Akira Ifukube (伊福部 昭, Ifukube Akira; 31 May 1914 – 8 February 2006) was a Japanese composer. He is best known for…Akira Ifukube (伊福部 昭, Ifukube Akira; 31 May 1914 – 8 February 2006) was a Japanese composer. He is best known for composing several entries in the Godzilla franchise as well as developing the titular monster's roar.
Akinoumi Setsuo (Japanese: 安藝ノ海 節男, Hepburn: Akinoumi Setsuo; May 30, 1914 – March 25, 1979), born Nagata Setsuo (永田…Akinoumi Setsuo (Japanese: 安藝ノ海 節男, Hepburn: Akinoumi Setsuo; May 30, 1914 – March 25, 1979), born Nagata Setsuo (永田 節男), was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Hiroshima. He was the sport's 37th yokozuna.
Katsuhiko Tasaka (田坂 勝彦, Tasaka Katsuhiko; 28 May 1914 – 29 September 1979) was a Japanese film director. He directed…Katsuhiko Tasaka (田坂 勝彦, Tasaka Katsuhiko; 28 May 1914 – 29 September 1979) was a Japanese film director. He directed films from 1930s to 1960s. His older brother, Tomotaka Tasaka (田坂具隆), was also a Japanese film director.
Hideko Maehata (前畑 秀子, Maehata Hideko; May 20, 1914 – February 24, 1995) was a Japanese breaststroke swimmer. She was…Hideko Maehata (前畑 秀子, Maehata Hideko; May 20, 1914 – February 24, 1995) was a Japanese breaststroke swimmer. She was the first Japanese and Asian woman to win a gold medal in the Olympics. Maehata was born in Hashimoto, Wakayama, as the daughter of a tofu producer and as a child learned to swim in the Kinokawa River. In the fifth grade of elementary school, she set an unofficial youth record for the 50-meter breaststroke. She went on to win numerous competitions, and was sponsored to attend a women’s boarding school in Nagoya which specialized in swimming, but the sudden death of her parents in 1931 forced her to return home. Yet she was selected for the Japanese Olympic swimming team for the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, and won the silver medal in the 200 m breaststroke event. She lost to Clare Dennis a mere 0.1 of a second. During the post-Olympic celebration after her return to Japan, she stated that she was considering to retire from competitive swimming due to family issues, but then Tokyo mayor Hidejirō Nagata reportedly asked her why she did not bring back a gold medal. Over the next four years, Maehata trained very hard, and set a new world record for the 200-meter breaststroke on September 30, 1933. During the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Maehata competed in a dead heat against the reigning German national champion, Martha Genenger, winning the gold medal for the Women's 200 m breaststroke by over one second. Despite the time difference, the race was broadcast live in Japan by NHK Radio. In 1937, Maehata married Masahiko Hyodo, a professor of the medical school of Nagoya University, and retired from competition. She was awarded the Purple Ribbon of Merit by the Japanese government in 1964 and inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1979. She had a cerebral hemorrhage in 1983, which killed both her parents, but recovered. In 1990 she was designated a Person of Cultural Merit, the first sportswoman in Japan to receive such an honor. She died of acute renal failure in 1995.
Zenjiro Watanabe (渡辺 善次郎, Watanabe Zenjirō; born 11 February 1914 - 22 June 1998) was a Japanese figure skater. He…Zenjiro Watanabe (渡辺 善次郎, Watanabe Zenjirō; born 11 February 1914 - 22 June 1998) was a Japanese figure skater. He competed in the men's singles event at the 1936 Winter Olympics.
Yoshiko Shibaki (芝木好子, Shibaki Yoshiko; 7 May 1914 – 25 August 1991) was a Japanese writer of short stories and novels.…Yoshiko Shibaki (芝木好子, Shibaki Yoshiko; 7 May 1914 – 25 August 1991) was a Japanese writer of short stories and novels. She was awarded numerous prizes for her work, including the Akutagawa Prize and the Women's Literature Prize.
Maedayama Eigorō (Japanese: 前田山 英五郎; May 4, 1914 – August 17, 1971) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from…Maedayama Eigorō (Japanese: 前田山 英五郎; May 4, 1914 – August 17, 1971) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Ehime Prefecture. He was the sport's 39th yokozuna.
