Gakushuin University: 68 people
Yuka Ebihara (海老原 優香, Ebihara Yuka; born 3 April 1994) is a Fuji Television female announcer.
Shintaro Watanabe (渡邊 真太朗, Watanabe Shintaro; born 8 November 1992) is a Japanese politician, who serves as a member of…
Shintaro Watanabe (渡邊 真太朗, Watanabe Shintaro; born 8 November 1992) is a Japanese politician, who serves as a member of the House of Representatives.
Shota Emi (翔太江見, Shōta Emi; born 8 December 1991) is a Japanese rugby union player who plays as a wing. He currently…
Shota Emi (翔太江見, Shōta Emi; born 8 December 1991) is a Japanese rugby union player who plays as a wing. He currently plays for Suntory Sungoliath in Japan's domestic Top League. He represented the Sunwolves in the 2017 Super Rugby season, scoring a try after just 24 seconds in a match against the Cheetahs, the fastest try recorded in an 18-team Super Rugby competition. Emi also represented Japan at rugby sevens, playing for them at the 2013 World Cup.
Junya Yamaike, known professionally as Vickeblanka (also stylized as Vicke Blanka or VK Blanka), (born November 30…
Junya Yamaike, known professionally as Vickeblanka (also stylized as Vicke Blanka or VK Blanka), (born November 30, 1987) is a Japanese singer and composer signed on the Avex Trax label.
Yuki Kawauchi (川内優輝, Kawauchi Yūki; born 5 March 1987) is a Japanese marathon runner. He came to prominence after…
Yuki Kawauchi (川内優輝, Kawauchi Yūki; born 5 March 1987) is a Japanese marathon runner. He came to prominence after running the 2011 Tokyo Marathon in 2:08:37, finishing as the first Japanese citizen and third overall. He was known as the "citizen runner" given that he used to work full-time for the government of Saitama Prefecture and trained in his time off with his own expenses without any sponsorship. Kawauchi won the 2018 Boston Marathon. In 2020, he left his job in local government and became a full-time professional runner. Kawauchi is a frequent competitor, entering many races each year (averaging a marathon per month) ranging in distance from the 1500 m to the 50 km ultramarathon. Among his better performances are victories at the Boston Marathon, the Hokkaido Marathon and the Beppu-Ōita Marathon and top-three finishes at the Tokyo Marathon and Fukuoka Marathon (the two most important marathons in Japan). His personal best for the distance is 2:07:27 (Lake Biwa 2021). Guinness World Records has recognized Kawauchi for becoming the first person to run more than 100 sub-2:20 marathons. In spite of being an amateur, he has represented Japan internationally at the World Championships in Athletics and the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships. He has two younger brothers, Yoshiki and Koki Kawauchi, who are also marathon runners.
Princess Akiko of Mikasa (三笠宮彬子女王, Mikasa-no-miya Akiko Joō; born 20 December 1981) is a member of the Imperial House…
Princess Akiko of Mikasa (三笠宮彬子女王, Mikasa-no-miya Akiko Joō; born 20 December 1981) is a member of the Imperial House of Japan, a paternal second cousin of Emperor Naruhito, and the elder daughter of Prince Tomohito of Mikasa and Princess Tomohito of Mikasa (Nobuko). She is also a niece of Japan's 92nd prime minister Tarō Asō (who is the older brother of her mother), a great-niece of author and literary critic Ken'ichi Yoshida, and a great-granddaughter of Japan's 45th prime minister Shigeru Yoshida. In September 2025, Princess Akiko became the head of the Mikasa-no-miya branch of the imperial family. She is the first woman who was a princess by birth to succeed as head of a branch of the imperial family since Princess Sumiko.
Ryosuke Mizumachi (水町 亮介, Mizumachi Ryōsuke; born September 10, 1981) is a former Japanese professional basketball…
Ryosuke Mizumachi (水町 亮介, Mizumachi Ryōsuke; born September 10, 1981) is a former Japanese professional basketball player who played for the Akita Northern Happinets of the B.League in Japan. Mizumachi was born in Imari, Saga Prefecture, Japan and started playing basketball while in elementary school. After graduating from Gakushuin University in 2004 he decided to enter professional basketball, against his parents' wishes. He joined a team below Niigata Albirex BB's organization. In 2005 he was drafted by the Oita Heat Devils in the seventh round (26th overall) of the 2005 bj league draft. During three seasons with Oita he was named as a deputy captain, but was released at the end of the 2007-08 season. He was then signed by Niigata and spent two seasons with their bj league team. In June 2010 Mizumachi was signed by the Happinets in the second round of the 2010 expansion draft and has served as captain throughout the club's seven seasons in the bj league. He was one of 12 players to participate in all eleven seasons of the bj league. He has remained with Akita following the team's entry into the B.League in September 2016, but has been replaced as captain by Shigehiro Taguchi. His nickname is "Macho". His retirement ceremony was held at the Akita Prefectural Gymnasium on April 3, 2019.
