Lee Jae-kyung (Korean: 이체경; Hanja: 李在炅; Japanese: リ・チェギョン, romanized: Ri Chegyon; born January 19, 1989), better known…Lee Jae-kyung (Korean: 이체경; Hanja: 李在炅; Japanese: リ・チェギョン, romanized: Ri Chegyon; born January 19, 1989), better known by his ring name Jake Lee (ジェイク・リー, Jeiku Rī), is a Zainichi-Korean professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist. As of July 2024, he is signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is a member of the United Empire. Known as the "Clown from Hell" (地獄の道化師, Jigoku no dōkeshi) and the "Silent Jester", Lee is best known for his stints in All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) and Pro Wrestling Noah. In AJPW, within two runs between 2011 and 2022, Lee became a two-time Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion and Champion Carnival winner in 2021; during the latter run, he was known as "Madness of the Dark Side" (狂気のダークサイド, Kyōki no dākusaido). In Noah, he was the leader of the Good Looking Guys stable from 2023 to 2024 and became known as "Good Looking Emperor"; he became a one-time GHC Heavyweight Champion by defeating Kaito Kiyomiya at the Great Voyage in Yokohama event in March 2023. He joined NJPW after leaving Noah in 2024, becoming known as the "Smart Bastard" (stylized in all caps) after he joined Bullet Club War Dogs and was known as the "Smart Bastard". He left War Dogs in 2026 to defect to the United Empire. Lee was acclaimed for his matches against the likes of Kento Miyahara, Kenoh, Yuma Aoyagi and Naomichi Marufuji, and is the second Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion of Korean descent (the other being Zeus) and the only GHC Heavyweight Champion of Korean descent. If Lee wins the IWGP Heavyweight Championship (as he is currently signed to NJPW), he'd become the fifth to win the three major Japanese heavyweight championships, and the youngest to do so.
Hikari Nakade (中出 ひかり, Nakade Hikari; born December 6, 1988) is a Japanese former football player. She played for the…Hikari Nakade (中出 ひかり, Nakade Hikari; born December 6, 1988) is a Japanese former football player. She played for the Japan national team as a forward.
Momoko Takahashi (Japanese: 高橋萌木子; born 16 November 1988 in Saitama) is a Japanese track and field athlete who…Momoko Takahashi (Japanese: 高橋萌木子; born 16 November 1988 in Saitama) is a Japanese track and field athlete who specialises in sprinting events. She has represented Japan twice at the World Championships in Athletics (2007 and 2009) and won relay medals at the Asian Games in both 2006 and 2010. She was the 200 m gold medallist at the 2009 Asian Athletics Championships. A Japanese junior record holder, she is the country's second fastest ever runner over both 100 metres and 200 metres, behind Chisato Fukushima. Her bests for the events are 11.32 seconds and 23.15 seconds, respectively. She is a joint holder of the Japanese record in the 4×100 metres relay.
Shota Kurosawa (黒沢 翔太, Kurosawa Shōta; born August 5, 1988 in Chichibu, Saitama) is a Japanese professional baseball…Shota Kurosawa (黒沢 翔太, Kurosawa Shōta; born August 5, 1988 in Chichibu, Saitama) is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher for the Chiba Lotte Marines in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball. He played from 2013 to 2017.
Masayoshi Kato (加藤 政義, Katō Masayoshi) is a Japanese professional baseball infielder. He was born on April 28, 1987, in…Masayoshi Kato (加藤 政義, Katō Masayoshi) is a Japanese professional baseball infielder. He was born on April 28, 1987, in Sendai. Miyagi. He is currently playing for Yokohama DeNA BayStars of the NPB.
Kazuomi Ota (born 1 July 1986 in Kitakyushu) is a Japanese weightlifter. He competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in the…Kazuomi Ota (born 1 July 1986 in Kitakyushu) is a Japanese weightlifter. He competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in the +105 kg event.
Sharla Katalin Hinskens (born April 23, 1986), also known as Sharmeleon ("evolved" from Sharmander upon receiving…Sharla Katalin Hinskens (born April 23, 1986), also known as Sharmeleon ("evolved" from Sharmander upon receiving 500,000 subscribers in March 2020) and Sharla in Japan, is a Canadian YouTuber who has been vlogging about her experiences in Japan since 2011.
