Musōyama Masashi (born February 14, 1972, as Takehito Oso) is a former sumo wrestler from Mito, Ibaraki, Japan. A…
Musōyama Masashi (born February 14, 1972, as Takehito Oso) is a former sumo wrestler from Mito, Ibaraki, Japan. A former amateur champion, he turned professional in January 1993, and he won promotion to the top makuuchi division in just four tournaments. He won thirteen special prizes and spent a total of 31 tournaments at komusubi and sekiwake before finally reaching the second highest rank of ōzeki in 2000, shortly after winning his only top division tournament championship or yūshō. He retired in 2004. He is now the head coach of Fujishima stable.
Famous People Born in the Year of the Rat
Rat: 2,116 people
Kōichi Fukaura (深浦 康市, Fukaura Kōichi; born February 14, 1972) is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 9-dan. He…
Kōichi Fukaura (深浦 康市, Fukaura Kōichi; born February 14, 1972) is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 9-dan. He is a three-time winner of the Ōi tournament, and also a former member of the Japan Shogi Association's board of directors.
Junichi Kogawa (古川 純一, Kogawa Jun'ichi; born 12 February 1972) is a Japanese skier. He competed in the Nordic combineds…
Junichi Kogawa (古川 純一, Kogawa Jun'ichi; born 12 February 1972) is a Japanese skier. He competed in the Nordic combineds at the 1994 Winter Olympics and the 1998 Winter Olympics.
Mayumi Gojo (五條 真由美, Gojō Mayumi; born February 12, 1972) is a Japanese singer from Ibaraki Prefecture. She formerly…
Mayumi Gojo (五條 真由美, Gojō Mayumi; born February 12, 1972) is a Japanese singer from Ibaraki Prefecture. She formerly worked under Hyper Voice Managements. Currently she is affiliated with the Love&Light talent management agency. Gojo is known for her theme song performances for anime series such as Ojamajo Doremi, Pretty Cure, and Yumeiro Patissiere. She has performed as part of Project.R and also provides backup chorus for other artists.
Yoshihiko Saito (斎藤 嘉彦, Saitō Yoshihiko; born 12 February 1972 in Tomioka, Gunma) is a retired Japanese athlete who…
Yoshihiko Saito (斎藤 嘉彦, Saitō Yoshihiko; born 12 February 1972 in Tomioka, Gunma) is a retired Japanese athlete who specialized in the 400 metres hurdles. He was the first Asian to run under 49 seconds in the event. With a personal best time of 48.64 seconds, achieved in October 1998 in Kumamoto, he is a former Asian record holder. The Asian record currently belongs to Hadi Soua'an Al-Somaily with 47.53 seconds, and the Japanese record to Dai Tamesue.
Noboru Yamaguchi (ヤマグチ ノボル, Yamaguchi Noboru; February 11, 1972 – April 4, 2013) was a Japanese light novel and game…
Noboru Yamaguchi (ヤマグチ ノボル, Yamaguchi Noboru; February 11, 1972 – April 4, 2013) was a Japanese light novel and game scenario author from Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. He was well known for being the author of The Familiar of Zero light novels and visual novels by Frontwing.
Akiko Suwanai (諏訪内 晶子, Suwanai Akiko; born February 7, 1972) is a Japanese classical violinist. At the age of 18, she…
Akiko Suwanai (諏訪内 晶子, Suwanai Akiko; born February 7, 1972) is a Japanese classical violinist. At the age of 18, she became the youngest winner of the International Tchaikovsky Competition in 1990. In addition, she was awarded second prize in the Paganini Competition in 1988 and Queen Elisabeth Competition in 1989 and is a laureate of the Music Competition of Japan. She has studied with Toshiya Eto at the Toho Gakuen School of Music, with Dorothy DeLay and Cho-Liang Lin at the Juilliard School of Music while at Columbia University, and with Uwe-Martin Haiberg at the Universität der Künste Berlin. Until 2019 she played the 1714 Dolphin Stradivarius, on loan from the Nippon Music Foundation. After it was returned she received the "Charles Reade" Guarneri del Gesù on loan from Japanese collector Ryuji Ueno.
