Shōhōzan Yūya (Japanese: 松鳳山 裕也; born February 9, 1984 as Yūya Matsutani (松谷 裕也)) is a Japanese former professional…Shōhōzan Yūya (Japanese: 松鳳山 裕也; born February 9, 1984 as Yūya Matsutani (松谷 裕也)) is a Japanese former professional sumo wrestler from Chikujō, Fukuoka. Wrestling for Hanaregoma stable, he made his professional debut in March 2006 and reached the top makuuchi division in November 2011. His highest rank was komusubi, which he achieved on five occasions. He earned three Fighting Spirit prizes, five kinboshi or gold stars for defeating yokozuna, and was runner-up in one tournament before retiring from competition in June 2022.
Hiroki Sanada (真田 裕貴, born February 7, 1984) is a professional baseball player from Takasago, Hyōgo, Japan (though was…Hiroki Sanada (真田 裕貴, born February 7, 1984) is a professional baseball player from Takasago, Hyōgo, Japan (though was born in Osaka Prefecture). He began his career as a pitcher for the Yomiuri Giants and currently plays for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows. In November 2011, the Stars announced that they would use the posting system and auction Sanada's negotiating rights to Major League Baseball teams.
Kimitoshi Nōgawa (直川 公俊, Nōgawa Kimitoshi; born 6 February 1984) is a Japanese former professional footballer who…Kimitoshi Nōgawa (直川 公俊, Nōgawa Kimitoshi; born 6 February 1984) is a Japanese former professional footballer who played as a striker. His birthday has also been reported as 27 June 1978.
Kyohei Morita (森田恭平) (born 6 February 1984) is a Japanese rugby union footballer who made his international debut as a…Kyohei Morita (森田恭平) (born 6 February 1984) is a Japanese rugby union footballer who made his international debut as a fly half with the Japan national rugby union team in 2004. He graduated from Hosei University and joined Kobelco Steelers in 2006.
Ryosuke Baba (馬場 亮輔, Baba Ryōsuke; born 4 February 1984) is a Japanese artistic gymnast. Baba was part of the Japanese…Ryosuke Baba (馬場 亮輔, Baba Ryōsuke; born 4 February 1984) is a Japanese artistic gymnast. Baba was part of the Japanese team that won the silver medal in the team event at the 2006 Asian Games as well as the 2010 Asian Games. Prior to his silver medal, he was thought of as the future of Japanese men's artistic gymnastics.
Midori Kuzuoka (葛岡 碧, Kuzuoka Midori; born January 30, 1984, in Natori, Miyagi, Japan) is a Japanese model who is…Midori Kuzuoka (葛岡 碧, Kuzuoka Midori; born January 30, 1984, in Natori, Miyagi, Japan) is a Japanese model who is represented by the talent agency, Illume.
Yushi Aida (会田 有志, Aida Yushi; born January 30, 1984 in Saitama, Japan) is a Nippon Professional Baseball player for…Yushi Aida (会田 有志, Aida Yushi; born January 30, 1984 in Saitama, Japan) is a Nippon Professional Baseball player for the Yomiuri Giants.
Kotoshōgiku Kazuhiro (Japanese: 琴奨菊 和弘; born 30 January 1984 as Kazuhiro Kikutsugi (菊次 一弘, Kikutsugi Kazuhiro) in…Kotoshōgiku Kazuhiro (Japanese: 琴奨菊 和弘; born 30 January 1984 as Kazuhiro Kikutsugi (菊次 一弘, Kikutsugi Kazuhiro) in Yanagawa, Fukuoka) is a Japanese former professional sumo wrestler. Wrestling for Sadogatake stable, he made his professional debut in 2002, and reached the top division in 2005. In 2011 he achieved the standard for promotion to the second highest rank of ōzeki by winning 33 bouts over three tournaments, and was formally promoted by the Japan Sumo Association on 28 September. On 24 January 2016 he became the first Japanese-born wrestler in ten years to win a top-division tournament. He had a long-standing rivalry with Kisenosato against whom he fought a record 66 times, the most between two wrestlers in sumo history. He continued to fight after losing his ōzeki rank in January 2017, and in March 2020 became the oldest active sekitori. He announced his retirement from active competition on 14 November 2020. Kotoshōgiku earned seven special prizes in his career, won one top division tournament, and was runner-up in three others.
