Hiroki Narabayashi (奈良林寛紀, born 14 January 1988) is a former Japanese football player who last played for and captains…Hiroki Narabayashi (奈良林寛紀, born 14 January 1988) is a former Japanese football player who last played for and captains Fujieda MYFC.
Masanori Fujihara (藤原 正典, Fujihara Masanori; born January 14, 1988 in Ibigawa, Gifu) is a Japanese former professional…Masanori Fujihara (藤原 正典, Fujihara Masanori; born January 14, 1988 in Ibigawa, Gifu) is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher. He played for the Hanshin Tigers in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball from 2010 to 2013.
Kazushi Mitsuhira (三平 和司, Mitsuhira Kazushi; born January 13, 1988 in Hadano, Kanagawa) is a Japanese football player…Kazushi Mitsuhira (三平 和司, Mitsuhira Kazushi; born January 13, 1988 in Hadano, Kanagawa) is a Japanese football player who plays as a striker for Ventforet Kofu. A mainstay of the J2 League with over 340 league appearances, Mitsuhira scored the opening goal in the 2022 Emperor's Cup final, which he would later go on to win.
Keita Yano (矢野 啓太, Yano Keita; born January 9, 1988) is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist…Keita Yano (矢野 啓太, Yano Keita; born January 9, 1988) is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist currently working for Professional Wrestling Wallabee. He started his career with Battlarts in February 2007 and remained with the promotion for four years, winning the B-Rule Tournament in 2009. During his tenure, Yano also represented Battlarts in major Japanese promotions such as New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and Pro Wrestling Zero1 and American promotion Chikara, where he took part in the Young Lions Cup VIII tournament in August 2010. After the folding of Battlarts, Yano began working for DDT Pro-Wrestling, where, as a representative of the Crying Wolf stable, he became a one-time Ironman Heavymetalweight Champion, before parting ways with the promotion in July 2012.
Ryoichi Adachi (安達 了一, Adachi Ryōichi; born January 7, 1988) is a Japanese former professional baseball infielder. He…Ryoichi Adachi (安達 了一, Adachi Ryōichi; born January 7, 1988) is a Japanese former professional baseball infielder. He played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) from 2012 to 2024 for the Orix Buffaloes.
Ryuichiro Akada (赤田 龍一郎, Akada Ryūichirō; born January 7, 1988 in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan) is a former professional…Ryuichiro Akada (赤田 龍一郎, Akada Ryūichirō; born January 7, 1988 in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan) is a former professional Japanese baseball player. He is employed as a bullpen catcher for the Chunichi Dragons. His eyes are of a blue tinge due to American heritage through his grandfather.
Hironori Ishikawa (石川 大徳, Ishikawa Hironori; born 6 January 1988 in Edogawa, Tokyo) is a former Japanese footballer who…Hironori Ishikawa (石川 大徳, Ishikawa Hironori; born 6 January 1988 in Edogawa, Tokyo) is a former Japanese footballer who last played for SC Sagamihara on loan from Thespakusatsu Gunma in the J3 League.
Ryumo Ono (Japanese: 小野 龍猛, Hepburn: Ono Ryūmo; born 6 January 1988) is a Japanese professional basketball player for…Ryumo Ono (Japanese: 小野 龍猛, Hepburn: Ono Ryūmo; born 6 January 1988) is a Japanese professional basketball player for the Kyoto Hannaryz club of the Japanese B.League. He represented Japan's national basketball team at the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship in Changsha, China, where he was the team's best 3-point shooter.
Masaru Saito (齊藤 勝, Saitō Masaru) (born January 6, 1988) is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher. He played…Masaru Saito (齊藤 勝, Saitō Masaru) (born January 6, 1988) is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters from 2013 to 2014.