Shojiro Hiranuma (平沼正二郎, Hiranuma Shojiro; born 11 November 1979) is a Japanese politician serving as a member of the…
Shojiro Hiranuma (平沼正二郎, Hiranuma Shojiro; born 11 November 1979) is a Japanese politician serving as a member of the House of Representatives since 2021. He is the son of Takeo Hiranuma. Hiranuma was appointed director of the LDP Youth Division in October 2025.
Hiroaki Saito (斎藤洋明, Saito Hiroaki; born 8 December 1976) is a Japanese politician serving as a member of the House of…
Hiroaki Saito (斎藤洋明, Saito Hiroaki; born 8 December 1976) is a Japanese politician serving as a member of the House of Representatives since 2012. He has served as deputy minister of finance since 2024.
Go Jibiki (Japanese: 地曵豪, Hepburn: Jibiki Gō) is a Japanese actor.
Takaaki Katsumata (勝俣孝明, Katsumata Takaaki; born 7 April 1976) is a Japanese politician serving as a member of the…
Takaaki Katsumata (勝俣孝明, Katsumata Takaaki; born 7 April 1976) is a Japanese politician serving as a member of the House of Representatives since 2012. From 2023 to 2024, he served as chairman of the foreign affairs committee.
Tetsuya Honda (誉田 哲也, Honda Tetsuya; born August 18, 1969) is a Japanese writer of mystery and thriller novels and one…
Tetsuya Honda (誉田 哲也, Honda Tetsuya; born August 18, 1969) is a Japanese writer of mystery and thriller novels and one of Japan's bestselling authors. He is a member of the Mystery Writers of Japan and has won many prestigious awards. Several of his popular Reiko Himekawa crime novels have been translated into English, German, Polish, Chinese, Persian, Thai and Vietnamese. In Japan, several of Honda's works have been adapted into major theatrical motion pictures and TV dramas, including Strawberry Night and Strawberry Night Saga.
Sayako Kuroda (黒田 清子, Kuroda Sayako; born 18 April 1969), formerly Sayako, Princess Nori (紀宮清子内親王, Nori-no-miya Sayako…
Sayako Kuroda (黒田 清子, Kuroda Sayako; born 18 April 1969), formerly Sayako, Princess Nori (紀宮清子内親王, Nori-no-miya Sayako Naishinnō), is the youngest child and only daughter of Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko, and the younger sister of the current Emperor of Japan, Naruhito. She is an imperial Shinto priestess of the Ise Grand Shrine, currently serving as the Supreme Priestess. Kuroda held the appellation "Nori-no-miya" (Princess Nori), until her marriage to Yoshiki Kuroda on 15 November 2005. As a result of her marriage, she gave up her imperial title and left the Japanese imperial family, as required by the Article 12 of the Imperial Household Law, and received a payment of approximately US$1,000,000.
Jun Tsushima (Japanese: 津島 淳, Hepburn: Tsushima Jun; born 18 October 1966) is a Japanese politician affiliated with the…
Jun Tsushima (Japanese: 津島 淳, Hepburn: Tsushima Jun; born 18 October 1966) is a Japanese politician affiliated with the Liberal Democratic Party. He is a member of House of Representatives of Japan from Aomori Prefecture since 16 December 2012. He previously served as Vice-Minister of Land, Transport, Infrastructure and Tourism and also served as Vice-Minister of Cabinet Office in Third Abe Cabinet. Tsushima's grandfather Osamu Dazai was a novelist and his father Yuji Tsushima was the member of House of Representatives (Japan), Minister of Health and Welfare and member of Liberal Democratic Party. His aunt Yūko Tsushima was a novelist like her father. His cousin Kyōichi Tsushima was a member of Democratic Party and member of House of Representatives of Japan from Tohoku Proportional District from 2009 to 2012
Minami Ichikawa (市川 南, Ichikawa Minami; born July 22, 1966) is a Japanese businessman and film producer. An executive…
Minami Ichikawa (市川 南, Ichikawa Minami; born July 22, 1966) is a Japanese businessman and film producer. An executive officer at Toho Co., Ltd., Ichikawa is the head of their Motion Picture Group, the Chairman of Toho Cinemas, the director of Toho-Towa and the former President of Toho Pictures.