Toshihiko Izutsu (井筒 俊彦, Izutsu Toshihiko; 4 May 1914 – 7 January 1993) was a Japanese scholar who specialized in…Toshihiko Izutsu (井筒 俊彦, Izutsu Toshihiko; 4 May 1914 – 7 January 1993) was a Japanese scholar who specialized in Islamic studies and comparative religion. He took an interest in linguistics at a young age, and came to know more than thirty languages, including Arabic, Hebrew, Turkish, Persian, Sanskrit, Pali, Hindustani, Russian, Greek, and Chinese. He is widely known for his translation of the Qurʾān into Japanese.
Iwao Miyajima (2 May 1914 – 21 June 2005) was a Japanese ski jumper. He competed in the individual event at the 1936…Iwao Miyajima (2 May 1914 – 21 June 2005) was a Japanese ski jumper. He competed in the individual event at the 1936 Winter Olympics.
Satsue Mito (三戸 サツエ, Mito Satsue; April 21, 1914 – April 7, 2012) was a Japanese school teacher and primate researcher.…Satsue Mito (三戸 サツエ, Mito Satsue; April 21, 1914 – April 7, 2012) was a Japanese school teacher and primate researcher. She helped with the Kyoto University Primatology group (composed of Kinji Imanishi, Junichiro Itani) studying wild monkeys on an island called Kōjima, in Miyazaki Prefecture. She identified every monkey in the island and recorded their relationships. She discovered the origin and spreading of sweet potato washing by monkeys. She was an instructor of Kyoto University working with other researchers between 1970 and 1984.
Mitsue Ishizu (石津 光恵, Ishizu Mitsue; born 16 April 1914, date of death unknown) was a Japanese track and field athlete.…Mitsue Ishizu (石津 光恵, Ishizu Mitsue; born 16 April 1914, date of death unknown) was a Japanese track and field athlete. She competed in the women's discus throw and the women's javelin throw at the 1932 Summer Olympics.
Masao Yoshida (吉田 正男, Yoshida Masao; April 14, 1914 – May 23, 1996) was a Japanese amateur pitcher originally from…Masao Yoshida (吉田 正男, Yoshida Masao; April 14, 1914 – May 23, 1996) was a Japanese amateur pitcher originally from Ichinomiya, Aichi. He had 23 wins at Spring and Summer Koshien. In the National High School Baseball Championship between 1931 and 1933, he won 14 consecutive games at Koshien Stadium and he became the only pitcher to win three consecutive championships.
Jūshirō Konoe (近衛 十四郎, Konoe Jūshirō; 10 April 1914 – 24 May 1977) was a Japanese jidaigeki actor. He was born Toraichi…Jūshirō Konoe (近衛 十四郎, Konoe Jūshirō; 10 April 1914 – 24 May 1977) was a Japanese jidaigeki actor. He was born Toraichi Meguro in Nagaoka, Niigata. Debuting at Ajia Eiga in 1934, Konoe appeared in jidaigeki at Daito Eiga, Shochiku, and Toei, the latter having him star in a popular series about Yagyu Jubei. Konoe was known for his dazzling swordplay and appeared in over 200 movies and TV dramas. He retired in 1973 due to his worsening diabetes. Konoe's sons Hiroki Matsukata and Yūki Meguro are actors.
Koichi Oita (種田 孝一, Oita Koichi; April 9, 1914 – September 11, 1996) was a Japanese football player and manager. He…Koichi Oita (種田 孝一, Oita Koichi; April 9, 1914 – September 11, 1996) was a Japanese football player and manager. He played for Japan national team.
Noboru Sugimoto (杉本 盛, Sugimoto Noboru; born 6 April 1914) is a Japanese freestyle swimmer who competed in the 1932…Noboru Sugimoto (杉本 盛, Sugimoto Noboru; born 6 April 1914) is a Japanese freestyle swimmer who competed in the 1932 Summer Olympics. He was born in Kōchi Prefecture. In 1932 he finished fifth in the 100 metre freestyle event.
