912 – October 5, 1976) was a Japanese novelist and Buddhist priest active as one of the first post-war generation writers, and a noted influencer on Chinese literature. His Dharma name was (恭蓮社謙誉上人泰淳和尚).
Miyoji Ieki (家城巳代治, Ieki Miyoji; 10 September 1911 – 22 February 1976) was a Japanese film director and screenwriter.…Miyoji Ieki (家城巳代治, Ieki Miyoji; 10 September 1911 – 22 February 1976) was a Japanese film director and screenwriter. He often made adolescents the protagonists of his films, which addressed political themes through personal drama. His most noted works include Stepbrothers (1957) and Naked Sun (1958).
Ichiko Teiji (市古 貞次, 1934–2004) was a Japanese literary medievalist and University of Tokyo professor. He is best known…Ichiko Teiji (市古 貞次, 1934–2004) was a Japanese literary medievalist and University of Tokyo professor. He is best known for his research on otogi-zoshi. He was the first director of the National Institute of Japanese Literature and received an Order of Culture in 1990.
Tokiharu Abe (阿部 宗明, Abe Tokiharu; 3 April 1911 – 9 August 1996) was a Japanese ichthyologist and a government official…Tokiharu Abe (阿部 宗明, Abe Tokiharu; 3 April 1911 – 9 August 1996) was a Japanese ichthyologist and a government official of Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
Haruo Maekawa (前川 春雄, Maekawa Haruo; February 6, 1911 – September 22, 1989), also romanized as Mayekawa, was a Japanese…Haruo Maekawa (前川 春雄, Maekawa Haruo; February 6, 1911 – September 22, 1989), also romanized as Mayekawa, was a Japanese businessman, central banker, the 24th Governor of the Bank of Japan (BOJ).
Mitsuo Nakamura (中村 光夫, Nakamura Mitsuo; 5 February 1911 – 12 July 1988) was the pen-name of a writer of biographies…Mitsuo Nakamura (中村 光夫, Nakamura Mitsuo; 5 February 1911 – 12 July 1988) was the pen-name of a writer of biographies and stage-plays, and a literary critic active in Shōwa period Japan. His real name was Koba Ichirō.
Haruki Mori (森 治樹, Mori Haruki; 26 January 1911 – 19 August 1988) was a Japanese diplomat. Following the…Haruki Mori (森 治樹, Mori Haruki; 26 January 1911 – 19 August 1988) was a Japanese diplomat. Following the reestablishment of diplomatic relations between the Japanese and the Italian governments in 1952, Mori was appointed counsellor of the embassy in Italy. In the late 1960s he served as vice-minister of foreign affairs, and in that capacity concluded the Japanese-OECD agreement that regulated OECD activities in Japan. In 1972, he was appointed ambassador to the United Kingdom, and in that capacity signed on behalf of Japan the Brussels Convention on the Establishment of an International Fund for Compensation for Oil Pollution Damage and the London Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals. In 1977, he served as member of the Brandt Commission that was appointed under the chairmanship of former West German Prime Minister Willy Brandt to study world economic development.
Hiroshi Hara (原 寛, Hara Hiroshi; January 5, 1911 – September 24, 1986) was a Japanese botanist. Hara was born 1911 in…Hiroshi Hara (原 寛, Hara Hiroshi; January 5, 1911 – September 24, 1986) was a Japanese botanist. Hara was born 1911 in Nagano. He studied at The University of Tokyo and became a professor there in 1957. Between 1968 and 1971 he was the director of the newly established University Museum of The University of Tokyo. Hara specialized in mosses, but described other plants as well.
Yawara Hata (畑和, Hata Yawara; 29 September 1910 – 26 January 1996) was a Japanese politician, who served as a member of…Yawara Hata (畑和, Hata Yawara; 29 September 1910 – 26 January 1996) was a Japanese politician, who served as a member of the House of Representatives and a governor of Saitama Prefecture. In 1993 he received the highest distinction of the Scout Association of Japan, the Golden Pheasant Award.
Tanaka Tatsuo (Japanese: 田中 龍夫, Tanaka Tatsuo; 20 September 1910 – 30 March 1998) was a Japanese politician and baron…Tanaka Tatsuo (Japanese: 田中 龍夫, Tanaka Tatsuo; 20 September 1910 – 30 March 1998) was a Japanese politician and baron who served as Minister of Education from 1980 to 1981 and Minister of International Trade and Industry from 1976 to 1977. He was the eldest son of Prime Minister Tanaka Giichi.
Teiichiro Morinaga (森永貞一郎, Morinaga Teiichiro; September 9, 1910 – May 30, 1986) was a Japanese businessman and central…Teiichiro Morinaga (森永貞一郎, Morinaga Teiichiro; September 9, 1910 – May 30, 1986) was a Japanese businessman and central banker who served as the 23rd Governor of the Bank of Japan (BOJ).