Kuniko Asagi (麻木 久仁子, Asagi Kuniko; born on November 12, 1962) is a Japanese actress and television presenter. Her real…
Kuniko Asagi (麻木 久仁子, Asagi Kuniko; born on November 12, 1962) is a Japanese actress and television presenter. Her real name is Kuniko Tanaka (田中 久仁子, Tanaka Kuniko).
Yasumi Kobayashi (小林 泰三, 7 August 1962 – 23 November 2020) was a Japanese author of horror, science fiction and mystery.
Seiji Rokkaku (六角 精児, Rokkaku Seiji; born June 24, 1962) is a Japanese actor from Hyōgo Prefecture. He was born in…
Seiji Rokkaku (六角 精児, Rokkaku Seiji; born June 24, 1962) is a Japanese actor from Hyōgo Prefecture. He was born in Himeji and raised in Takasago. Rokkaku is the vocalist of Rokkaku Seiji Band. He dropped out of Gakushuin University. Rokkaku became famous in Japan for his role as Mamoru Yonezawa in Aibou Series. He landed the lead role in AIBOU Series: Yonezawa Mamoru no Jikenbo spin-off film of AIBOU series.
Akiko Kobayashi (小林明子, Kobayashi Akiko; born November 5, 1958), also known by her alias Holi, is a Japanese singer…
Akiko Kobayashi (小林明子, Kobayashi Akiko; born November 5, 1958), also known by her alias Holi, is a Japanese singer, songwriter, composer and arranger. Kobayashi collaborated with Brian Eno and U2 on their 1995 project, the Passengers. Her smash hit debut song, "Koi ni Ochite -Fall in love-" (恋におちて -Fall in love-) from 1985s popular show "Kinyōbi no Tsumatachi e" made her famous in Japan. She was born in Tokyo and first began singing at age 15 and writing, later, songs for other artists that became big hits at home and abroad making her famous. She received a degree in philosophy from the prestigious Gakushuin University in Tokyo. Her first proper job in the music industry was as a secretary at a music publishing company, which she got through a professor from university. She debuted as a writer in 1984, writing the song "Moon Eyes" for folk duo Bread & Butter. Then, in 1985, she released her debut single "Koi ni Ochite -Fall in love-" (恋におちて -Fall in love-). The song became an instant hit, and earned Kobayashi a nomination for best newcomer at the 27th Japan Record Awards. Staff that worked on the recording began to compare Kobayashi's voice to that of Karen Carpenter, lead singer of The Carpenters, and suggested she approach Richard Carpenter. After hearing her demo tape, and enjoying the melody and vocals, Richard announced that her album "City of Angels" would be released in 1988. In 1991, Kobayashi relocated to the United Kingdom and released an album under the name "holi". Soon after, she released a cover album of The Carpenters' songs. In 2001, she married a British accountant.
Daisuke Hinata (born July 2, 1956) is a Japanese music producer, composer, keyboardist, synthesist, synthesizer…
Daisuke Hinata (born July 2, 1956) is a Japanese music producer, composer, keyboardist, synthesist, synthesizer programmer, recording engineer, and studio designer. He is the owner/producer of VSA Studio, a recording studio located in California, US. He is also the owner of the record label “Hyperdisc” and "Global Disc". His older brother is Toshifumi Hinata, also a music composer and producer.
Norihito, Prince Takamado (高円宮憲仁親王, Takamado-no-miya Norihito Shinnō; 29 December 1954 – 21 November 2002) was a…
Norihito, Prince Takamado (高円宮憲仁親王, Takamado-no-miya Norihito Shinnō; 29 December 1954 – 21 November 2002) was a Japanese member of the Imperial House of Japan and the third son of Takahito, Prince Mikasa and Yuriko, Princess Mikasa. He was a first cousin of Emperor Akihito, and was seventh in line to the Chrysanthemum Throne at the time of his death.