Koki Tanaka (田中 聖, Tanaka Kōki) is a Japanese singer–songwriter and actor. He was a member of Jpop idol boy band…Koki Tanaka (田中 聖, Tanaka Kōki) is a Japanese singer–songwriter and actor. He was a member of Jpop idol boy band KAT-TUN from their debut until September 30, 2013, when his contract with Johnny & Associates (the company that manages KAT-TUN) was terminated. When he was a member of KAT-TUN, he was recognized as the rapper in the group and has a hip-hop-influenced style. Out of the other members, Tanaka was most often paired up with Yuichi Nakamaru and they even formed a comedy duo 'TaNaka'. After leaving Johnny & Associates, Tanaka formed his own indie rock band called INKT.
Ryuhei Matsuyama (松山 竜平, Matsuyama Ryuhei; born September 18, 1985 in Soo District, Kagoshima, Japan) is a professional…Ryuhei Matsuyama (松山 竜平, Matsuyama Ryuhei; born September 18, 1985 in Soo District, Kagoshima, Japan) is a professional Japanese baseball player. He plays outfielder for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp.
Ryo Sakakibara (榊原 諒, born August 4, 1985, in Takahama, Aichi) is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher in…Ryo Sakakibara (榊原 諒, born August 4, 1985, in Takahama, Aichi) is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball. He played for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters from 2009 to 2013 and the Orix Buffaloes from 2014 to 2015.
Tatsuya Shimozono (下園 辰哉, Shimozono Tatsuya; born November 22, 1984 in Sadowara, Miyazaki, Japan) is a professional…Tatsuya Shimozono (下園 辰哉, Shimozono Tatsuya; born November 22, 1984 in Sadowara, Miyazaki, Japan) is a professional Japanese baseball player. He plays outfielder for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars.
Kazuhisa Makita (牧田 和久, Makita Kazuhisa; born November 10, 1984) is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher…Kazuhisa Makita (牧田 和久, Makita Kazuhisa; born November 10, 1984) is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher, and current the third squad pitching coach for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He played in NPB for the Saitama Seibu Lions and Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles. He also played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres, and in the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) for the CTBC Brothers.
Shinya Hatta (初田 真也, Hatta Shinya; born May 17, 1984) is a Japanese former footballer who played as a defender. In…Shinya Hatta (初田 真也, Hatta Shinya; born May 17, 1984) is a Japanese former footballer who played as a defender. In 2015, he suffered an injury that kept him out of football for close to two months. He studied coaching on cognitive science. After leaving football he intended to become a highschool teacher, so went back to school to study. He currently works as Renofa Yamaguchi FC's business manager. He also worked as a coach for Kamatamare Sanuki.
Ryuichi Ishikawa (石川 竜一, Ishikawa Ryūichi; b. 1984) is an Okinawan photographer. In his youth, Ishikawa suffered from…Ryuichi Ishikawa (石川 竜一, Ishikawa Ryūichi; b. 1984) is an Okinawan photographer. In his youth, Ishikawa suffered from depression, leading him to withdraw from mainstream society and turn towards the alternative, underground communities that later became frequent subjects in his photography. Ishikawa serendipitously found photography and photograms in his twenties which he used to document his immediate surroundings and visualize his emotions and dreams. As his practice developed under the guidance of his mentor Tetsushi Yuzaki, Ishikawa increasingly saw photography as a means to both communicate with the outside world and find meaning in life. He rose to prominence in the contemporary Japanese art scene during the mid-2010s with his raw scenes of daily life in his hometown and straightforward portraits of people in Okinawa, including many of those on the fringes of society. For these photographs, Ishikawa received the esteemed Kimura Ihei award in 2014 and the Photographic Society of Japan Newcomer's Award the following year. Ishikawa is primarily a self-taught photographer with a rapidly evolving, instinctual shooting practice. Over the course of his career, he has also experimented with genres such as abstraction, snapshot photography, landscape, and most recently, outdoor still life. Since 2015, Ishikawa has been traveling into the wilderness and photographing his expeditions.
Keizo Kawashima (川島 慶三, Kawashima Keizō; born October 5, 1983) is a Japanese professional baseball player. He plays…Keizo Kawashima (川島 慶三, Kawashima Keizō; born October 5, 1983) is a Japanese professional baseball player. He plays infielder for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles.
Masamitsu Hirano (平野 将光, Hirano Masamitsu; born June 28, 1983 in Saitama, Saitama) is a Nippon Professional Baseball…Masamitsu Hirano (平野 将光, Hirano Masamitsu; born June 28, 1983 in Saitama, Saitama) is a Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher.
Masumi Mishina (三科 真澄, Mishina Masumi) (born 12 March 1982 in Kanagawa) is a Japanese softball player who won the gold…Masumi Mishina (三科 真澄, Mishina Masumi) (born 12 March 1982 in Kanagawa) is a Japanese softball player who won the gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Ikki Shimamura (嶋村 一輝, Shimamura Ikki; born October 13, 1981) also known as Ikki (一輝) is a Japanese former professional…Ikki Shimamura (嶋村 一輝, Shimamura Ikki; born October 13, 1981) also known as Ikki (一輝) is a Japanese former professional baseball player.