Kenji Fukunaga (福永 健司, Fukunaga Kenji; 5 August 1910 – 31 May 1988) was a Japanese politician who was Chief Cabinet…Kenji Fukunaga (福永 健司, Fukunaga Kenji; 5 August 1910 – 31 May 1988) was a Japanese politician who was Chief Cabinet Secretary on four occasions, and, as well as serving in various other cabinet positions, was also appointed as Speaker of the House of Representatives of Japan. He was also seen as an influential voice within the Liberal Democratic Party.
Toshikazu Wakatsuki (若月俊一, Wakatsuki Toshikazu; June 26, 1910 – August, 2006) was a Japanese medical doctor. He…Toshikazu Wakatsuki (若月俊一, Wakatsuki Toshikazu; June 26, 1910 – August, 2006) was a Japanese medical doctor. He received a M.D. from the University of Tokyo in 1936 and a PhD from the same institution in 1947, after imprisonment for anti-war views during World War II. In 1946, Wakatsuki performed Japan's first tubercular spinal caries and also organised its first blood bank. He founded the Japanese Association of Rural Medicine. Wakatsuki was awarded the 1976 Ramon Magsaysay Award for his contributions to rural medicine, as well as the Order of the Rising Sun with Gold and Silver Star in 1981. He died of pneumonia in August 2006, at the age of 96.
Yamamoto Tatsurō (June 16, 1910 – January 24, 2001) was a Japanese historian of Oriental history. He served as a…Yamamoto Tatsurō (June 16, 1910 – January 24, 2001) was a Japanese historian of Oriental history. He served as a Professor Emeritus at the University of Tokyo and was a recipient of the Order of Culture. He is known as the person who proposed the Japanese era name "Heisei". His wife was Sumiko (壽美子), the second daughter of Kunizo Hara.
Satoshi Watanabe (渡辺 慧, Watanabe Satoshi; 26 May 1910 – 15 October 1993) was a theoretical physicist. He studied…Satoshi Watanabe (渡辺 慧, Watanabe Satoshi; 26 May 1910 – 15 October 1993) was a theoretical physicist. He studied various topics, such as the time reversal of quantum mechanics, pattern recognition, cognitive science, and the concept of time. He was the first physicist who claimed that quantum probability theory is time-asymmetric (irreversible; non-invariant under time reversal), and reject the conventional analysis of the time reversal of probability laws. He developed the Double Inferential Vector Formalism (DIVF), later known as the Two-state vector formalism (TSVF), which is sometimes interpreted as contradicting his claim of time-asymmetry, but this is a misunderstanding. He also proposed the Ugly duckling theorem.
Sō Yamamura (山村聰, Yamamura Sō; 24 February 1910 – 26 May 2000), sometimes credited as Satoshi Yamamura, was a Japanese…Sō Yamamura (山村聰, Yamamura Sō; 24 February 1910 – 26 May 2000), sometimes credited as Satoshi Yamamura, was a Japanese actor and film director.
Masao Kitagawa (北川 政夫, Kitagawa Masao; 1910–1995) was a Japanese botanist and pteridologist. He spent most of his…Masao Kitagawa (北川 政夫, Kitagawa Masao; 1910–1995) was a Japanese botanist and pteridologist. He spent most of his academic career at Yokohama National University. In 1986, a Russian botanist Michael Georgievich Pimenov published a genus of flowering plants, from central Asia, belonging to the family Apiaceae, as Kitagawia in his honour.
Hisashi Kuno (久野 久, Kuno Hisashi; 7 January 1910 – 6 August 1969) was professor at the Institute of Geology, University…Hisashi Kuno (久野 久, Kuno Hisashi; 7 January 1910 – 6 August 1969) was professor at the Institute of Geology, University of Tokyo. He was first son of Kamenosuke Kuno (a painter of the Japanese classical school) and Tome Kuno.
Nobuhiko Ushiba (牛場 信彦, Ushiba Nobuhiko; 16 November 1909 – 31 December 1984) was a Japanese diplomat who served as…Nobuhiko Ushiba (牛場 信彦, Ushiba Nobuhiko; 16 November 1909 – 31 December 1984) was a Japanese diplomat who served as Ambassador to Canada from 1961 to 1964, Ambassador to the United States from 1970 to 1973, and as Minister of State for External Economic Affairs from 1977 to 1979. The last was a position in the Cabinet of Japan created specially for him.