Kansuke Yamamoto (Japanese: 山本 悍右; 30 March 1914 – 2 April 1987) was a Japanese Surrealist photographer, poet, editor…Kansuke Yamamoto (Japanese: 山本 悍右; 30 March 1914 – 2 April 1987) was a Japanese Surrealist photographer, poet, editor, and publisher based in Nagoya. Eiko Aoki describes him as a driving force in Japan's avant-garde movement, producing innovative photographs with an uncompromising spirit. Photography historian Ryūichi Kaneko regards the establishment of the 1932 date of Yamamoto's photocollage The Developing Thought of a Human... Mist and Bedroom and as a landmark for understanding the formation and development of modern Japanese photography in the 1930s. Drawing on French Surrealist literature and periodicals, Yamamoto developed a practice that Amanda Maddox and John Solt discuss in terms of interpretation, translation, and dialogue rather than belated imitation of European models. Yamamoto's Surrealist practice also took the form of editing, translation, and publishing. Through Yoru no Funsui, which he founded and edited in 1938, he brought together poetry, photography, translations of French Surrealist writing, and reproduced drawings. The journal ceased publication in 1939 under pressure from the Special Higher Police (Tokkō), and Yamamoto was questioned about the political meaning of his Surrealist photography and poetry. He nevertheless continued Surrealist publishing under wartime conditions through Carnet Bleu, including a Japanese translation of an essay on photography by Philippe Soupault. Maddox argues that Yamamoto resisted pressure to strip Surrealism of provocation, politics, and thought. After the war, Yamamoto continued to pursue Surrealist ideas through collective activity and new photographic forms. He co-founded VIVI in 1947, which Maddox describes as an effort to keep the spirit of Surrealist ideology alive in the postwar period. Jelena Stojković traces Yamamoto's postwar photographic narratives from a pair of self-portraits made in 1949 to staged sequences of the 1950s, including My Thin-Aired Room (1956), in which he appeared as both actor and director. Stojković argues that these experiments made a direct link between Yamamoto's Surrealist background and emerging conceptual and performative uses of photography, and describes his work as a point of reference both for the prewar Japanese avant-garde and for the development of contemporary art and photography in Japan. Kaneko likewise rejects the accepted division of Yamamoto's career into separate prewar and postwar periods, arguing that his postwar work increased in complexity and strength and that modern Japanese photography, despite the interruption of war, should be reconsidered as a continuous and interconnected history. The 2001 retrospective Kansuke Yamamoto: Conveyor of the Impossible at Tokyo Station Gallery became a turning point in the later reassessment of Yamamoto's work. His work was subsequently featured in Japan's Modern Divide at the J. Paul Getty Museum in 2013 and Surrealism Beyond Borders at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Tate Modern in 2021–2022.
Yoshio Shiga (志賀 淑雄, Shiga Yoshio; 1914 – November 25, 2005) was an officer, ace fighter pilot, and leader in the…Yoshio Shiga (志賀 淑雄, Shiga Yoshio; 1914 – November 25, 2005) was an officer, ace fighter pilot, and leader in the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Pacific theater of World War II. At the December 1941 Attack on Pearl Harbor, Shiga led one of the aircraft carrier Kaga's fighter divisions during the first strike on American forces on Oahu. The number of his Zero fighter was AII-105. Shiga continued as a fighter division commander on Kaga until April 1942. In May 1942, then Lieutenant Shiga took command of aircraft carrier Jun'yō's fighter group, a post he held until December 1942. During this time, Shiga led the carrier's fighters in the battles of Dutch Harbor and the Santa Cruz Islands. In the latter battle, he attacked the US carriers, USS Hornet (CV-8) and USS Enterprise (CV-6), in which the former was later sunk, while Enterprise was heavily damaged. He subsequently commanded the aircraft carrier Hiyō's fighter group from December 1942 through January 1943 while the carrier was in port in Japan. After promotion to Lieutenant Commander, Shiga was assigned as air officer to the 343rd Air Group which was engaged in homeland defence in Japan, based at Matsuyama Air Base, in December 1944. He was projected to be Air Group Commander aboard the carrier Shinano during her brief time in service, but was not aboard for her fatal delivery voyage; he instead awaited the ship in Kure with the carrier's planned air group. He is famous for his strong objection against the tactic of suicide attack (Kamikaze) and saved the lives of many young Japanese pilots. After the war, Shiga became president of police equipment manufacturer Nobel Kōgyō and made many devices, such as bullet resistant vests, and expandable police batons for Japanese police. He died on 25 November 2005.