Katsuyuki Nakasuga (Japanese: 中須賀 克行, Hepburn: Nakasuga Katsuyuki; born 9 August 1981 in Fukuoka Prefecture) is a…Katsuyuki Nakasuga (Japanese: 中須賀 克行, Hepburn: Nakasuga Katsuyuki; born 9 August 1981 in Fukuoka Prefecture) is a Japanese motorcycle racer. He races a factory Yamaha YZF-R1 in the JSB1000 class of the All Japan Road Race Championship. He has won the Suzuka 8 Hours four times (2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018) and the JSB1000 championship title thirteen times (2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2025).
Satoshi Yamazaki (山崎 敏, Yamazaki Satoshi; born in Gunma, Japan) is a Japanese professional Nippon Professional Baseball…Satoshi Yamazaki (山崎 敏, Yamazaki Satoshi; born in Gunma, Japan) is a Japanese professional Nippon Professional Baseball player. He is 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) in height and currently with the Saitama Seibu Lions in Japan's Pacific League.
Tomomitsu Matsunaga (松永智充, Matsunaga Tomomitsu; born November 13, 1980) is a Japanese professional wrestler working for…Tomomitsu Matsunaga (松永智充, Matsunaga Tomomitsu; born November 13, 1980) is a Japanese professional wrestler working for DDT Pro-Wrestling (DDT), a Japanese promotion where he is a former Ironman Heavymetalweight Champion.
Kaori Mori (森 かおり, Mori Kaori; born on August 23, 1979, in Fukuoka Prefecture) is a former Japanese badminton player.…Kaori Mori (森 かおり, Mori Kaori; born on August 23, 1979, in Fukuoka Prefecture) is a former Japanese badminton player. She was the women's singles national champion in 2001 and 2003. Mori won the bronze medal at the 2004 Asian Championships and also the silver medals in 2005 and 2006. She played badminton at the 2004 Summer Olympics, defeating Anu Weckström of Finland in the first round but losing to Zhou Mi of China in the round of 16. She also helps the Japanese women's team to win bronze at the 2004 Uber Cup in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Kaori Niyanagi (original name: 二柳 かおり, born (1977-11-21)21 November 1977 in Shiga) was a Japanese female weightlifter…Kaori Niyanagi (original name: 二柳 かおり, born (1977-11-21)21 November 1977 in Shiga) was a Japanese female weightlifter, competing in the 48 kg category and representing Japan at international competitions. She participated at the 2000 Summer Olympics in the 48 kg event. She competed at world championships, most recently at the 1999 World Weightlifting Championships.
Toku (styled TOKU) is a Japanese jazz musician from Niigata Prefecture, Japan. In addition to being one of the few…Toku (styled TOKU) is a Japanese jazz musician from Niigata Prefecture, Japan. In addition to being one of the few professional jazz vocalists and flugelhorn players in Japan, he is known for promoting jazz in Japan and bringing elements of the genre into J-pop through collaborations with other artists. He has worked with clammbon, Miki Imai, Maki Oguro, Yuji Ohno, Mariko Takahashi, Ken Hirai, DOUBLE, m-flo, and Exile.
Kyaw Moe Tun (Burmese: ကျော်မိုးထွန်း; born 28 July 1969) is a Burmese diplomat who formerly served as the Permanent…Kyaw Moe Tun (Burmese: ကျော်မိုးထွန်း; born 28 July 1969) is a Burmese diplomat who formerly served as the Permanent Representative of Myanmar to the United Nations. Prior to his appointment to UN, he had served as director-general of International Organizations and Economic Development Department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2016 to 2018. In 2021, while Tun was serving as ambassador, the Myanmar military overthrew the elected civilian government in a coup d'etat. Tun remained loyal to the civilian government. The military regime attempted to remove him from his post, but Tun remained in his position at the UN.
Yoshimi Kobayashi (小林 良美, Kobayashi Yoshimi) (born August 11, 1968) is a Japanese softball player who played for three…Yoshimi Kobayashi (小林 良美, Kobayashi Yoshimi) (born August 11, 1968) is a Japanese softball player who played for three different positions in the 2000 Summer Olympics: The pinch hitter, left field and right field. She won the silver medal for team Japan.