Takeyoshi Kawashima (川島 武宜, Kawashima Takeyoshi; 17 October 1909 – 21 May 1992) was a Japanese jurist. He was a…Takeyoshi Kawashima (川島 武宜, Kawashima Takeyoshi; 17 October 1909 – 21 May 1992) was a Japanese jurist. He was a prominent representative of post-war liberalism in Japan and the country's leading legal sociologist. Serving as Sakae Wagatsuma's assistant after 1932, Kawashima was appointed professor of civil law at the University of Tokyo in 1934. In his writings, he sought to develop a system of modern, Western, capitalist society based on the principle of the exchange of goods, which he contrasted to Japanese society with its remaining pre-modern and feudalist elements. His criticism of Japanese domestic ideology in The familial structure of Japanese society (日本社會の家族的構成; Nihon shakai no kazokuteki kōsei) (1954) was a popular success. As a collaborator on the post-war reform of Japanese family law, Kawashima was unable to realize his ambitious ideas, but served as a counterweight to conservatives including Eiichi Makino. In his 1963 article "Dispute Resolution in Contemporary Japan", he argued that although litigation is not a preferred method of dispute resolution anywhere, the Japanese have a particular cultural aversion to litigation. The article has sparked heated debate, generating various perspectives, notably John Haley's "The Myth of the Reluctant Litigant" and Mark Ramseyer's "Reluctant Litigant Revisited".
Yoshiteru Suzuki (鈴木 善照, Suzuki Yoshiteru; born 8 October 1909) was a Japanese rower. He competed in the men's eight…Yoshiteru Suzuki (鈴木 善照, Suzuki Yoshiteru; born 8 October 1909) was a Japanese rower. He competed in the men's eight event at the 1936 Summer Olympics.
Kôdi Husimi (June 29, 1909 – May 8, 2008, Japanese: 伏見康治) was a Japanese theoretical physicist who served as the…Kôdi Husimi (June 29, 1909 – May 8, 2008, Japanese: 伏見康治) was a Japanese theoretical physicist who served as the president of the Science Council of Japan. Husimi trees in graph theory, the Husimi Q representation in quantum mechanics, and Husimi's theorem in the mathematics of paper folding are named after him.
Shūji Tsushima (津島 修治, Tsushima Shūji; 19 June 1909 – 13 June 1948), known by his pen name Osamu Dazai (太宰 治, Dazai…Shūji Tsushima (津島 修治, Tsushima Shūji; 19 June 1909 – 13 June 1948), known by his pen name Osamu Dazai (太宰 治, Dazai Osamu), was a Japanese writer. A number of his most popular works, such as The Setting Sun (斜陽, Shayō) and No Longer Human (人間失格, Ningen Shikkaku), are considered modern classics. His influences include Ryūnosuke Akutagawa, Murasaki Shikibu and Fyodor Dostoevsky. His last book, No Longer Human, is his most popular work outside of Japan. Another pseudonym he used was Shunpei Kuroki (黒木 舜平), for the book Illusion of the Cliffs (断崖の錯覚, Dangai no Sakkaku).
Masao Okahara (Japanese: 岡原昌男; April 1, 1909 – July 14, 1994) was the 8th Chief Justice of Japan (1977–1979). He was…Masao Okahara (Japanese: 岡原昌男; April 1, 1909 – July 14, 1994) was the 8th Chief Justice of Japan (1977–1979). He was graduate of the University of Tokyo. He was a recipient of the Order of the Rising Sun.
Takuma Yasui (安井 琢磨, Yasui Takuma; April 1, 1909 – December 17, 1995) was a Japanese economist known for his…Takuma Yasui (安井 琢磨, Yasui Takuma; April 1, 1909 – December 17, 1995) was a Japanese economist known for his contributions to mathematical economics. In particular, he is recognized as one of the first economists to utilize Lyapunov stability theory for analyzing the stability of economic equilibria. In 1970, he served as president of the Japanese Economic Association.
Mashiho Chiri (Japanese: 知里 真志保; February 24, 1909 – June 9, 1961) was an Ainu linguist and anthropologist. He was best…Mashiho Chiri (Japanese: 知里 真志保; February 24, 1909 – June 9, 1961) was an Ainu linguist and anthropologist. He was best known for creating Ainu-Japanese dictionaries.
Toshio Kimura (木村 俊夫, Kimura Toshio; 15 January 1909 – 1 December 1983) was a Japanese politician who served as foreign…Toshio Kimura (木村 俊夫, Kimura Toshio; 15 January 1909 – 1 December 1983) was a Japanese politician who served as foreign minister for six months in 1974.
Norio Nanjo (南條 範夫; November 14, 1908 – October 30, 2004), born Koga Hidemasa, was a Japanese novelist and economist.…Norio Nanjo (南條 範夫; November 14, 1908 – October 30, 2004), born Koga Hidemasa, was a Japanese novelist and economist. Over the course of his life he authored numerous period novels and short stories. He was awarded Naoki Prize in 1956 for his work Toudaiki. His works played an influential role in the development of the zankoku monogatari subgenre of films.