Keiko Nagaoka (永岡 桂子, Nagaoka Keiko; born 8 December 1953) is a Japanese politician serving in the House of…
Keiko Nagaoka (永岡 桂子, Nagaoka Keiko; born 8 December 1953) is a Japanese politician serving in the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature) as a member of the Liberal Democratic Party. A native of Tokyo and graduate of Gakushuin University she was elected for the first time in 2005. Her husband was politician Yoji Nagaoka, who committed suicide on 1 August 2005.
Hiroyuki Namba (難波 弘之, Nanba Hiroyuki; born September 9, 1953) (occasionally credited as Hiroyuki Nanba) is a Japanese…
Hiroyuki Namba (難波 弘之, Nanba Hiroyuki; born September 9, 1953) (occasionally credited as Hiroyuki Nanba) is a Japanese musician. He has composed for and arranged songs from Japanese anime, OVA and video games. Notably, Hiroyuki Namba composed for Dallos, the first anime Original video animation. However, in the United States, he is known for composing the soundtrack to the Armitage III film. Namba plays keyboards in Sense of Wonder, a Japanese progressive rock band.
Yoshiki Tanaka (Japanese: 田中 芳樹, Hepburn: Tanaka Yoshiki; born October 22, 1952) is a Japanese novelist.
Masako Sen (千 容子, Sen Masako; born 23 October 1951), formerly Princess Masako of Mikasa (容子内親王, Masako Naishinnō), is a…
Masako Sen (千 容子, Sen Masako; born 23 October 1951), formerly Princess Masako of Mikasa (容子内親王, Masako Naishinnō), is a former member of the Imperial House of Japan. She is the fourth child and second daughter of Takahito, Prince Mikasa and Yuriko, Princess Mikasa. She is the wife of the 16th-generation Soshitsu Sen.
Fusanosuke Natsume (夏目 房之介, Natsume Fusanosuke; born August 18, 1950) is a Japanese columnist and cartoonist.
Shunichi Tokura (Japanese: 都倉 俊一, Hepburn: Tokura Shun'ichi; born 21 June 1948) is a Japanese composer and was the…
Shunichi Tokura (Japanese: 都倉 俊一, Hepburn: Tokura Shun'ichi; born 21 June 1948) is a Japanese composer and was the chair of the Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers (JASRAC) from 12 August 2010 to 31 March 2016. In April 2021, he was appointed commissioner for Cultural Affairs of Japan.
Yoshihito, Prince Katsura (桂宮宜仁親王, Katsura-no-miya Yoshihito Shinnō; 11 February 1948 – 8 June 2014) was a member of…
Yoshihito, Prince Katsura (桂宮宜仁親王, Katsura-no-miya Yoshihito Shinnō; 11 February 1948 – 8 June 2014) was a member of the Imperial House of Japan and the second son of Takahito, Prince Mikasa and Yuriko, Princess Mikasa. He was a first cousin of Emperor Akihito. Originally known as Prince Yoshihito of Mikasa, he received the title Prince Katsura (Katsura-no-miya) and authorization to start a new branch of the Imperial Family on 1 January 1988 at age 39. He died of a heart attack on 8 June 2014, aged 66.
Yoshihiko Funazaki (舟崎 克彦, Funazaki Yoshihiko; February 2, 1945 – October 15, 2015) was a Japanese novelist, poet…
Yoshihiko Funazaki (舟崎 克彦, Funazaki Yoshihiko; February 2, 1945 – October 15, 2015) was a Japanese novelist, poet, illustrator, manga artist, songwriter, and assistant professor of Shirayuri College. He has written more than 300 books.
Yasuko Ikenobō (池坊 保子, Ikenobō Yasuko; born 18 April 1942) (née Umetani) is a Japanese politician.
Michihiko Kano (鹿野道彦, Kano Michihiko; 24 January 1942 – 21 October 2021) was a Japanese politician of the Democratic…
Michihiko Kano (鹿野道彦, Kano Michihiko; 24 January 1942 – 21 October 2021) was a Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of Japan who served as the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries twice. He lost his seat in the 16 December 2012 general election. Kano was born in Yamagata. He graduated from Gakushuin University. After period of illness, Michihiko Kano died on 21 October 2021 in a hospital in Yamagata City; he was 79.