Yasumichi Morita (森田 恭通, Morota Yasumichi; born 19 December 1967) is an interior designer from Ibaraki, Osaka. He…Yasumichi Morita (森田 恭通, Morota Yasumichi; born 19 December 1967) is an interior designer from Ibaraki, Osaka. He undertakes projects in many countries including Japan, New York and Hong Kong.
Kenji Ohtsuki (大槻 ケンヂ, 大槻 賢二, Ōtsuki Kenji; born February 6, 1966 in Nakano, Tokyo) is a Japanese rock musician and…Kenji Ohtsuki (大槻 ケンヂ, 大槻 賢二, Ōtsuki Kenji; born February 6, 1966 in Nakano, Tokyo) is a Japanese rock musician and Seiun Award-winning writer. His musical career began in the late 1970s. He is the vocalist of Kinniku Shōjo Tai, Tokusatsu, Underground Searchlie and Karate Bakabon. The lyrics of a Kinniku Shōjo Tai's song "Doko e demo Ikeru Kitte" affected the character design of Rei Ayanami, from the popular anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion. He's also performed the theme songs to several anime, including Welcome to the N.H.K., Hellsing and Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei.
Wataru Kurihara (栗原 渉, Kurihara Wataru; born 27 September 1965) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic…Wataru Kurihara (栗原 渉, Kurihara Wataru; born 27 September 1965) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, who serves as a member of the House of Representatives.
Faustin Luanga (born 15 February 1964) is a Congolese politician and career diplomat who has been Ambassador-at-large…Faustin Luanga (born 15 February 1964) is a Congolese politician and career diplomat who has been Ambassador-at-large for the Democratic Republic of the Congo since 4 June 2021.
Motohiro Ōno (大野 元裕, Ōno Motohiro; born 12 November 1963) is a Japanese politician and the current governor of Saitama…Motohiro Ōno (大野 元裕, Ōno Motohiro; born 12 November 1963) is a Japanese politician and the current governor of Saitama Prefecture in Japan. He assumed office replacing Kiyoshi Ueda in the August 2019 gubernatorial elections. Ōno previously served as a member of the House of Councilors from 2010 to 2019 and was a senior researcher at the Middle East Institute of Japan.
Katsuhiro Kusaki (草木 克洋, Kusaki Katsuhiro; born April 12, 1962) is a former Japanese football player and manager. He…Katsuhiro Kusaki (草木 克洋, Kusaki Katsuhiro; born April 12, 1962) is a former Japanese football player and manager. He played for Japan national team.
Hideo Yokoyama (横山 秀夫, Yokoyama Hideo; born 1957) is a Japanese novelist who specializes in mystery novels. He is also…Hideo Yokoyama (横山 秀夫, Yokoyama Hideo; born 1957) is a Japanese novelist who specializes in mystery novels. He is also known for his career as a journalist for the Jomo Shimbun, the regional paper in Gunma. He repeated his Kono Mystery ga Sugoi! No. 1 ranking in 2013 with Six Four (64). The English edition of Six Four, translated by Jonathan Lloyd-Davies, was shortlisted for the 2016 CWA International Dagger.
Mitsuko Ishii (born 25 February 1954) is a Japanese politician who has served as a member of the House of Councillors…Mitsuko Ishii (born 25 February 1954) is a Japanese politician who has served as a member of the House of Councillors of Japan since 2016. She represents the National proportional representation block and is a member of the Japan Innovation Party.
Masanobu Fuchi (渕 正信, Fuchi Masanobu; born January 14, 1954) is a Japanese professional wrestler signed to All Japan…Masanobu Fuchi (渕 正信, Fuchi Masanobu; born January 14, 1954) is a Japanese professional wrestler signed to All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), where he is also a director and the co-head booker. Fuchi has exclusively worked for All Japan since his debut in 1974, and holds the record for the longest World Junior Heavyweight Championship reign at 1,309 days. Fuchi became a freelancer in 2009, but officially re-signed with AJPW in 2013 as both a director and wrestler, making him the longest tenured member of the All Japan roster.
Nobuo Ikeda (池田 信夫, Ikeda Nobuo; born 1953) is a Japanese economist originally from Kyoto Prefecture. He used to be a…Nobuo Ikeda (池田 信夫, Ikeda Nobuo; born 1953) is a Japanese economist originally from Kyoto Prefecture. He used to be a professor at Jobu University until 2012. His current appointments are a visiting professor at SBI Graduate School in Yokohama, Kanagawa, a lecturer at Aoyama Gakuin University, and the Chief Executive Officer of Agora Institute.