Seiki Yoshioka (吉岡 世起, Yoshioka Seiki; born January 5, 1988), previously known as Seiki (stylized in all capital…Seiki Yoshioka (吉岡 世起, Yoshioka Seiki; born January 5, 1988), previously known as Seiki (stylized in all capital letters), is a Japanese professional wrestler. Yoshioka is known for his time in Wrestle-1, where he was a three-time Wrestle-1 Cruiser Division Champion and UWA World Trios Champion and a one-time NWA International Lightweight Tag Team Champion in Pro Wrestling Zero1. In Wrestle-1, Yoshioka was a member of the #Stronghearts stable, led by Cima. In the past, Yoshioka has also toured Great Britain, as the former one-time All Star Wrestling British Mid-Heavyweight Champion.
Yusuke Suzuki (鈴木 雄介, Suzuki Yūsuke; born 2 January 1988) is a Japanese racewalker. He has represented Japan in the 20…Yusuke Suzuki (鈴木 雄介, Suzuki Yūsuke; born 2 January 1988) is a Japanese racewalker. He has represented Japan in the 20 km event twice at the World Championships in Athletics and competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics. He is the pending world record holder for the 20 km walk with a time of 1:16:36 hours at an event in his home town of Nomi in 2015. Suzuki competed in race walking from a young age and his international debut came at the 2004 World Junior Championships in Athletics. He was the 10,000 metres walk bronze medallist at the 2005 World Youth Championships in Athletics and the 2006 World Junior Championships in Athletics. He began competing in the senior ranks a year later and came sixth in the 20 km walk at the Asian Race Walking Championships and fourth at the 2007 Summer Universiade. In the following two years he came tenth and fifth at the Asian Race Walking Championships. A personal best time of 1:22:05 hours in 2009 earned him a place at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics but he was among the last walkers to finish in the 20 km race. He won the 2010 Asian title with a new best of 1:20:06 hours, but again did not perform well on the global stage, taking 40th place at the 2010 IAAF World Race Walking Cup. He placed fifth at the end of year Asian Games. The 2011 World Championships in Athletics saw him establish himself among the world's top walkers, as he placed eighth overall in the 20 km event. He pushed out the pace at the beginning of the 2012 London Olympics, but finished back down the order placing 36th. The start of the 2013 season saw Suzuki break the Japanese record twice – he won the national title in 1:19:02 hours then took his second Asian title with a finish in 1:18:34 hours in Nomi, Ishikawa. Suzuki was selected to once again to compete for Japan at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
Yuki Iiyama (飯山 由貴, Iiyama Yuki, b. 1988) is a Japanese contemporary artist and lecturer at Tama Art University. Iiyama…Yuki Iiyama (飯山 由貴, Iiyama Yuki, b. 1988) is a Japanese contemporary artist and lecturer at Tama Art University. Iiyama explores the themes of social stigma, representation and the interaction of the individual with society, through archival materials, video works, installations and community workshops.
Aya Murakami (村上 絢, Murakami Aya; born 1988) is a Japanese investor. She is the CEO of C&I Holdings (since 2015) and…Aya Murakami (村上 絢, Murakami Aya; born 1988) is a Japanese investor. She is the CEO of C&I Holdings (since 2015) and was also the representative director of the Murakami Family Foundation (村上財団) from 2016 to 2022.
Shinobu Fukuhara (福原 忍, Fukuhara Shinobu; born December 28, 1976, in Miyoshi, Hiroshima, Japan) is a retired Japanese…Shinobu Fukuhara (福原 忍, Fukuhara Shinobu; born December 28, 1976, in Miyoshi, Hiroshima, Japan) is a retired Japanese baseball pitcher for the Hanshin Tigers. He was the number three draft pick for the Hanshin Tigers in 1999. In 2014 and 2015, he was a 2x Central League Middle Reliever.