An Jeong-hwan (Korean: 안정환; born 28 January 1984) is a South Korean judoka. An was born in Daegu, South Korea. He is a…An Jeong-hwan (Korean: 안정환; born 28 January 1984) is a South Korean judoka. An was born in Daegu, South Korea. He is a nephew of Olympic gold medalist Ahn Byeong-keun. At the age of 15, An moved to Japan and continued his judo career in Fukuoka. Upon graduation from Yamanashi Gakuin University in 2006, he came back to Korea and joined the Pohang City Hall judo club. On 26 August 2009, An won a bronze medal in the –66 kg division at the 2009 World Judo Championships in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Haruna Fukuoka (福岡 春菜, Fukuoka Haruna) (born 25 January 1984 in Tokushima) is a Japanese table tennis player. She…Haruna Fukuoka (福岡 春菜, Fukuoka Haruna) (born 25 January 1984 in Tokushima) is a Japanese table tennis player. She competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics, reaching the third round of the singles competition. She also competed in the team competition, reaching the bronze medal final but losing to South Korea.
Syoh Yoshida (吉田 翔, Yoshida Shō; born 24 January 1984 in Aichi, Japan) is a Japanese artist of the nihonga and ink…Syoh Yoshida (吉田 翔, Yoshida Shō; born 24 January 1984 in Aichi, Japan) is a Japanese artist of the nihonga and ink painting genre. He currently lives and works in Kyoto. He graduated from the Faculty of Arts and Design at Osaka Seikei University, where he learned and matured his craft in both Japanese painting. Since his first solo exhibition "Beautiful Thing" in Kyoto in 2006, he has been expressing his love and devotion for nature and townships primarily through his unique and striking black and white paintings. He has also participated in several high profile and successful solo and group exhibitions throughout Japan in recent years.
Masayoshi Miwa (三輪 正義, Miwa Masayoshi; born January 23, 1984 in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi, Japan) is a former Japanese…Masayoshi Miwa (三輪 正義, Miwa Masayoshi; born January 23, 1984 in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi, Japan) is a former Japanese professional baseball player. He played for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows of the Nippon Professional Baseball(NPB). On September 17, 2019, Miwa announced his retirement.
Yuta Baba (馬場 憂太, Baba Yūta; born January 22, 1984) is a former Japanese football player. His younger brother, Tōru, is…Yuta Baba (馬場 憂太, Baba Yūta; born January 22, 1984) is a former Japanese football player. His younger brother, Tōru, is an actor.
Kim Chul-won (Korean: 김철원, Japanese: キム・チョルウォン; born January 22, 1984) is a South Korean international rugby union…Kim Chul-won (Korean: 김철원, Japanese: キム・チョルウォン; born January 22, 1984) is a South Korean international rugby union player from Seoul. He plays as a scrum-half. He plays for Kintetsu Liners in Japan's Top League. Kim was drafted into the Japan squad for Rugby World Cup 2007, playing two games, as a substitute, with Wales, in the 72-18 loss, and in the 12-12 drew with Canada. He is absent from his National Team since then.
Hiroki Yuhara (湯原祐希, Yuhara Hiroki) (21 January 1984 – 28 September 2020) was a Japanese rugby union player. Yuhara…Hiroki Yuhara (湯原祐希, Yuhara Hiroki) (21 January 1984 – 28 September 2020) was a Japanese rugby union player. Yuhara played 13 international matches for the Japan national rugby union team. Yuhara was born in Chiba, and was a member of the Japan team at the 2011 Rugby World Cup, playing one match against eventual winners the All Blacks. Yuhara played for the Top League team Toshiba Brave Lupus.
Tequila Saya (テキーラさや, Tekira Saya) (born January 19, 1984) is a Japanese retired professional wrestler best known for…Tequila Saya (テキーラさや, Tekira Saya) (born January 19, 1984) is a Japanese retired professional wrestler best known for her tenure with the Japanese promotions Ice Ribbon and Oz Academy.
Makoto Hasebe (長谷部 誠, Hasebe Makoto; born 18 January 1984) is a Japanese professional football coach and former player…Makoto Hasebe (長谷部 誠, Hasebe Makoto; born 18 January 1984) is a Japanese professional football coach and former player who played as a centre-back or defensive midfielder. He is currently the assistant coach of Japan national team. Hasebe started his professional playing career with Urawa Red Diamonds in 2002, joining the club from his hometown Fujieda Higashi high school team. In January 2008, he moved to the German Bundesliga, where he remained for the rest of his playing career; he first joined VfL Wolfsburg, winning a league title during the 2008–09 season, before moving to 1. FC Nürnberg late into the 2013 summer transfer window. Following Nürnberg's relegation at the end of the 2013–14 season, Hasebe joined Eintracht Frankfurt in July 2014, where he played over 300 matches across ten seasons and won a DFB-Pokal and UEFA Europa League title. Hasebe made his senior debut with the Japan national team in 2006. He earned 114 international caps and scored twice, making him one of ten most capped players in the history of the team. He additionally served as captain from 2010 to his retirement from international football in 2018. He was part of the Japanese squads at the 2010, 2014 and 2018 editions of the FIFA World Cups, as well as 2011 and 2015 editions of the AFC Asian Cups. He captained the starting line-up that won the 2011 Asian Cup final.