Seishiro Endo (遠藤征四郎, Endō Seishirō), born 1942, is an 8th dan ranked Aikikai aikido master teacher. Endō is among the…
Seishiro Endo (遠藤征四郎, Endō Seishirō), born 1942, is an 8th dan ranked Aikikai aikido master teacher. Endō is among the few living people who studied directly under aikido founder Morihei Ueshiba. He trained at Aikikai Hombu Dojo with master teachers including Seigo Yamaguchi, Hiroshi Tada, Mitsunari Kanai, and Yasuo Kobayashi. When Endo was 30 years old he dislocated his right shoulder. According to an interview, that event brought him to a turning point. After the injury, Yamaguchi said to him, "You’ve been doing aikido for 10 years now, but now you have only your left arm to use, what are you going to do?" This prompted Endo to pursue a different direction in his Aikido. His Aikido eventually became a lot softer and more contact-based.
Kōji Nakamoto (仲本 工事, Nakamoto Kōji; July 5, 1941 – October 19, 2022) was a Japanese comedian. His real name is Kōki…
Kōji Nakamoto (仲本 工事, Nakamoto Kōji; July 5, 1941 – October 19, 2022) was a Japanese comedian. His real name is Kōki Nakamoto (仲本 興喜). He was one of the members of The Drifters. Nakamoto graduated from Gakushuin University. He occasionally appeared in the dramas and films as an actor. On the 19 October 2022, Nakamoto died after being hit by a car at an intersection in Yokohama City, suffering a severe head injury. He was 81.
Toshiyuki Hosokawa (細川 俊之, Hosokawa Toshiyuki; December 15, 1940 – January 14, 2011) was a Japanese actor and disc…
Toshiyuki Hosokawa (細川 俊之, Hosokawa Toshiyuki; December 15, 1940 – January 14, 2011) was a Japanese actor and disc jockey, whose credits included roles in television, film, stage and musical theater. He reached prominence in Japan for his starring role in the 1970 film Eros Plus Massacre, which was directed by Yoshishige Yoshida. Hosokawa was born and raised in Fukuoka Prefecture. He launched his acting career as a member of the theater company, Bungakuza, in 1964. He joined Bungakuza after leaving his university. He soon co-starred with actress, Nana Kinomi, in the musical, Show Girl. Additionally, Hosokawa served as a professor at Osaka University of Arts beginning in 2004. Hosokawa accidentally fell and suffered head injuries at his home on January 12, 2011. He died of subdural hematoma at a hospital in Tokyo, Japan, on January 14, 2011, at the age of 70.
Tarō Asō (麻生 太郎, Asō Tarō; born 20 September 1940) is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from…
Tarō Asō (麻生 太郎, Asō Tarō; born 20 September 1940) is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 2008 to 2009. A member of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), he also served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance from 2012 to 2021. He was the longest-serving Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance in Japanese history, having previously served as Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2005 to 2007 and as Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications from 2003 to 2005. He leads the Shikōkai faction within the LDP. Asō was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1979. He served in numerous ministerial roles before becoming Secretary-General of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in 2008, having also held that role temporarily in 2007. He was later elected LDP President in September 2008, becoming prime minister the same month. He led the LDP to the worst election result in its history a year later, marking only the second time in post-war Japan that a governing party had lost re-election, and resigned as the President of the party immediately afterwards. After the LDP returned to government following the 2012 election under Shinzo Abe, Asō was appointed to the Cabinet as Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, retaining those roles when Yoshihide Suga replaced Abe in 2020. After leaving cabinet, he's served as vice president of the LDP under Fumio Kishida and as senior advisor to the LDP under Shigeru Ishiba. He is a noted power broker inside the party, leading the Shikōkai. Asō has been attached to a number of controversies in his career. He conceded in 2008 that his family had benefitted from forced labor during World War II, although he has refused to apologize for it. Asō also had a reputation for political gaffes and controversial remarks.