Yoshiyuki Nishi (西 義之, Nishi Yoshiyuki; born December 27, 1976) is a Japanese manga artist best known for his work…Yoshiyuki Nishi (西 義之, Nishi Yoshiyuki; born December 27, 1976) is a Japanese manga artist best known for his work, Muhyo and Roji's Bureau of Supernatural Investigation. He is the former assistant of Takeshi Obata. Born and raised in Hachioji, Tokyo.
Sachi Ozawa (小澤 幸, Ozawa Sachi; born 23 December 1976) is a Japanese short track speed skater. She competed in two…Sachi Ozawa (小澤 幸, Ozawa Sachi; born 23 December 1976) is a Japanese short track speed skater. She competed in two events at the 1998 Winter Olympics.
Kiyoko Shimahara (嶋原 清子; born 22 December 1976) is a Japanese long-distance runner who competes in marathon races. Her…Kiyoko Shimahara (嶋原 清子; born 22 December 1976) is a Japanese long-distance runner who competes in marathon races. Her personal best time is 2:25:10 hours, achieved in August 2009 in Sapporo. She is a member of the Second Wind running club in Japan. She represented her country at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics and at the Asian Games in 2006 and 2010 (winning the silver medal at the former edition). Born in the Ōshima District in Yamaguchi Prefecture, she attended Kokushikan University and graduated in 1999 with a degree in physical education. She made her debut over the marathon distance at the Japanese student championships in 1997. Her first marathon victory came at the 2003 Katsuta Marathon, where she ran a course record time of 2:31:10 hours. She came third at the Tokyo Marathon in 2003, then improved to second place behind Bruna Genovese at the same competition the following year, setting a personal best of 2:26:43 hours in the process. Shimahara improved further at the 2005 Hokkaido Marathon, running 2:26:14 and taking the runner-up spot. In 2006, opened her season with a personal best of 1:10:16 hours at the Miyazaki Half Marathon, then came third at the Osaka Ladies Marathon. She made her foreign debut at the Boston Marathon, where she finished in fifth place. She gained her first international call-up for Japan at the 2006 Asian Games and she was the marathon silver medallist behind China's Zhou Chunxiu. These performances led to her being selected for the Japanese women's marathon squad at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics. She finished sixth at the World Championships Marathon in Osaka. At the 2007 London Marathon, she withdrew mid-race for the first time, pulling up just after the halfway point due to breathing difficulties. At the start of 2008 she came eleventh at the Nagoya Marathon, but rebounded at the Chicago Marathon with a third-place finish to reach the podium. Shimahara ended her year with a win at the Honolulu Marathon in a time of 2:32:36 hours. Despite a sixth-place finish at the Tokyo Marathon, the 2009 season proved to be one of Shimahara's most successful. She won the Osaka Half Marathon then set a course record and personal best of 2:25:10 hours to win at the Hokkaido Marathon in Sapporo. She was the runner-up at both the Yokohama Marathon and the Honolulu race that year. Shimahara was fourth at the 2010 Nagano Marathon and was selected to compete for Japan at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou. However, she did not win a medal on her second performance at the Games, finishing fifth overall. In 2011, she was the runner-up at the Hokkaido Marathon and the inaugural Osaka Marathon. She also ran at the Tokyo Marathon that year but placed fifteenth in that race. She had only one outing in 2012: at the Osaka Marathon she came fifth in a time of 2:29:51 hours. A year passed before she returned to competition, again in Osaka, and she managed third on that occasion.
Toshiki Yoshioka (吉岡稔記, Yoshioka Toshiki; 21 December 1976, Hiroshima) is a Japanese professional drifting driver…Toshiki Yoshioka (吉岡稔記, Yoshioka Toshiki; 21 December 1976, Hiroshima) is a Japanese professional drifting driver, currently competing in the D1 Grand Prix series for Team DRoo-P and Yamasa. Even before he started drifting professionally, Yoshioka always used the Toyota AE86. He first competed in the D1 Grand Prix in the first round of 2002 and has always scored points in every season. He got his first victory in Round 4 of the 2005 season at Autopolis. His Toyota Sprinter Trueno (later switching to Hideo Hiraoka's Corolla Levin AE85 which was converted to an AE86 and a Sprinter Trueno) was normally aspirated and uses nitrous oxide, which led to many collisions. He is known for liking the AE86. In 2007, he had an average season being best of the AE86 drivers, finishing in eighth place overall. In 2008, he switched from his AE86 to a Lexus SC430, prepared by the renowned tuning garage Tom's.