Toru Kumon (公文 公, Kumon Tōru; March 26, 1914 – July 25, 1995) was a Japanese mathematics educator. He was born in Kōchi…Toru Kumon (公文 公, Kumon Tōru; March 26, 1914 – July 25, 1995) was a Japanese mathematics educator. He was born in Kōchi Prefecture, Japan. He graduated from the College of Science at Osaka University with a degree in mathematics and taught high school mathematics in his home town of Osaka. In 1954, his son, Takeshi, performed poorly in a Year 2 mathematics test. Prompted by his wife, Teiko, Toru closely examined Takeshi's textbooks and believed they lacked the proper opportunity for a child to practice and master a topic. He wrote worksheets each day for his son. By the time Takeshi was in Year 6, he was able to solve differential and integral calculus. This was the beginning of the Kumon Method of Learning. Other parents became interested in Kumon's ideas, and in 1955, the first Kumon Center was opened in Osaka. In 1958, Toru Kumon founded the Kumon Institute of Education. Toru Kumon died in Osaka on July 25, 1995, at the age of 81 from pneumonia. There is a Toru Kumon museum in Osaka. Asteroid 3569 Kumon is named after him.
Masao Maruyama (丸山 眞男, Maruyama Masao; 22 March 1914 – 15 August 1996) was a leading Japanese political scientist and…Masao Maruyama (丸山 眞男, Maruyama Masao; 22 March 1914 – 15 August 1996) was a leading Japanese political scientist and political theorist. His expertise lay in the history of Japanese political thought, to which he made major contributions.
Sakae Ōba (大場 栄, Ōba Sakae; 21 March 1914 – 8 June 1992) was an officer of the Imperial Japanese Army during World War…Sakae Ōba (大場 栄, Ōba Sakae; 21 March 1914 – 8 June 1992) was an officer of the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. He served in both China and in the Pacific campaign. After Japanese forces were defeated in the Battle of Saipan, he led a group of soldiers and civilians deep into the jungle to evade capture by Allied forces. Under Ōba's leadership, the group survived for over a year after the battle and finally surrendered in December 1945, three months after the war had ended. Following his return to Japan, he became a successful businessman and served on the city council of Gamagōri.
Hiro Saga (嵯峨 浩, Saga Hiro; 16 April 1914 – 20 June 1987) was a Japanese noblewoman and memoir writer. She was the…Hiro Saga (嵯峨 浩, Saga Hiro; 16 April 1914 – 20 June 1987) was a Japanese noblewoman and memoir writer. She was the daughter of Marquis Saneto Saga and a distant relative of Emperor Shōwa. She was married in 1937 to Pujie, the younger brother of Puyi, the last monarch of the Qing dynasty of China between 1908 and 1912 and the ruler of Japanese-backed Manchukuo between 1932 and 1945. After her marriage to Pujie, she was known as, and identified herself as, Aishinkakura Hiro (愛新覺羅•浩) or Aixinjueluo Hao in Chinese.
Yoshinori Imaizumi (今泉吉典, Imaizumi Yoshinori; March 11, 1914 – April 2, 2007) was a Japanese zoologist. He is known for…Yoshinori Imaizumi (今泉吉典, Imaizumi Yoshinori; March 11, 1914 – April 2, 2007) was a Japanese zoologist. He is known for describing the Iriomote cat in 1967. He was the director of the zoological department of the National Museum of Nature and Science.
Masayasu Maeda (born 10 March 1914, date of death unknown) was a Japanese basketball player. He competed in the men's…Masayasu Maeda (born 10 March 1914, date of death unknown) was a Japanese basketball player. He competed in the men's tournament at the 1936 Summer Olympics.
Kim Sa-ryang (Korean: 김사량; Hanja: 金史良; 3 March 1914 – 1950) was a Korean writer. He wrote in a variety of genres…Kim Sa-ryang (Korean: 김사량; Hanja: 金史良; 3 March 1914 – 1950) was a Korean writer. He wrote in a variety of genres including novels, plays, reports, and reviews, in two languages, Korean and Japanese. His career as a writer first began in Japan after publishing a short story written in Japanese, and his Korean-written works were later published in Korea. For his short story "Bit soge (빛 속에, Into the Light)," written in Japanese, he became the first Korean to be nominated for the Akutagawa Prize. He went to China in 1945 to join the army fighting for Korea's liberation. After the country's independence, he mostly lived and wrote in North Korea and died in 1950 during the Korean War.