Shinichi Yokota (born 6 February 1972) is a Japanese professional golfer.
Hisashi Tonomura (外村 尚, Tonomura Hisashi; born February 2, 1972), better known by his stage name HISASHI, is a Japanese…
Hisashi Tonomura (外村 尚, Tonomura Hisashi; born February 2, 1972), better known by his stage name HISASHI, is a Japanese musician best known as the lead guitarist of the rock band Glay. He is particularly associated with the brand Tokai, designing a series of personal signature guitars, based on their Talbo model.
Makio Madarame (班目 真紀夫, Madarame Makio; born 1 February 1972) is a Japanese former cyclist. He competed in the team…
Makio Madarame (班目 真紀夫, Madarame Makio; born 1 February 1972) is a Japanese former cyclist. He competed in the team pursuit at the 1992 Summer Olympics. He later became a teacher and coach at a high school in Fukushima Prefecture.
Yuriko Nanahara (七原由理子, Nanahara Yuriko; born 1 February 1972) is a Japanese gymnast. She competed in six events at the…
Yuriko Nanahara (七原由理子, Nanahara Yuriko; born 1 February 1972) is a Japanese gymnast. She competed in six events at the 1988 Summer Olympics.
Hiroshi Moriyasu (森保 洋, Moriyasu Hiroshi; born January 29, 1972) is a Japanese former football player. His brother…
Hiroshi Moriyasu (森保 洋, Moriyasu Hiroshi; born January 29, 1972) is a Japanese former football player. His brother Hajime Moriyasu is also a former footballer.
Noriko Kubo (久保 紀子, Kubo Noriko; born 29 January 1972) is a Japanese fencer. She competed in the women's individual and…
Noriko Kubo (久保 紀子, Kubo Noriko; born 29 January 1972) is a Japanese fencer. She competed in the women's individual and team épée events at the 1996 Summer Olympics.
Sachiko Morimura (森村幸子, Morimura Sachiko; born 28 January 1972) is a Japanese gymnast. She competed in six events at…
Sachiko Morimura (森村幸子, Morimura Sachiko; born 28 January 1972) is a Japanese gymnast. She competed in six events at the 1988 Summer Olympics.
Hiroyuki Konishi (小西洋之, Konishi Hiroyuki; born 28 January 1972) is a Japanese politician serving as a member of the…
Hiroyuki Konishi (小西洋之, Konishi Hiroyuki; born 28 January 1972) is a Japanese politician serving as a member of the House of Councillors since 2010. He has served as chairman of the land, infrastructure, transport and tourism committee since 2024.
Tsuyoshi Shinjo (新庄 剛志, Shinjō Tsuyoshi; January 28, 1972), also known during the 2022 Nippon Professional Baseball…
Tsuyoshi Shinjo (新庄 剛志, Shinjō Tsuyoshi; January 28, 1972), also known during the 2022 Nippon Professional Baseball season as BIGBOSS (ビッグボス, Biggubosu), is a former Japanese professional baseball outfielder and the current manager for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). Shinjo began his playing career with the Hanshin Tigers, and moved to the United States to play in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets. He is the second Japanese-born position player to play an MLB game, as well as the first in the National League. In 2002, he joined the San Francisco Giants and was the first Japanese-born player to appear in the World Series. He had a second stint with the Mets in 2003, and returned to Japan to play for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, with whom he won the Japan Series in his final season.
Keijin Okuda (奥田啓人, Okuda Keijin; born January 27, 1972) is a Japanese voice actor from Saitama Prefecture affiliated…
Keijin Okuda (奥田啓人, Okuda Keijin; born January 27, 1972) is a Japanese voice actor from Saitama Prefecture affiliated with Mausu Promotion.
Hirobumi Watarai (度会 博文, Watarai Hirobumi; born January 26, 1972) is a Japanese former professional baseball infielder.…
Hirobumi Watarai (度会 博文, Watarai Hirobumi; born January 26, 1972) is a Japanese former professional baseball infielder. He played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows from 1994 to 2008.