Miki Sasaki (佐々木 みき, Sasaki Miki, born 15 December 1976) is a former volleyball player from Japan, who competed at the…Miki Sasaki (佐々木 みき, Sasaki Miki, born 15 December 1976) is a former volleyball player from Japan, who competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, wearing the No. 4 jersey. There she and the Japan women's national team took fifth place. She participated in the 2003 FIVB World Grand Prix. Sasaki played as a wing-spiker.
Yukari Kawasaki (河﨑 由加里, Kawasaki Yukari; born December 14, 1976 in Aomori) is an athlete from Japan. She competes in…Yukari Kawasaki (河﨑 由加里, Kawasaki Yukari; born December 14, 1976 in Aomori) is an athlete from Japan. She competes in archery. Kawasaki represented Japan at the 2004 Summer Olympics. She placed 37th in the women's individual ranking round with a 72-arrow score of 622. In the first round of elimination, she faced 28th-ranked Iwona Marcinkiewicz of Poland. Kawasaki lost 119–106 in the 18-arrow match, placing 63rd overall in women's individual archery. Kawasaki was also a member of the 14th-place Japanese women's archery team.
Ryuichi Oda (Japanese: 小田龍一, born 12 December 1976) is a Japanese professional golfer who currently competes on the…Ryuichi Oda (Japanese: 小田龍一, born 12 December 1976) is a Japanese professional golfer who currently competes on the Japan Golf Tour.
Asaka Seto (瀬戸 朝香, Seto Asaka) also known as Megumi Ieda, is a Japanese actress who works at Foster Management. She won…Asaka Seto (瀬戸 朝香, Seto Asaka) also known as Megumi Ieda, is a Japanese actress who works at Foster Management. She won the award for Best Actress at the 24th Yokohama Film Festival for Travail. She is married to Yoshihiko Inohara of the band V6.
Yujiro Shirakawa (白川 裕二郎, Shirakawa Yūjirō; born December 11, 1976, in Kōhoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan)…Yujiro Shirakawa (白川 裕二郎, Shirakawa Yūjirō; born December 11, 1976, in Kōhoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese actor and singer who is represented by the talent agency, G.P.R.
Tetsuhiro Kina (喜名 哲裕, Kina Tetsuhiro; born 10 December 1976) is a Japanese professional manager and former player. He…Tetsuhiro Kina (喜名 哲裕, Kina Tetsuhiro; born 10 December 1976) is a Japanese professional manager and former player. He is currently the assistant manager of J3 League club Kagoshima United.
Ryuji Kajiwara (born 9 December 1976) is a Japanese former professional kickboxer and boxer. He is the head trainer of…Ryuji Kajiwara (born 9 December 1976) is a Japanese former professional kickboxer and boxer. He is the head trainer of K-1 Gym Headquarters Team Pegasus and member of the K-1 Japan Group executive committee. In 2012 he was ranked #7 lightweight in the world by Liverkick.