Tsunenari Tokugawa (徳川 恒孝, Tokugawa Tsunenari; born 26 February 1940) is the 18th generation head of the Tokugawa clan.…
Tsunenari Tokugawa (徳川 恒孝, Tokugawa Tsunenari; born 26 February 1940) is the 18th generation head of the Tokugawa clan. He is the son of Ichirō Matsudaira and Toyoko Tokugawa. His great-grandfather was the famed Matsudaira Katamori of Aizu and his maternal great-grandfather was Tokugawa Iesato. As a great-grandson of Shimazu Tadayoshi, the last lord of Satsuma Domain, he is also a second cousin of the former Emperor, Akihito. Tsunenari was active for many years in the shipping company Nippon Yūsen, retiring in June, 2002, and is the head of the nonprofit Tokugawa Foundation. The nonprofit aims to preserve the remaining cultural treasures of the Tokugawa family, many of which were lost in the Meiji Restoration and World War II U.S. bombings. In 2007, Tsunenari published a book entitled Edo no idenshi (江戸の遺伝子), released in English in 2009 as The Edo Inheritance, which seeks to counter the common belief among Japanese that the Edo period (throughout which members of his Tokugawa clan ruled Japan as shōguns) was like a Dark Age, when Japan, cut off from the world, fell behind. On the contrary, he argues, the roughly 250 years of peace and relative prosperity saw great economic reforms, the growth of a sophisticated urban culture, and the development of the most urbanized society on the planet. Tokugawa stepped down from being the head of the Tokugawa clan on 1 January 2023. His son, author and translator Iehiro Tokugawa, took over the role.
Hisaoki Kamei (亀井 久興, Kamei Hisaoki; born 8 November 1939) is a former Japanese politician of the now defunct People's…
Hisaoki Kamei (亀井 久興, Kamei Hisaoki; born 8 November 1939) is a former Japanese politician of the now defunct People's New Party and was a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Kanoashi District, Shimane and graduate of Gakushuin University, he ran unsuccessfully for the House of Representatives in 1971 as an independent. He ran again three years later as a member of the Liberal Democratic Party and was elected for the first time. His daughter Akiko Kamei is also a politician.
Tadateru Konoe (近衛 忠煇, Konoe Tadateru; 8 May 1939 – 23 May 2026) was a Japanese humanitarian who was president of the…
Tadateru Konoe (近衛 忠煇, Konoe Tadateru; 8 May 1939 – 23 May 2026) was a Japanese humanitarian who was president of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). Konoe was the 32nd Head of the Konoe family. President of the Japanese Red Cross Society from 2005, he dedicated his entire professional career to domestic and international Red Cross Red Crescent activities. In 2009 and again in 2013, Konoe was elected President of the IFRC, serving until he was replaced by Francesco Rocca on 6 November 2017.
Takako Shimazu (島津 貴子, Shimazu Takako; born 2 March 1939), born Takako, Princess Suga (清宮貴子内親王, Suga-no-miya Takako…
Takako Shimazu (島津 貴子, Shimazu Takako; born 2 March 1939), born Takako, Princess Suga (清宮貴子内親王, Suga-no-miya Takako Naishinnō), is a former member of the Imperial House of Japan. She is the fifth and youngest daughter of Emperor Shōwa and Empress Kōjun, the youngest sister of the Emperor Emeritus of Japan, Akihito, and the paternal aunt of the current Emperor of Japan, Naruhito. She married Hisanaga Shimazu on 3 March 1960. As a result, she gave up her imperial title and left the Japanese imperial family, as required by law.
Hajime Ogawa (Japanese: 小川元 Ogawa Hajime; 1 January 1939 – 15 October 2024) was a Japanese businessman and politician.…
Hajime Ogawa (Japanese: 小川元 Ogawa Hajime; 1 January 1939 – 15 October 2024) was a Japanese businessman and politician. A member of the Liberal Democratic Party, he served in the House of Representatives from 1986 to 1990 and again from 1993 to 2000. Ogawa died in Tokyo on 15 October 2024, at the age of 85.
Huisheng (26 February 1938 – 4 December 1957), or Eisei, was a Manchu-Japanese noblewoman. She was born in the Aisin…
Huisheng (26 February 1938 – 4 December 1957), or Eisei, was a Manchu-Japanese noblewoman. She was born in the Aisin Gioro clan, the imperial clan of the Qing dynasty. She was the elder daughter of Pujie, the younger brother of Puyi, the last emperor of China. Her mother was Hiro Saga, a Japanese noblewoman who married Pujie in 1937.
Nanami Shiono (塩野 七生, Shiono Nanami; born 7 July 1937) is a Japanese author and novelist known for her works on the…
Nanami Shiono (塩野 七生, Shiono Nanami; born 7 July 1937) is a Japanese author and novelist known for her works on the history of Italy, especially those dealing with ancient Rome and the Renaissance period.