Terunori Masuho (増保輝則, Masuho Terunori) (born 29 January 1972 in Tokyo) is a former rugby union player who played as a…
Terunori Masuho (増保輝則, Masuho Terunori) (born 29 January 1972 in Tokyo) is a former rugby union player who played as a wing and former Kobelco Steelers coach.
Shinji Takehara (竹原慎二, Takehara Shinji; born January 25, 1972) is a Japanese former professional boxer who competed…
Shinji Takehara (竹原慎二, Takehara Shinji; born January 25, 1972) is a Japanese former professional boxer who competed from 1989 to 1996. He was the first Japanese boxer to capture a middleweight title having held the WBA title from 1995 to 1996. Takehara turned pro in 1989 and had a relatively short professional career, spanning only seven years. In 1995, he landed a shot at the WBA middleweight title against Jorge Fernando Castro and won by decision. Takehara lost the belt in his only defeat during his first defense to William Joppy in a 9th-round TKO. He was overwhelmed in the first round and appeared unable to determine incoming attacks. Ringside doctors examination discovered Takehara had posterior vitreous detachment which progressed into retinal detachment and subsequently forced him into retirement.
Tomomi Adachi (足立 智美, Adachi Tomomi; born 1972 in Kanazawa, Ishikawa) is a Japanese vocal and electronics performer…
Tomomi Adachi (足立 智美, Adachi Tomomi; born 1972 in Kanazawa, Ishikawa) is a Japanese vocal and electronics performer, composer, and instrument builder. He has performed and recorded with artists such as Jaap Blonk, Nicolas Collins, Carl Stone, Noah Creshevsky, Yuji Takahashi, Toshi Ichiyanagi, Ute Wassermann, Jennifer Walshe, Zbigniew Karkowski, Butch Morris, Otomo Yoshihide. Adachi directed Japan's premiere of John Cage's Europera V and Variations VII. He was invited by Asian Cultural Council to New York from 2009 to 2010 and was a guest of the DAAD Berliner Künstlerprogramm in 2012.
Hikaru Asami (朝海 ひかる, born January 24, 1972) is a Japanese performing artist and a former member of the Takarazuka…
Hikaru Asami (朝海 ひかる, born January 24, 1972) is a Japanese performing artist and a former member of the Takarazuka Revue, where she specialized in playing male characters (Otokoyaku). She joined the revue in 1991 and resigned in 2006. She is from Sendai-shi, Miyagi-ken. Her real name is Noriko Komuro (小室 德子) and her nickname is Komu (comes from the last name Komuro).
Tetsumasa Kimura (木村 哲昌, Kimura Tetsumasa; born January 24, 1972) is a former Japanese football player and manager.
Naoshi Mizuta (水田 直志, Mizuta Naoshi; born January 24, 1972) is a Japanese video game composer and musician. He is best…
Naoshi Mizuta (水田 直志, Mizuta Naoshi; born January 24, 1972) is a Japanese video game composer and musician. He is best known for his work on the Final Fantasy franchise, most notably Final Fantasy XI, and has also composed music for games such as Street Fighter Alpha, Mega Man & Bass, and Parasite Eve II. He started his career at Capcom before moving to Square (now Square Enix) in 1998.
Uchu Tatsumi (born January 23, 1972) is a retired Japanese mixed martial artist. He competed in the Bantamweight and…
Uchu Tatsumi (born January 23, 1972) is a retired Japanese mixed martial artist. He competed in the Bantamweight and Featherweight division. Tatsumi fought in Shooto and is known for his series of fights against Alexandre Franca Nogueira, from whom he suffered his only defeat ending his five year undefeated streak.