Yuichi Fukunaga (福永 祐一, Fukunaga Yūichi; born 9 December 1976) is a Japanese horse trainer and former jockey who has…Yuichi Fukunaga (福永 祐一, Fukunaga Yūichi; born 9 December 1976) is a Japanese horse trainer and former jockey who has won 29 Grade 1 races in Japan and abroad. He is affiliated with the Japan Racing Association (JRA) in Rittō. His father is former jockey Yoichi Fukunaga who was said to be a "genius" during his active career, and his uncle is Takashi Kitamura, also a former jockey. His wife is former Fuji TV announcer Midori Matsuo. Since July 2016, he has a management contract with Horipro together with Yuga Kawada, the entertainment production with which his wife is also affiliated. On 8 December 2022, following his trainer license being issued by the JRA, Fukunaga announced that he would retire as a jockey at the end of February next year and make a transition in to becoming a horse trainer. Two months later, Fukunaga rode his final races in Japan at the February Stakes on 19 February, and finished his racing career at the Riyadh Dirt Sprint on 25 February, 2023, where he rode Remake which finished 3rd behind Elite Power. Retirement ceremonies of Fukunaga were held at Tokyo Racecourse on 19 February and on the Hanshin Racecourse on 4 March. Fukunaga officially opened his stable on 6 March 2024. Upon opening his stable, he received a number of horses from outgoing trainers, including Danon Scorpion and Dualist from Takayuki Yasuda. Later that year, Fukunaga won his first group race as a trainer, when he won the CBC Sho with Drop of Light. 12 October 2026 was a particularly successful day for Fukunaga. On that day he won both of the main races of the two JRA race meetings held that day, the October Stakes at Tokyo Racecourse with Ask Sexy More, and the Swan Stakes at Kyoto Racecourse with Diamond Knot. On top of this, he would finish the day off with his first JpnI victory of his trainer career when he won the Mile Championship Nambu Hai with Meisho Hachiro.
Hiroaki Saito (斎藤洋明, Saito Hiroaki; born 8 December 1976) is a Japanese politician serving as a member of the House of…Hiroaki Saito (斎藤洋明, Saito Hiroaki; born 8 December 1976) is a Japanese politician serving as a member of the House of Representatives since 2012. He has served as deputy minister of finance since 2024.
Norishige Kanai (金井 宣茂, Kanai Norishige; born 5 December 1976) is a Japanese doctor and JAXA astronaut. He is a…Norishige Kanai (金井 宣茂, Kanai Norishige; born 5 December 1976) is a Japanese doctor and JAXA astronaut. He is a lieutenant and Diving Medical Officer in the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (Medical Service Division, 1st Service School). He served as a crew member on board the International Space Station for Expedition 54/55, and returned to Earth on June 3, 2018.
Alisa Mizuki (観月 ありさ, Mizuki Arisa; born December 5, 1976) is a Japanese actress and singer. She began her career as a…Alisa Mizuki (観月 ありさ, Mizuki Arisa; born December 5, 1976) is a Japanese actress and singer. She began her career as a child model and gained attention for starring in commercials for Fujicolor, among other brands, in the early 1990s. She released her debut single "Densetsu no Shōjo" in 1991, for which she won the Newcomer Award at the 33rd Japan Record Awards. Mizuki has recorded material penned by Yumi Matsutoya, Anri and Tetsuya Komuro, the latter of whom produced her signature song, "Too Shy Shy Boy!". Mizuki made her film debut in Reiko, Psyche Resurrected (1991), which garnered her the Japan Academy Film Prize for Newcomer of the Year. As an actress, she is best known for her portrayal of Izumi Asakura in the comedy series Nurse no Oshigoto (1996–2002), which spawned a feature film. She was further nominated for a Japan Academy Film Prize for her lead role in My House (2003). In 2010, Mizuki set the Guinness World Record for being the leading actress in a television drama series for nineteen consecutive years.
Aya Umemura (梅村 礼, Umemura Aya; born 4 December 1976) is a Japanese table tennis player and coach. She was born in…Aya Umemura (梅村 礼, Umemura Aya; born 4 December 1976) is a Japanese table tennis player and coach. She was born in Tomakomai, Hokkaido. She competed in women's singles and women's doubles at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.
Hisashi Aikyoh (愛敬 尚史, Aikyō Hisashi; born December 4, 1976) is a former Nippon Professional Baseball player. He played…Hisashi Aikyoh (愛敬 尚史, Aikyō Hisashi; born December 4, 1976) is a former Nippon Professional Baseball player. He played for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, and was also previously with the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes.