Masahito, Prince Hitachi (常陸宮正仁親王, Hitachi-no-miya Masahito Shinnō; born 28 November 1935) is a member of the Imperial…
Masahito, Prince Hitachi (常陸宮正仁親王, Hitachi-no-miya Masahito Shinnō; born 28 November 1935) is a member of the Imperial House of Japan, the younger brother of Emperor emeritus Akihito and the paternal uncle of Emperor Naruhito. He is the second son and sixth born child of Emperor Shōwa and Empress Kōjun and is third and last in line to the Chrysanthemum Throne. He is mainly known for philanthropic activities and his research on the causes of cancer.
Ōyō Mitsunobu (光延 旺洋, Mitsunobu Ōyō; 1934–2003) was a Japanese chemist specializing in organic synthesis. In 1967, he…
Ōyō Mitsunobu (光延 旺洋, Mitsunobu Ōyō; 1934–2003) was a Japanese chemist specializing in organic synthesis. In 1967, he introduced the Mitsunobu reaction, which is named after him. His father was Tōyō Mitsunobu, an admiral (posthumously) of the Japanese navy. Mitsunobu earned his bachelor's degree at Gakushuin University in Tokyo and subsequently studied at the Tokyo Institute of Technology starting in 1959, where he obtained his doctorate in 1966 under the supervision of Teruaki Mukaiyama. From 1986-2002 he was a Professor in the Faculty of Science and Engineering, Aoyama Gakuin University. His work focused on the chemistry of nucleosides and nucleotides, as well as stereoselective reactions. He is best known for the Mitsunobu reaction which involves the substitution of (primary or secondary) alcohols with nucleophiles (the original reaction was an esterification) and has found widespread application, particularly in the synthesis of natural products and in biochemistry. It proceeds under relatively mild conditions and is stereospecific. It is an oxidation-reduction condensation reaction in which triphenylphosphine is oxidized and diethyl azodicarboxylate (DEAD) is reduced to its corresponding hydrazine derivative (reagents serving a similar function to triphenylphosphine and DEAD in the original version of the reaction are known as Mitsunobu reagents). Mitsunobu introduced the reaction in 1967 and developed several variants shortly thereafter. Between 1996 and 2008, 1,615 papers with "Mitsunobu reaction" in the title were published according to SciFinder, including 186 patents. In 1984 he received the Synthetic Organic Chemistry Award, Japan. The text of the award states that it is for the "Discovery and development of stereospecific reactions through activation of alcoholic hydroxyl groups".
Yoshinobu Shimamura (島村 宜伸, Shimamura Yoshinobu; born 27 March 1934) is a Japanese politician.
Kiyoshi Kodama (児玉 清, Kodama Kiyoshi; real name: Kiyoshi Kitagawa (北川 清), born as Kiyoshi Kodama (小玉 清), 1 January 1934…
Kiyoshi Kodama (児玉 清, Kodama Kiyoshi; real name: Kiyoshi Kitagawa (北川 清), born as Kiyoshi Kodama (小玉 清), 1 January 1934 – 16 May 2011) was a Japanese TV personality and actor. He hosted the Asahi Broadcasting Corporation quiz show Panel Quiz Attack 25 continuously for thirty-six years from its start in April 1975 until he was forced to step down due to poor health at the end of March 2011. His signature catchphrase on the show is "Attack Chance!" An avid reader, Kodama hosted a TV book review show. He also published his own books. He was a voice actor for the voice of Robert Stephenson in the Japanese version of the 2004 animated movie Steamboy. Kodama died of stomach cancer at a hospital in Chuo, Tokyo on 16 May 2011.