Hiroshi (ヒロシ), real name Ken'ichi Saitō (斉藤 健一, Saitō Ken'ichi; born February 23, 1972, in Arao, Kumamoto Prefecture)…
Hiroshi (ヒロシ), real name Ken'ichi Saitō (斉藤 健一, Saitō Ken'ichi; born February 23, 1972, in Arao, Kumamoto Prefecture), is a Japanese comedian famous for his stand-up act. Originally a member (a quick-tempered tsukkomi) of a kombi called Babies (ベイビーズ), he started working as a host in Tokyo under the host name Ken Saegami (冴神剣 Saegami Ken) when Babies dissolved. Making a mere amount of yen equivalent to $800 per month, he worked as a host for nearly 3 years. After quitting his host job, he returned to the comedy circuit with a new name, "Hiroshi"—taken from the announcer Hiroshi Ikushima (生島ヒロシ Ikushima Hiroshi)—and a new gimmick; one that would eventually gain him stardom in 2004 while landing stand-up spots on various comedy programs including the popular The god of Entertainment. (エンタの神様). His skit always follows the same formula: A simple introduction followed by a recollection of past and present pitiful episodes in his life after which he repeats, "I am Hiroshi." (ヒロシです/Hiroshi desu), while Italian singer Peppino Gagliardi's "Che vuole questa musica stasera" plays in the background. He is always seen wearing typical host-style apparel, and he is known as a depressed character, which is reflected in his skits, and in the way he is treated by other owarai talents.
Tōru Miyamoto (宮本 徹, Miyamoto Tōru; born 22 January 1972) is a member of the Japanese Communist Party who served in the…
Tōru Miyamoto (宮本 徹, Miyamoto Tōru; born 22 January 1972) is a member of the Japanese Communist Party who served in the House of Representatives as a representative of the Tokyo proportional representation block for 3 terms between 2014 and 2024. Miyamoto was born in Miki City, Hyogo Prefecture.
Nobuhide Takemura (武村展英, Takemura Nobuhide; born 21 January 1972) is a Japanese politician serving as a member of the…
Nobuhide Takemura (武村展英, Takemura Nobuhide; born 21 January 1972) is a Japanese politician serving as a member of the House of Representatives since 2012. From 2003 to 2010, he worked as a Certified Public Accountant at Ernst & Young ShinNihon.
Yasunori Mitsuda (光田 康典, Mitsuda Yasunori; born January 21, 1972) is a Japanese composer. He is best known for his work…
Yasunori Mitsuda (光田 康典, Mitsuda Yasunori; born January 21, 1972) is a Japanese composer. He is best known for his work in video games, primarily for the Chrono, Xeno, Shadow Hearts, and Inazuma Eleven franchises, among various others. Mitsuda founded a music production studio and record company, Procyon Studio and Sleigh Bells, in 2001. Mitsuda joined Square upon graduation in 1992. He worked there designing sound effects for two years before being assigned his debut project in Chrono Trigger (1995). Mitsuda went on to compose for several other games at Square, including Xenogears (1998) and Chrono Cross (1999). He left the company and became independent in 1998. Mitsuda has also worked on anime series, films, and television programs. His music in Chrono Trigger, Xenogears, and Chrono Cross has since been cited as among the best in video games.
Nobuyuki Yashiki (屋敷 伸之, Yashiki Nobuyuki; January 18, 1972) is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 9-dan. He…
Nobuyuki Yashiki (屋敷 伸之, Yashiki Nobuyuki; January 18, 1972) is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 9-dan. He is a former Kisei title holder and also holds the professional shogi record for being the fastest to win a major title since turning professional.
Akinori Otsuka (Japanese: 大塚 晶則, Hepburn: Ōtsuka Akinori; born January 13, 1972) is a Japanese former baseball pitcher…
Akinori Otsuka (Japanese: 大塚 晶則, Hepburn: Ōtsuka Akinori; born January 13, 1972) is a Japanese former baseball pitcher who coaches for the Chunichi Dragons in Nippon Professional Baseball. He was the setup man for the San Diego Padres and the Texas Rangers. He was also the closer for Japan's 2006 World Baseball Classic–winning team. Otsuka threw a low-90's 4-seam fastball (tops out at about 94 mph) that is very straight, along with a hard, late-breaking slider. He employed an unorthodox pitching delivery wherein he lifted his lead leg up very slowly, tapped his glove, then fired to home plate, making his pitches look faster coming out of his hand and thus harder to pick up.