Toshiyuki Igarashi (五十嵐 俊幸, Igarashi Toshiyuki; born January 17, 1984 in Yurihonjō, Akita) is a Japanese boxer and a…Toshiyuki Igarashi (五十嵐 俊幸, Igarashi Toshiyuki; born January 17, 1984 in Yurihonjō, Akita) is a Japanese boxer and a former WBC, The Ring and Lineal Flyweight World Champion.
Manami Mitsuboshi (三星 マナミ) (born January 16, 1984, in Yokohama) is a Japanese freestyle skier, specializing in…Manami Mitsuboshi (三星 マナミ) (born January 16, 1984, in Yokohama) is a Japanese freestyle skier, specializing in halfpipe. Mitsuboshi competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics for Japan. She placed 23rd in the qualifying round in the halfpipe, failing to advance. As of April 2014, her best showing at the World Championships is 4th, in the 2013 halfpipe. Mitsuboshi made her World Cup debut in March 2006. As of April 2014, she has one World Cup podium finish, a silver medal at Cardrona in 2012–13. Her best World Cup overall finish in halfpipe is 6th, in the 2010–11.
Yuki Yamazaki (山崎 勇喜, Yamazaki Yūki; born 16 January 1984 in Toyama) is a Japanese race walker. Yamazaki began to…Yuki Yamazaki (山崎 勇喜, Yamazaki Yūki; born 16 January 1984 in Toyama) is a Japanese race walker. Yamazaki began to participate in race walking at high school, and competed at the World Junior championships in his junior year. At the Osaka World Championships in 2007, he was in contention in the 50 km race until he was misdirected by officials and disqualified for entering the stadium without completing the full course. If he had finished in the top eight, he would have qualified for the 2008 Summer Olympics. He managed to qualify for the 2008 Olympics after setting a new Japanese record at the Japanese national championships.
Shogo Fukuda (福田 将吾, Fukuda Shōgo) is a Japanese basketball coach and a former player. He was college basketball coach…Shogo Fukuda (福田 将吾, Fukuda Shōgo) is a Japanese basketball coach and a former player. He was college basketball coach of National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya, Westmont College, and St. John's University. On 9 July 2016, Shogo signed with Yokohama B-Corsairs in the Japanese B.League for the 2019–20 season.
Aya Hirayama (平山 あや, Hirayama Aya; born January 13, 1984) is a Japanese actress who has appeared in various films…Aya Hirayama (平山 あや, Hirayama Aya; born January 13, 1984) is a Japanese actress who has appeared in various films including Waterboys (2001) and Lovers' Kiss (2003). Hirayama was born in Kuroiso, Tochigi, Japan, which is now part of Nasushiobara. Aya made her acting debut in 1999 with Tengoku no Kiss, a Nippon Television drama, at the age of 15. Subsequently, she established herself as a television regular with appearances in many Japanese TV dramas. In 2001, Hirayama played significant parts in the television drama Fighting Girl and the film Waterboys. Hirayama's most notable acting role to date is her leading appearance as Yoko in the 2004 South Korean movie Fighter in the Wind. In 2005, Hirayama played the title character Haruka in the Japanese television drama Haruka 17.
Ryota Takasugi (髙杉 亮太, Takasugi Ryōta; born January 10, 1984 in Ube, Yamaguchi) is a Japanese football player currently…Ryota Takasugi (髙杉 亮太, Takasugi Ryōta; born January 10, 1984 in Ube, Yamaguchi) is a Japanese football player currently playing for Tochigi SC.
Hodaka Maruyama (丸山 穂高, Maruyama Hodaka; born on January 10, 1984) is a Japanese political activist who was elected to…Hodaka Maruyama (丸山 穂高, Maruyama Hodaka; born on January 10, 1984) is a Japanese political activist who was elected to the House of Representatives in 2012 as a member of Nippon Ishin no Kai. He was forced out of the party in 2019 after making remarks suggesting the need for Japan to wage war with Russia, and joined The Party to Protect the People from NHK.