Tetsuji Fukushima (Japanese: 福島 鉄次, romanized: Fukushima Tetsuji ; February 19 1914-1992) was a Japanese manga artist.…Tetsuji Fukushima (Japanese: 福島 鉄次, romanized: Fukushima Tetsuji ; February 19 1914-1992) was a Japanese manga artist. Fukushima was born in the Fukushima Prefecture. From January 1949 to February 1956, his science fiction comic series Sabaku no Maō ( Japanese: 砂漠の魔王, lit. 'Demon King of the Desert' ) appeared in the Bōken Ō magazine by Akita Shoten. He was inspired for this manga by the Middle Eastern tale of Aladdin and the Magic Lamp. Sabaku no Maō was also published in nine anthologies after the magazine publication. The manga's drawing style was influenced by American comics, which the editor of magazine had bought from the occupation army and given to Fukushima as a reference. Hayao Miyazaki cited an episode in Sabaku no Maō as a great inspiration for his film The Castle in the Sky: "As a student, I read it [Sabaku no Maō] over and over again with a pounding heart. There was an episode about a gemstone that gave you the power to fly. I was so moved by it that I wanted to make a film about a magic stone." Fukushima's other works include Inazuma Dōji (いなずま童子; 1954), Kaijin Z (怪人Z) and Shippū Kenshi (疾風剣士; 1956–1957).
Torao Kurakane (倉金 虎雄, Kurakane Torao; February 13, 1914 – August 25, 1973), pen name Shosuke Kurakane (倉金章介, Kurakane…Torao Kurakane (倉金 虎雄, Kurakane Torao; February 13, 1914 – August 25, 1973), pen name Shosuke Kurakane (倉金章介, Kurakane Shōsuke) was a Japanese manga artist. He wrote many works that has been turned into anime, TV drama, and movie but is especially known for Anmitsuhime (あんみつ姫) which was turned into all three. His second best known work, Tentenmusume (てんてん娘), was made into a movie on 1956 with Mariko Miyagi as the heroine and on 1984, it was made into a TV drama with Mayumi Hara in the same role.
Norio Ban (伴 紀雄, Ban Norio) (born c. 1914) was a Japanese rower. He competed in the men's coxed four event at the 1932…Norio Ban (伴 紀雄, Ban Norio) (born c. 1914) was a Japanese rower. He competed in the men's coxed four event at the 1932 Summer Olympics.
Hiroshi Tadano (但野 寛, Tadano Hiroshi; January 29, 1914 – September 6, 1986) was a Japanese alpine and cross-country…Hiroshi Tadano (但野 寛, Tadano Hiroshi; January 29, 1914 – September 6, 1986) was a Japanese alpine and cross-country skier. He competed at the 1936 Winter Olympics in the alpine skiing combined event, but failed to complete it. At the same Olympics he finished 28th in the 50 km cross-country competition and 59th in the 18 km cross-country event. As a member of the Japanese team he finished twelfth in the first ever held cross-country relay contest.
Shichirō Fukazawa (深沢 七郎, Fukazawa Shichirō; January 29, 1914 – August 18, 1987) was a Japanese author and guitarist…Shichirō Fukazawa (深沢 七郎, Fukazawa Shichirō; January 29, 1914 – August 18, 1987) was a Japanese author and guitarist whose 1960 short story Fūryū mutan ("Tale of an Elegant Dream") caused a nationwide uproar and prompted an assassination attempt of the president of the magazine that published it.