Daisuke Kusano (草野 大輔, Kusano Daisuke; born December 4, 1976) is a Nippon Professional Baseball player for the Tohoku…Daisuke Kusano (草野 大輔, Kusano Daisuke; born December 4, 1976) is a Nippon Professional Baseball player for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles in Japan's Pacific League.
Masafumi Gotoh (後藤 正文, Gotō Masafumi) or Gotch (December 2, 1976) is a Japanese singer-songwriter and musician, best…Masafumi Gotoh (後藤 正文, Gotō Masafumi) or Gotch (December 2, 1976) is a Japanese singer-songwriter and musician, best known as the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter for the rock band Asian Kung-Fu Generation. Masafumi met fellow band members Kensuke Kita and Takahiro Yamada while attending a music club of Kanto Gakuin University. The three formed Asian Kung-Fu Generation in 1996, with drummer Kiyoshi Ijichi joining the band shortly after. As the main songwriter of the band, Gotoh is credited with writing a majority of their lyrics, but has a strong tendency to share songwriting duties equally among his bandmates. His vocal style most often alternates between soft, melodic singing, and harder, harsher, yelling. Masafumi has a degree in economics and his favourite artists include Weezer, Number Girl, Oasis, Teenage Fanclub, and Beck. He produces records for other artists such as Chatmonchy, Dr. Downer and The Chef Cooks Me. He was also one of the founding members of the band Skeletons (スケルトンズ). In 2010, Gotoh launched his own music label, only in dreams. In 2012, he started a solo project under the name Gotch, and released the single "'Lost". In 2014, he released his debut solo album, Can't Be Forever Young and released live album called, Live in Tokyo. In 2016, he released his second solo album, Good New Times, with most songs using English lyrics. In 2024, he established a non profit organization "Apple Vinegar Music Support" and is building a studio called "Music inn Fujieda" in Fujieda to support young and independent musicians. In March 2024, Gotoh released drone/ambient music album Recent Report I under his original name.
Takashi Ogasawara (小笠原 孝, born November 29, 1976) is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher who currently serves as…Takashi Ogasawara (小笠原 孝, born November 29, 1976) is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher who currently serves as the second squad pitching coach for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He played in NPB for the Chunichi Dragons from 1999 to 2012.
Yoshihiro Murakami (村上 佳宏, Murakami Yoshihiro; born November 28, 1976, in Shizuoka) is a Japanese modern pentathlete.…Yoshihiro Murakami (村上 佳宏, Murakami Yoshihiro; born November 28, 1976, in Shizuoka) is a Japanese modern pentathlete. Murakami represented Japan at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, where he finished thirty-first in the men's event, with a score of 4,744 points.
Daigoro Kashiwa (柏大五郎, Kashiwa Daigorō) is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and referee best known for his time…Daigoro Kashiwa (柏大五郎, Kashiwa Daigorō) is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and referee best known for his time with the Japanese promotion Kaientai Dojo.
Hiroyuki Ikeuchi (池内 博之, Ikeuchi Hiroyuki; born November 24, 1976) is a Japanese actor. Ikeuchi's mother is Salvadoran…Hiroyuki Ikeuchi (池内 博之, Ikeuchi Hiroyuki; born November 24, 1976) is a Japanese actor. Ikeuchi's mother is Salvadoran and his father is Japanese. He is an avid martial artist, notably holding a black belt in judo, and is also a keen fisherman.
Takayuki Chano (茶野 隆行, Chano Takayuki; born 23 November 1976) is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan…Takayuki Chano (茶野 隆行, Chano Takayuki; born 23 November 1976) is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team.