Jun Tonosaki (外崎潤), born January 9, 1984, is a Japanese professional ice hockey Defenceman currently playing for the…Jun Tonosaki (外崎潤), born January 9, 1984, is a Japanese professional ice hockey Defenceman currently playing for the Nippon Paper Cranes of the Asia League. Since 2005 (the beginning of his professional career), he plays for the Nippon Paper Cranes. He also has played for the Japan national team since the year 2006.
Yusuke Ishijima (石島 雄介, Ishijima Yūsuke; born 9 January 1984) is a former Japanese male volleyball player. He was part…Yusuke Ishijima (石島 雄介, Ishijima Yūsuke; born 9 January 1984) is a former Japanese male volleyball player. He was part of the Japan men's national volleyball team. He competed with the national team at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. He played with Osaka Blazers Sakai in 2005–2006 season, then transferred to Italian club one season and backed to Sakai again until 2017. He also participated in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo in beach volleyball.
Erina Matsui (松井 えり菜, Matsui Erina; born January 8, 1984) is a Japanese contemporary artist. She is known for her…Erina Matsui (松井 えり菜, Matsui Erina; born January 8, 1984) is a Japanese contemporary artist. She is known for her surreal self-portraits, mostly done as oil paintings. Her work has been praised for its jarring visual impact as it defies normal representations of childhood being cute and innocent.
Shintaro Hirai (平井 晋太郎, Hirai Shintaro; born January 7, 1984) is a Japanese former football player. He played for…Shintaro Hirai (平井 晋太郎, Hirai Shintaro; born January 7, 1984) is a Japanese former football player. He played for Tochigi Uva FC.
Hideki Asai (朝井 秀樹, Asai Hideki; born January 1, 1984) is a Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher for the Yomiuri Giants…Hideki Asai (朝井 秀樹, Asai Hideki; born January 1, 1984) is a Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher for the Yomiuri Giants in Japan's Central League.
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.
Munehiro Kugimiya (釘宮 宗大, Kugimiya Munehiro; born 1985) is a Japanese gymnastics coach who was the longtime mentor of…Munehiro Kugimiya (釘宮 宗大, Kugimiya Munehiro; born 1985) is a Japanese gymnastics coach who was the longtime mentor of Filipino Olympic gold medalist Carlos Yulo.
Tsubasa Kato (加藤 翼, Katō Tsubasa; born 8 September 1984) is a Japanese contemporary artist. He made his debut at the…Tsubasa Kato (加藤 翼, Katō Tsubasa; born 8 September 1984) is a Japanese contemporary artist. He made his debut at the "Roppongi Crossing 2010" exhibition at Mori Art Museum, Tokyo and received the Kengo Kuma Prize, after earning M.F.A from the Tokyo University of the Arts. In 2015, he received a fellowship from the Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japan Government and participated in Japan-US Exchange Friendship Program in the Arts as Visitor Research Scholar of University of Washington in Seattle for two years. Since 2007, he is known for his Pull and Raise project.
Tsubasa Imamura (今村つばさ, Imamura Tsubasa) is a Japanese singer who became known in Brazil after posting YouTube videos…Tsubasa Imamura (今村つばさ, Imamura Tsubasa) is a Japanese singer who became known in Brazil after posting YouTube videos covering Brazilian songs.
Yoriko Mizushiri (水尻自子, Mizushiri Yoriko, born 1984) is a Japanese animator and filmmaker based in Tokyo. Born in…Yoriko Mizushiri (水尻自子, Mizushiri Yoriko, born 1984) is a Japanese animator and filmmaker based in Tokyo. Born in Towada, Aomori Prefecture, Japan, she is best known for a trilogy of short films exploring the sense of touch — Futon (2012), Kamakura (2013) and Maku (2014) — and for Ordinary Life (2025), which won the Silver Bear Jury Prize at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival.
Shinobu Terajima (寺島 しのぶ, Terajima Shinobu; born December 28, 1972) is a Japanese actress. Her feature films include…Shinobu Terajima (寺島 しのぶ, Terajima Shinobu; born December 28, 1972) is a Japanese actress. Her feature films include Akame 48 Waterfalls (2003) and Vibrator (2003). For her role in Caterpillar (2010), Terajima won the Silver Bear for Best Actress at the 60th Berlin Film Festival while her performance in Oh Lucy! (2017) earned her an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Actress.