Ryūzō Kikushima (菊島 隆三, Kikushima Ryūzō; 1 March 1914 – 18 March 1989) was a Japanese screenwriter and film producer…Ryūzō Kikushima (菊島 隆三, Kikushima Ryūzō; 1 March 1914 – 18 March 1989) was a Japanese screenwriter and film producer who is best known for co-writing the screenplays for several films directed by Akira Kurosawa, including Throne of Blood (1957), The Hidden Fortress (1958), Yojimbo (1961), and High and Low (1963). He also produced several of Kurosawa's films in the early 1960s. In addition to his work with Kurosawa, he wrote or co-wrote the screenplays for Arashi (1956); The Three Treasures (1959); When a Woman Ascends the Stairs (1960), for which he also was a producer; and Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970). In 2013, Kikushima and frequent screenwriting collaborators Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto and Hideo Oguni were awarded the Jean Renoir Award by the Writers Guild of America West.
Shinzo Yamada (山田 伸三, Yamada Shinzō; 17 January 1914 – 20 March 2000) was a Japanese cross-country skier. He competed…Shinzo Yamada (山田 伸三, Yamada Shinzō; 17 January 1914 – 20 March 2000) was a Japanese cross-country skier. He competed in the men's 18 kilometre event at the 1936 Winter Olympics.
Taizo Kawamoto (川本 泰三, Kawamoto Taizō; January 17, 1914 – September 20, 1985) was a Japanese football player and…Taizo Kawamoto (川本 泰三, Kawamoto Taizō; January 17, 1914 – September 20, 1985) was a Japanese football player and manager. He played for and later managed the Japan national team.
Kiyoshige Koyama (小山 清茂, Koyama Kiyoshige; January 15, 1914 – June 6, 2009), was a Japanese composer for orchestras…Kiyoshige Koyama (小山 清茂, Koyama Kiyoshige; January 15, 1914 – June 6, 2009), was a Japanese composer for orchestras, vocal, and traditional Japanese instrumentation. He was born in Nagano City, Nagano Prefecture. Although nationalistic he did not compose until his thirties, which was after the period of Imperial expansionism.
Yasuhira Kiyohara (清原 康平, married name Yasuhira Yukawa; January 14, 1914 – April 7, 2001) was a second lieutenant in…Yasuhira Kiyohara (清原 康平, married name Yasuhira Yukawa; January 14, 1914 – April 7, 2001) was a second lieutenant in the Imperial Japanese Army who was sentenced to life imprisonment for directing a mob in the February 26 Incident of 1936. He was assigned to the 3rd Company, 3rd Infantry Regiment. He was granted amnesty in December 1941. After amnesty, he became the president of an airplane company. After the World War II, he was engaged in various enterprises related to Korea since he was acquainted with Korean President Park Chung-hee.
Mieko Kamiya (神谷 美恵子, Kamiya Mieko; January 12, 1914 – October 22, 1979) was a Japanese psychiatrist who treated…Mieko Kamiya (神谷 美恵子, Kamiya Mieko; January 12, 1914 – October 22, 1979) was a Japanese psychiatrist who treated leprosy patients at Nagashima Aiseien Sanatorium. She was known for translating books on philosophy. She worked as a medical doctor in the Department of Psychiatry at Tokyo University following World War II. She was said to have greatly helped the Ministry of Education and the General Headquarters, where the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers stayed, in her role as an English-speaking secretary, and served as an adviser to Empress Michiko. She wrote many books as a highly educated, multi-lingual person; one of her books, titled On the Meaning of Life (ikigai ni tsuite in Japanese), based on her experiences with leprosy patients, attracted many readers.
Hatsuho Matsuzawa (松澤 初穂, Matsuzawa Hatsuho; 8 October 1914 – 1 January 2011) was a Japanese swimmer. She competed in…Hatsuho Matsuzawa (松澤 初穂, Matsuzawa Hatsuho; 8 October 1914 – 1 January 2011) was a Japanese swimmer. She competed in the 100 m freestyle event at the 1932 Olympics, but was eliminated in the preliminaries. On 29 August 1933 Matsuzawa set a national record in the 50 m freestyle at 31.06 seconds that stood until 21 August 1954. In 1934 she became a high school teacher, and in 1936 a national swimming coach at the Berlin Olympics. She married in 1937 and later had five children, including Sadahiko Sugaya (菅谷定彦), who became president and CEO of TV Tokyo. She returned to swimming in 1984, and between 1986 and 2000 competed at national and world masters championships.