Yoko Ono (Japanese: 小野 洋子, romanized: Ono Yōko, usually spelled in katakana as オノ・ヨーコ; born February 18, 1933) is a…
Yoko Ono (Japanese: 小野 洋子, romanized: Ono Yōko, usually spelled in katakana as オノ・ヨーコ; born February 18, 1933) is a Japanese retired artist, musician, and peace activist. Her work also encompasses performance art and filmmaking. Ono was born and grew up in Tokyo and moved to New York City in 1952 to join her family. She became involved with New York City's downtown artists scene in the early 1960s, which included the Fluxus group, and became widely known outside the contemporary art world in 1969 when she married English musician John Lennon of the Beatles, with whom she would subsequently record as a duo in the Plastic Ono Band. The couple used their honeymoon as a stage for public protests against the Vietnam War with what they called a bed-in. She and Lennon remained married until he was murdered in front of the couple's apartment building, The Dakota, on December 8, 1980. Together, they had one son, Sean, who later also became a musician. Ono began a career in popular music in 1969, forming the Plastic Ono Band with Lennon and producing a number of avant-garde music albums in the 1970s. She achieved commercial and critical success in 1980 with the chart-topping album Double Fantasy, a collaboration with Lennon which was released three weeks before his murder, winning the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. To date, she has had twelve number one singles on the US Dance charts, and in 2016 was named the 11th most successful dance club artist of all time by Billboard magazine. Many musicians have paid tribute to Ono as an artist in her own right and as a muse and icon, including the B-52's, Sonic Youth and Meredith Monk. As Lennon's widow, Ono works to preserve his legacy. She funded the Strawberry Fields memorial in Manhattan's Central Park, the Imagine Peace Tower in Iceland, and the John Lennon Museum in Saitama, Japan (which closed in 2010). She has made significant philanthropic contributions to the arts, peace and disaster relief in Japan and the Philippines, and other such causes. In 2002, she inaugurated a biennial $50,000 LennonOno Grant for Peace. In 2012, she received the Dr. Rainer Hildebrandt Human Rights Award and co-founded the group Artists Against Fracking.
Kano Yukimitsu (27 March 1932 – 8 March 2020) was a senior administrator in judo, and was the fourth president of the…
Kano Yukimitsu (27 March 1932 – 8 March 2020) was a senior administrator in judo, and was the fourth president of the Kodokan and the President of the All Japan Judo Federation. He was the son of Kano Risei and grandson of the founder of Judo Kano Jigoro. He served from 1980 to 1995 as the President of the Judo Union of Asia. He was an advocate of Kodokan Judo over the International Judo Federation. On 9 March 2020, it was reported that he died at the age of 87.
Hajime Tsuburaya (Japanese: 円谷 一, Hepburn: Tsuburaya Hajime; April 28, 1931 – February 9, 1973) was a Japanese film and…
Hajime Tsuburaya (Japanese: 円谷 一, Hepburn: Tsuburaya Hajime; April 28, 1931 – February 9, 1973) was a Japanese film and television director, producer, and cinematographer. The eldest son of Eiji Tsuburaya, he began his career on the 1954 film, Godzilla and its sequel, Godzilla Raids Again as an assistant special effects cinematographer.
Takie Sugiyama Lebra (February 6, 1930 – May 26, 2017) was a Japanese anthropologist and professor. Her “contributions…
Takie Sugiyama Lebra (February 6, 1930 – May 26, 2017) was a Japanese anthropologist and professor. Her “contributions to the anthropology of Japan are regarded as foundational”. She was born in a rural village in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. She attended primary school in Japan, graduating from Tsuda College in Tokyo in 1951. She graduated from Gakushuin University in Tokyo with a BA in political science in 1954 and then completed her studies at the University of Pittsburgh, receiving an MA in political science in 1960 and a PhD in sociology (also from the University of Pittsburgh) in 1967. Lebra was a professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Hawaii from 1971 until her retirement in 1996. She also held visiting positions at the University of Washington, the University of Michigan, Oxford Brookes University, Harvard University, and the National University of Singapore. She was a popular teacher with her courses (especially in Japanese Studies) attracting many students. While teaching in Hawaii, she was a specialist of Japan, of psychological anthropology and of culture and social organization. She was also an author, having written 7 books about Japanese culture and selling over 66,000 copies. She has won multiple awards, including a John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship, a Fulbright Council for International Exchange, a Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research, a Japan Foundation Research Fellowship. She also received awards from the Joint Committee on Japanese Studies of the American Council of Learned Societies and the Social Science Research Council. She was a board member for the Society for Psychological Anthropology, the US-Japan Women's Journal and the Journal of Japanese Studies. Her 1976 book, Japanese Patterns of Behavior provides an overview of contemporary Japanese cultural norms and devotes a chapter to a case study of the Salvation Cult. Her 1995 book Above the Clouds, Status Culture of the Modern Japanese Nobility was the first ethnographic study of the modern Japanese aristocracy, in which she explained the Kazoku, the hereditary peerage of the Empire of Japan. An obituary sums up her career as follows: “Takie Lebra will be remembered for her feistiness that combined probing intellect with humor. For her many students and colleagues, she demonstrated that the life of the mind should never forget the body, that we are driven as whole creatures that embrace emotions, relationships, institutions, and ideas. She taught that we are only and always too human, and in the end, that may be enough.”