Teizo Takeuchi (竹内 悌三, Takeuchi Teizō; 6 November 1908 – 12 April 1946) was a Japanese football player. He played for…Teizo Takeuchi (竹内 悌三, Takeuchi Teizō; 6 November 1908 – 12 April 1946) was a Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team. Lighting designer Motoko Ishii is his daughter.
Kenji Miyamoto (宮本 顕治, Miyamoto Kenji; 17 October 1908 – 18 July 2007) was a Japanese communist politician. He was the…Kenji Miyamoto (宮本 顕治, Miyamoto Kenji; 17 October 1908 – 18 July 2007) was a Japanese communist politician. He was the leader of the Japanese Communist Party (JCP) from 1958 to 1977.
Yoshio Fujita (藤田 良雄, Fujita Yoshio; 28 September 1908 – 13 January 2013) was a Japanese astronomer known for his…Yoshio Fujita (藤田 良雄, Fujita Yoshio; 28 September 1908 – 13 January 2013) was a Japanese astronomer known for his contributions on spectroscopic observations of low temperature stars. He also served as president of the Japan Academy from April 1994 to April 2000.
Jirō Ishiba (Japanese: 石破 二朗, Hepburn: Ishiba Jirō; 29 July 1908 – 16 September 1981) was a Japanese bureaucrat and…Jirō Ishiba (Japanese: 石破 二朗, Hepburn: Ishiba Jirō; 29 July 1908 – 16 September 1981) was a Japanese bureaucrat and politician who served as the governor of Tottori and as a member of the House of Councillors. He also held other high-ranking positions, including Minister of Home Affairs and Vice Minister of Construction. His son Shigeru Ishiba, served as the Prime Minister of Japan from 2024 to 2025.
Shirō Hattori (服部四郎, Hattori Shirō; May 29, 1908 – January 29, 1995) was a Japanese academic and writer. Born in…Shirō Hattori (服部四郎, Hattori Shirō; May 29, 1908 – January 29, 1995) was a Japanese academic and writer. Born in Kameyama, Mie, Hattori was a linguist known particularly for his work on premodern Japanese and Japonic languages and the Ainu language. He was a professor at the University of Tokyo.
Morio Yukawa (湯川 盛夫, Yukawa Morio; February 23, 1908 – March 16, 1988) was a Japanese economist and diplomat. Yukawa…Morio Yukawa (湯川 盛夫, Yukawa Morio; February 23, 1908 – March 16, 1988) was a Japanese economist and diplomat. Yukawa served in the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs during World War II and took part in the Japanese official delegation that met US General Douglas MacArthur in Manila on August 19, 1945, in order to make arrangements for the Japanese surrender. During the 1950s, he served as head of Economic Affairs Bureau in the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and in that capacity tried to negotiate his country's accession to GATT. He represented Japan at the UNESCO General Session in 1953. Later, he served as Ambassador to the Philippines, and in that capacity concluded the Treaty of Amity of December 9, 1960. Afterwards he served as Head of Mission to the EEC in 1964–1968 and Ambassador to the United Kingdom in 1968-1972. In 1972–1979, Yukawa served as Grand Master of Ceremonies of the Imperial Household Agency.
Akira Nakashima (中嶋 章 or 中島 章, also written as Nakashima Akira, Nakasima Akira or Nakajima Akira, 5 January 1908 – 29…Akira Nakashima (中嶋 章 or 中島 章, also written as Nakashima Akira, Nakasima Akira or Nakajima Akira, 5 January 1908 – 29 October 1970) was a Japanese electrical engineer of the NEC. He received a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the Imperial University of Tokyo. Akira Nakashima independently introduced switching circuit theory in papers from 1934 to 1936, concurrent with Victor Shestakov and Claude Shannon, laying the foundations for digital circuit design, in digital computers and other areas of modern technology. However, Shannon's ideas were markedly different in approach and theoretical framework compared to the work of Nakashima, whose work was still based on the existent circuit theory of the time and took a grounded approach, whereas Shannon based his work on mathematics and was far more abstract, thereby breaking new ground and setting up an approach that now dominates modern electrical engineering.
Rizō Takeuchi (竹内 理三, Takeuchi Rizō; December 20, 1907–March 2, 1997) was a Japanese historian. He is best known for…Rizō Takeuchi (竹内 理三, Takeuchi Rizō; December 20, 1907–March 2, 1997) was a Japanese historian. He is best known for his work on historical records pertaining to the ancient and Middle Ages of Japanese history.