Yoshiro Asakuma (朝隈 善郎, Asakuma Yoshirō; 7 January 1914 – 22 December 2008) was a Japanese athlete. He competed in the…Yoshiro Asakuma (朝隈 善郎, Asakuma Yoshirō; 7 January 1914 – 22 December 2008) was a Japanese athlete. He competed in the men's high jump at the 1936 Summer Olympics.
Kim Jeong-yeon(7 January 1914 – 16 July 1992), also known as 'Seien Kin', was a Korean speed skater. He competed in…Kim Jeong-yeon(7 January 1914 – 16 July 1992), also known as 'Seien Kin', was a Korean speed skater. He competed in three events at the 1936 Winter Olympics.
Hayao Miyazaki (宮崎 駿 or 宮﨑 駿, Miyazaki Hayao; [mijaꜜzaki hajao]; born January 5, 1941) is a Japanese animator…Hayao Miyazaki (宮崎 駿 or 宮﨑 駿, Miyazaki Hayao; [mijaꜜzaki hajao]; born January 5, 1941) is a Japanese animator, filmmaker, and manga artist. He co-founded Studio Ghibli and serves as its honorary chairman. Throughout his career, Miyazaki has attained international acclaim as a masterful storyteller and creator of Japanese animated feature films, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most accomplished filmmakers in the history of animation. Born in Tokyo City, Miyazaki expressed interest in manga and animation from an early age. He joined Toei Animation in 1963, working as an inbetween artist and key animator on films like Gulliver's Travels Beyond the Moon (1965), The Great Adventure of Horus, Prince of the Sun (1968), and Animal Treasure Island (1971), before moving to A-Pro in 1971, where he co-directed Lupin the Third Part I (1971–1972) with Isao Takahata. After moving to Zuiyō Eizō (later Nippon Animation) in 1973, Miyazaki worked as an animator on World Masterpiece Theater and directed the television series Future Boy Conan (1978). He joined Tokyo Movie Shinsha in 1979 to direct his first feature film, The Castle of Cagliostro (1979), and the television series Sherlock Hound (1984–1985). He wrote and illustrated the manga Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1982–1994) and directed the 1984 film adaptation produced by Topcraft. Miyazaki co-founded Studio Ghibli in 1985, writing and directing films such as Laputa: Castle in the Sky (1986), My Neighbor Totoro (1988), Kiki's Delivery Service (1989), and Porco Rosso (1992), which were met with critical and commercial success in Japan. Miyazaki's Princess Mononoke (1997) was the first animated film to win the Japan Academy Film Prize for Picture of the Year and briefly became the highest-grossing film in Japan; its Western distribution increased Ghibli's worldwide popularity and influence. Spirited Away (2001) became Japan's highest-grossing film and won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature; it is frequently ranked among the greatest films of the 21st century. Miyazaki's later films—Howl's Moving Castle (2004), Ponyo (2008), and The Wind Rises (2013)—also enjoyed critical and commercial success. He retired from feature films in 2013 but later returned to make The Boy and the Heron (2023), which won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Miyazaki's works are frequently subject to scholarly analysis and have been characterized by the recurrence of themes such as humanity's relationship with nature and technology, the importance of art and craftsmanship, and the difficulty of maintaining a pacifist ethic in a violent world. His protagonists are often strong girls or young women, and several of his films present morally ambiguous antagonists with redeeming qualities. Miyazaki's works have been highly praised and awarded; he was named a Person of Cultural Merit for outstanding cultural contributions in 2012, received the Academy Honorary Award for his impact on animation and cinema in 2014, and the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2024. Miyazaki has frequently been cited as an inspiration for numerous animators, directors, and writers.
Takeo Hatanaka (畑中 武夫, Hatanaka Takeo; 1 January 1914 – 10 November 1963) was a Japanese radio astronomer. He founded…Takeo Hatanaka (畑中 武夫, Hatanaka Takeo; 1 January 1914 – 10 November 1963) was a Japanese radio astronomer. He founded the Nobeyama Radio Observatory. The crater Hatanaka on the Moon is named after him.
Etsuko Kamakura (鎌倉悦子, Kamakura Etsuko; born 1914, date of death unknown) was a Japanese diver. She competed in two…Etsuko Kamakura (鎌倉悦子, Kamakura Etsuko; born 1914, date of death unknown) was a Japanese diver. She competed in two events (3 metre springboard & 10 metre platform) at the 1932 Summer Olympics. She scored 60.78 points in the Women's 3M springboard and 31.54 points in the Women's 10M platform.