Motoharu Kawashima (川島素晴; surname Kawashima; born 12 January 1972 in Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese composer of…
Motoharu Kawashima (川島素晴; surname Kawashima; born 12 January 1972 in Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese composer of contemporary classical music.
Shuntaro Furukawa (古川 俊太郎, Furukawa Shuntarō; born January 10, 1972) is a Japanese executive who currently serves as…
Shuntaro Furukawa (古川 俊太郎, Furukawa Shuntarō; born January 10, 1972) is a Japanese executive who currently serves as the president of the video game company Nintendo. He succeeded Tatsumi Kimishima as the company's sixth president in June 2018.
Kyoko Shimazaki (島崎 京子, Shimazaki Kyōko; born 7 January 1972) is a Japanese speed skater. She competed at the 1992…
Kyoko Shimazaki (島崎 京子, Shimazaki Kyōko; born 7 January 1972) is a Japanese speed skater. She competed at the 1992, 1994 and the 1998 Winter Olympics.
Tamakasuga Ryōji (born January 7, 1972, as Ryōji Matsumoto) is a former sumo wrestler from Seiyo, Ehime Prefecture…
Tamakasuga Ryōji (born January 7, 1972, as Ryōji Matsumoto) is a former sumo wrestler from Seiyo, Ehime Prefecture, Japan. A former amateur sumo champion, he made his professional debut in 1994 and reached a highest rank of sekiwake in 1997. He fought in the top makuuchi division for twelve years, won five special prizes and earned seven gold stars for defeating yokozuna. He retired in 2008 and is now a sumo coach. In February 2010 he took over the running of Kataonami stable.
Akira Higashi (東 輝, Higashi Akira) (born 7 January 1972) is a Japanese former ski jumper.
Kaworu Watashiya (私屋カヲル, Watashiya Kaworu; born 3 January 1972) is a Japanese manga artist from Tokyo, Japan. She is…
Kaworu Watashiya (私屋カヲル, Watashiya Kaworu; born 3 January 1972) is a Japanese manga artist from Tokyo, Japan. She is notable for the creation of Kodomo no Jikan, the first of her works selected to be translated into English – though the publication of the English version was cancelled by the licensee, Seven Seas Entertainment, due to concerns as to North American reaction to controversial content, and was never released. However, in late 2016 it was picked up by digitalmanga, and funded for translation through a Kickstarter campaign, with the digital version readily available on Project Hentai. It is also the first of her works to be adapted into an anime.
Kouji Shishido (宍戸 幸之, Shishido Kōji; born February 2, 1972) is a Japanese professional wrestler who competes for…
Kouji Shishido (宍戸 幸之, Shishido Kōji; born February 2, 1972) is a Japanese professional wrestler who competes for Dragon Gate.
Harumi Yoshida (吉田 晴美, Yoshida Harumi; born 1 January 1972) is a Japanese politician who served as a member of the…
Harumi Yoshida (吉田 晴美, Yoshida Harumi; born 1 January 1972) is a Japanese politician who served as a member of the House of Representatives for Tokyo's 8th district. She defeated Nobuteru Ishihara in the 2021 Japanese general election. She stood in the 2024 CDP leadership election, where she placed fourth.
Gōsei Yamamoto is a Japanese politician and a former member of the House of Representatives.
Sansuke Yamada (山田参助, Yamada Sansuke; born 1972) is a Japanese manga artist, illustrator, and musician. He is noted for…
Sansuke Yamada (山田参助, Yamada Sansuke; born 1972) is a Japanese manga artist, illustrator, and musician. He is noted for his early career in gay manga, as the lead singer of the kayōkyoku group Tomari, and for his 2013 award-winning manga series Areyo Hoshikuzu (あれよ星屑; transl. Alas, Stardust).