Kozo Takeda (Japanese: 武田幸三 Japanese pronunciation: [takeda koːzoː]; born December 27, 1972) is a Japanese actor and…Kozo Takeda (Japanese: 武田幸三 Japanese pronunciation: [takeda koːzoː]; born December 27, 1972) is a Japanese actor and former welterweight kickboxer who was competing in K-1 MAX. He won Rajadamnern Stadium champion at welterweight in Muay Thai on January 21, 2001. He has made both the Welterweight and Super Welterweight Rajadamnern Stadium rankings. He is currently a chief adviser of International Sohgoh Budo Federation (ISBF) and he was certified as black belt of the 5th dan in karate by ISBF.
Yuko Emoto (恵本 裕子, Emoto Yūko; born 23 December 1972 in Asahikawa, Hokkaido) is a Japanese judoka and Olympic champion.…Yuko Emoto (恵本 裕子, Emoto Yūko; born 23 December 1972 in Asahikawa, Hokkaido) is a Japanese judoka and Olympic champion. She won the gold medal in the half middleweight division at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. Emoto received a silver medal at the 1994 Asian Games. Emoto is married to South Korean judoka Kim Hyuk. In 2016, Emoto provided input to a manga series written by Makoto Kobayashi titled JJM: Joshi Judou-bu Monogatari.
Yuri Ichii (市井 由理, Ichii Yuri; born December 20, 1972) is a Japanese pop idol and rapper, best known for being a member…Yuri Ichii (市井 由理, Ichii Yuri; born December 20, 1972) is a Japanese pop idol and rapper, best known for being a member in the breakthrough Japanese hip hop trio, East End X Yuri. She was also a singer with the revolving-door group Tokyo Performance Doll (TPD) alongside Ryoko Shinohara. She was part of TPD for a while but sought to do something different, deciding to try rap. Ichii began practicing her rapping in preparation for a solo show with her friend Gaku, who was a part of the group East End. In February 1994 when Gaku performed with Yuri for part of her show, she was seen by File Records (the independent record label that signed East End). They were impressed with her and decided to sign them together for a mini-album. Ichii is a pioneer for women in Japanese hip hop.
Gen Urobuchi (Japanese: 虚淵 玄, Hepburn: Urobuchi Gen; born December 20, 1972) is a Japanese novelist, visual novel…Gen Urobuchi (Japanese: 虚淵 玄, Hepburn: Urobuchi Gen; born December 20, 1972) is a Japanese novelist, visual novel writer and anime screenwriter. He is known for being the co-creator of the highly acclaimed and commercially successful anime series Puella Magi Madoka Magica, which earned him the Tokyo Anime Award for Best Scriptwriter, as well as the writer of the 2003 visual novel Saya no Uta, the 2012 anime Psycho-Pass, the light novel and anime Fate/Zero, and the 2013–2014 tokusatsu show Kamen Rider Gaim. He currently works at Nitroplus and Nitro+chiral. Anime written by Urobuchi that have won the Newtype Anime Awards have been Puella Magi Madoka Magica in 2011, Fate/Zero in 2012 and Psycho-Pass: The Movie in 2015.
Rikiō Takeshi (力皇 猛; born December 20, 1972 as Inoue Takeshi) is a Japanese retired professional wrestler, who worked…Rikiō Takeshi (力皇 猛; born December 20, 1972 as Inoue Takeshi) is a Japanese retired professional wrestler, who worked for Pro Wrestling Noah. He is also a former sumo wrestler.
Shinji Takeda (武田 真治, Takeda Shinji), born December 18, 1972, is a Japanese actor, talent, and saxophone player. He has…Shinji Takeda (武田 真治, Takeda Shinji), born December 18, 1972, is a Japanese actor, talent, and saxophone player. He has had notable roles in such works as The Incite Mill, Kyō Kara Hitman, and Tokyo Eyes.
Kiriko Nananan (Japanese: 魚喃 キリコ, Hepburn: Nananan Kiriko; December 14, 1972 – December 25, 2024) was a Japanese manga…Kiriko Nananan (Japanese: 魚喃 キリコ, Hepburn: Nananan Kiriko; December 14, 1972 – December 25, 2024) was a Japanese manga artist. She was known for her realistic josei work featuring understated artwork with a sense of detachment. In addition, she affiliated herself with the "La nouvelle manga" movement. Nananan died on December 25, 2024; her death was not announced until a year later.
Jun Itoda (井戸田 潤, Itoda Jun; born 13 December 1972, in Komaki, Aichi Prefecture) is a Japanese comedian who performs…Jun Itoda (井戸田 潤, Itoda Jun; born 13 December 1972, in Komaki, Aichi Prefecture) is a Japanese comedian who performs tsukkomi in the comedy duo Speed Wagon. His partner is Kazuhiro Ozawa. Itoda is represented with Horipro Com.