Takeshi "Ken" Nakajima (中島 健, Nakajima Ken) was an important landscape architect and designer of Japanese gardens.…Takeshi "Ken" Nakajima (中島 健, Nakajima Ken) was an important landscape architect and designer of Japanese gardens. Outside Japan, he designed the Montreal Botanical Garden, the Cowra Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre in Australia, the Japanese Garden in Hermann Park in Houston, Texas, the Japanese Garden at the Moscow Botanical Garden of Academy of Sciences and the Setagaya Parc in Vienna. Born in Japan in 1914, Takeshi "Ken" Nakajima graduated from the Tokyo University of Agriculture in 1937, where he later became a faculty member. In 1957, he started his own company called Consolidated Garden Research, based in Tokyo. In 1986, Hirohito, the Emperor of Japan, awarded him the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Ray, for promoting Japanese culture worldwide. Mr. Nakajima died on November 29, 2000, and the company he created passed to his son Hiro. Ken Nakajima Place, Cowra NSW is named for him.
Yasuo Ikenaka (池中 康雄, Ikenaka Yasuo; March 1914 – March 14, 1992) was a Japanese long-distance runner who is credited…Yasuo Ikenaka (池中 康雄, Ikenaka Yasuo; March 1914 – March 14, 1992) was a Japanese long-distance runner who is credited by the International Association of Athletics Federations for setting a world's best in the marathon on April 3, 1935. According to the IAAF, Ikenaka's time of 2:26:44 was over a minute faster than the previous record set by Fusashige Suzuki three days earlier.
Toshio Iue (井植 歳男, Iue Toshio; 28 December 1902 – 16 July 1969) was a Japanese inventor and industrialist who founded…Toshio Iue (井植 歳男, Iue Toshio; 28 December 1902 – 16 July 1969) was a Japanese inventor and industrialist who founded Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. Prior to the founding of Sanyo, he played an influential role in the growth and development of Matsushita Electric Works, working closely alongside his brother-in-law and lifetime confidant, Konosuke Matsushita.
Umetaro Azechi (畦地 梅太郎, Azechi Umetarō; December 28, 1902 – April 12, 1999) was a Japanese printmaker and mountain…Umetaro Azechi (畦地 梅太郎, Azechi Umetarō; December 28, 1902 – April 12, 1999) was a Japanese printmaker and mountain climber. He was known for his prints of mountains and people who live in them.
Asaichi Tamai (玉井 浅一; December 25, 1902 – December 10, 1964) was a captain in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World…Asaichi Tamai (玉井 浅一; December 25, 1902 – December 10, 1964) was a captain in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.
Shigeru Tonomura (外村 繁, Tonomura Shigeru; December 23, 1902 – July 28, 1961) was a Japanese author of I novels. Kanji…Shigeru Tonomura (外村 繁, Tonomura Shigeru; December 23, 1902 – July 28, 1961) was a Japanese author of I novels. Kanji of his real name was 外村 茂, but it was the same reading as the pen name. Tonomura was born into a conservative merchant's family in Shiga Prefecture and raised by devout parents who believed in Pure Land Buddhism. After graduation from the University of Tokyo with a degree in economics, he took over the family business as a wholesale cotton merchant. His house in Gokashōkondō-chō, Higashiōmi, is now a museum that reflects Ōmi Province merchant life. In 1933, Tonomura handed over control of the business to his brother and began to write seriously. He received the 1956 Noma Literary Prize for Ikada (筏) and the 1960 Yomiuri Prize for Miotsukushi (澪標). Tonomura was good friends with Motojirō Kajii.
Hideko Mogami (Japanese: 最上英子; 9 December 1902 – 16 October 1966) was a Japanese politician. She was one of the first…Hideko Mogami (Japanese: 最上英子; 9 December 1902 – 16 October 1966) was a Japanese politician. She was one of the first group of women elected to the House of Representatives in 1946, and remained a member until 1949. She later served in the House of Councillors from 1953 to 1965 and as Deputy Secretary of State for Postal Affairs in 1957–1958.