Fumio Inagaki is a geomicrobiologist whose research focuses on the deep subseafloor biosphere. He is the deputy…
Fumio Inagaki is a geomicrobiologist whose research focuses on the deep subseafloor biosphere. He is the deputy director of the Research and Development Center for Ocean Drilling Science and the Kochi Institute for Core Sample Research, which are both part of the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC).
Akira Watanabe (渡辺 暁, Watanabe Akira; born March 1, 1972) is a Japanese political scientist, chess player with the…
Akira Watanabe (渡辺 暁, Watanabe Akira; born March 1, 1972) is a Japanese political scientist, chess player with the title of FIDE Master. In 2020, he was an associate professor at Tokyo Institute of Technology. He was born in Tokyo and his research focuses on Mexican politics and Latin American culture and politics.
Masako Ono (小野 雅子, Ono Masako) is a Japanese Odissi dancer. She has lived in India since 1996. Ono was named one of the…
Masako Ono (小野 雅子, Ono Masako) is a Japanese Odissi dancer. She has lived in India since 1996. Ono was named one of the 100 most respected and outstanding Japanese in the world in their respective fields by the Japanese issue of Newsweek in 2008 and was featured in a documentary series, First Japanese.
Katsuhiko Hayashi (林 克彥, Hayashi Katsuhiko; born 1972) is a Japanese reproductive geneticist and stem cell researcher.…
Katsuhiko Hayashi (林 克彥, Hayashi Katsuhiko; born 1972) is a Japanese reproductive geneticist and stem cell researcher. He achieved same-sex reproduction of male mice and thus ranked Nature's 10.
Sagiri Kitao (北尾 早霧, Kitao Sagiri; born 1972) is a Japanese economist at Asian Development Bank Institute and visiting…
Sagiri Kitao (北尾 早霧, Kitao Sagiri; born 1972) is a Japanese economist at Asian Development Bank Institute and visiting professor at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS).
Kenji Uchida (内田けんじ, Uchida Kenji; born 1972 in Kanagawa Prefecture) is a Japanese film director. He studied filmmaking…
Kenji Uchida (内田けんじ, Uchida Kenji; born 1972 in Kanagawa Prefecture) is a Japanese film director. He studied filmmaking at San Francisco State University. His independently produced film Weekend Blues won two awards at the 24th Pia Film Festival in 2001. His theatrical feature film debut, A Stranger of Mine (2005), won four awards at the Cannes Film Festival, and also earned him the Best Director award at the 30th Hochi Film Award.
Chiharu Shiota (塩田 千春, Shiota Chiharu) (born 1972) is a Japanese performance and installation artist. Shiota has lived…
Chiharu Shiota (塩田 千春, Shiota Chiharu) (born 1972) is a Japanese performance and installation artist. Shiota has lived and worked in Berlin, Germany since 1996. Educated in Japan, Australia, and Germany, Shiota interweaves materiality and the psychic perception of the space to explore ideas around the body and flesh, personal narratives that engage with memory, territory, and alienation. Shiota has exhibited worldwide. She made her debut in Japan at the Yokohama Triennale in 2001 with Memory of Skin and represented Japan in the 56th Venice Biennale in 2015.
Norio Tsuruta (鶴田 法男, Tsuruta Norio; born December 30, 1960) is a Japanese film director. He directed Premonition…
Norio Tsuruta (鶴田 法男, Tsuruta Norio; born December 30, 1960) is a Japanese film director. He directed Premonition, Dream Cruise, and Orochi: Blood.
Kayoko Kishimoto (岸本加世子, Kishimoto Kayoko; born 29 December 1960 in Shizuoka, Japan) is an actress. She appeared in…
Kayoko Kishimoto (岸本加世子, Kishimoto Kayoko; born 29 December 1960 in Shizuoka, Japan) is an actress. She appeared in several of Takeshi Kitano's films, such as Hana-bi, Kikujiro and Dolls. She won the award for best supporting actress at the 23rd Japan Academy Prize for Kikujiro.