Shoukichi Kina (喜納昌吉, Kina Shōkichi; born June 10, 1948 in Koza, Okinawa), is a Japanese rock musician and politician.…Shoukichi Kina (喜納昌吉, Kina Shōkichi; born June 10, 1948 in Koza, Okinawa), is a Japanese rock musician and politician. He, along with his band Champloose, played a large role in the Okinawan home-grown "folk rock" scene in the 1970s and 1980s. His first big hit was "Haisai Ojisan" ("Hey, old man") in 1972, which he wrote when he was in high school. A Song from the 1980 album Blood Lines, "Hana" also named "Subete no Hito no Kokoro ni Hana o", is frequently heard in international markets. He was elected a member of the House of Councillors in July 2004. In 2010 he ran for a second term but lost.
Ryūzō Saki (佐木 隆三, Saki Ryūzō; April 14, 1937 – October 31, 2015) was a Japanese novelist and non-fiction writer, born…Ryūzō Saki (佐木 隆三, Saki Ryūzō; April 14, 1937 – October 31, 2015) was a Japanese novelist and non-fiction writer, born in North Hamgyong, a province of what is now North Korea. He was interested in high-profile crimes in Japan and published a number of non-fiction books about Japanese crimes. On January 14, 1976, Saki was awarded the Naoki Prize for the novel Vengeance Is Mine based on Japanese serial killer Akira Nishiguchi. The novel became the basis of Shohei Imamura's film Vengeance Is Mine. He also wrote the books about Norio Nagayama, Tsutomu Miyazaki, Fusako Sano and Futoshi Matsunaga. His 1980 novel The Miracle of Joe, the Petrel was adapted into a feature film in 1984 by Toshiya Fujita. In 1992, Saki published a book about Japanese Resident-General of Korea Itō Hirobumi and Korean An Jung-geun, titled Itō Hirobumi to An Jung-geun. On 1 November 2015, he died from throat cancer in Kitakyūshū at age 78.
Daisuke Namikawa (浪川 大輔, Namikawa Daisuke; born April 2, 1976) is a Japanese actor and singer associated with Stay…Daisuke Namikawa (浪川 大輔, Namikawa Daisuke; born April 2, 1976) is a Japanese actor and singer associated with Stay Luck. He began acting as a child and is sometimes mistaken with Daisuke Hirakawa, as their names only differ by one character when written in kanji. Despite his wide range of roles, he usually plays young heroes, such as Mikage in 07-Ghost, Fay D. Flourite in Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle, Jellal Fernandes and his counterpart Mystogan in Fairy Tail, Somnus Lucis Caelum in Final Fantasy XV, Jack the Ripper in Black Clover, Keita Ibuki in Black God, Goemon Ishikawa XIII in later installments of Lupin the Third, and Yu Narukami in Persona 4. He has also been cast as anti-heroes or antagonists, such as Ulquiorra Cifer in Bleach, Hisoka Morow in Hunter × Hunter (2011), Kei Kurono in Gantz, Eustass Kid in One Piece, Dr. Genus in One Punch Man, Chōsō in Jujutsu Kaisen, Tōru Oikawa in Haikyuu!!, Kishō Arima in Tokyo Ghoul, Momoshiki Otsutsuki in Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, and Kei Uzuki/X in Sakamoto Days. He is the official Japanese dub-over voice artist for American actor Elijah Wood and Canadian actor Hayden Christensen. He has also dubbed over some roles that were performed by other fellow actors such as: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tony Jaa, Edward Furlong, and Kevin Zegers in Japanese. He made his directorial debut for Wonderful World, a live-action film that opened in Japan in early summer of 2010. He also starred in the film itself, alongside Mamoru Miyano, Tomokazu Sugita, Tomokazu Seki, Rikiya Koyama, Yuka Hirata, Toshiyuki Morikawa, Kōichi Yamadera, Showtaro Morikubo and Yūko Kaida.
Ayako Moriya (守谷 絢子, Moriya Ayako; born 15 September 1990), formerly Princess Ayako of Takamado (絢子女王, Ayako Joō), is a…Ayako Moriya (守谷 絢子, Moriya Ayako; born 15 September 1990), formerly Princess Ayako of Takamado (絢子女王, Ayako Joō), is a former member of the Imperial House of Japan and the youngest of three daughters of Norihito, Prince Takamado, and Hisako, Princess Takamado. She married Kei Moriya, a commoner, on 29 October 2018. As part of her marriage to a commoner, she gave up her imperial title and left the Japanese imperial family, as required by law.
Ami Sugita (杉田 亜未, Sugita Ami; born March 14, 1992) is a Japanese football player. She plays for Albirex Niigata in…Ami Sugita (杉田 亜未, Sugita Ami; born March 14, 1992) is a Japanese football player. She plays for Albirex Niigata in Japan's WE League. She played for Japan's national team.