Kohei Suwama (諏訪間 幸平, Suwama Kōhei; born November 23, 1976), also known mononymously as Suwama (諏訪魔, Suwa Ma; literally…Kohei Suwama (諏訪間 幸平, Suwama Kōhei; born November 23, 1976), also known mononymously as Suwama (諏訪魔, Suwa Ma; literally translated to "Suwa Evil Spirit"), is a Japanese professional wrestler and executive. He is the founder and president of Pro Wrestling Evolution, which was created in 2023. He is also signed to All Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is a former record eight-time Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion and an eight-time World Tag Team Champion. He was also part of AJPW's board of directors until his departure in early 2025 to focus on Evolution. Debuting in 2004 at the age of 27 under Hiroshi Hase and Kaz Hayashi in the AJPW Dojo, Suwama was seen as the spiritual successor to then-president Keiji Muto, until he turned on him in 2006 to join Voodoo Murders (VDM). Upon dropping his first name and joining VDM, he teamed with both leader Taru and Satoshi Kojima on numerous occasions. He left VDM in 2008 to represent AJPW, and, after winning the Champion Carnival that year, won his first Triple Crown title against Osamu Nishimura. In the years following his first Triple Crown title, he rose to become the legitimate ace of the promotion, winning multiple more Triple Crown and Tag championships. His meteoric rise led to him becoming known in AJPW as both The Emperor and the Next Jumbo. He founded the Evolution stable, which was first known as Last Revolution, in 2012. Within this time, he had been quietly dropped as the ace of AJPW, being replaced by the younger Kento Miyahara. The rivalry between Suwama and Miyahara between 2016 and 2019, and again in 2022, was a pivotal point in AJPW's successes in the mid-to-late 2010s. He formed the Violent Giants (暴走大巨人, Bōsō Dai Kyojin; Japanese for "Runaway Giants") with former DDT and BJW star Shuji Ishikawa; they won four World Tag Team titles and three consecutive Tokyo Sports Best Tag Team Awards between 2017 and 2019 during their run as a tag team. He won the 2016 and 2017 Ōdō Tournaments, and won three World's Strongest Tag Determination Leagues (once with Joe Doering, once with Miyahara, and once with Ishikawa). Since 2008, he has won eight Triple Crown titles and eight World Tag Team titles, becoming one of the winniest competitors in AJPW, surpassing even Mitsuharu Misawa and Toshiaki Kawada for championships combined.
Ryuichi Kobayashi (小林 竜一, Kobayashi Ryūichi; born November 23, 1976) is a Japanese bobsledder who has competed since…Ryuichi Kobayashi (小林 竜一, Kobayashi Ryūichi; born November 23, 1976) is a Japanese bobsledder who has competed since 2004. Competing in two Winter Olympics, he earned his best finish of 21st in both the two-man and four-man events at Vancouver in 2010. Kobayashi's best finish at the FIBT World Championships was 19th in the four-man event at Lake Placid, New York, in 2009. His best World Cup finish was 21st in a four-man event at St. Moritz in January 2010.
Makoto Hirose (廣瀬 誠, Hirose Makoto; born 22 November 1976) is a Japanese Paralympic judoka in Lightweight. In 2004 he…Makoto Hirose (廣瀬 誠, Hirose Makoto; born 22 November 1976) is a Japanese Paralympic judoka in Lightweight. In 2004 he won the silver medal in the men's 60 kg, but was not upgraded when Sergio Arturo Perez was stripped of his gold medal after testing positive for a banned substance. In 2008 he made it to the quarter-finals but lost to Mouloud Noura (Algeria). In 2012 he switched to 66 kg (half-lightweight) and lost the semi-final to Zhao Xu (China). The 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio will be his fourth Games. In the 60 kg, he won his second silver medal when Sherzod Namozov (Uzbekistan) beat him in the final. At the 2010 Asian Para Games he won a bronze medal in the men's -66 kg event.
Sakura Nomura (能村 さくら, nomura sakura; born on (1976-11-22)November 22, 1976) is a Japanese female mixed martial artist…Sakura Nomura (能村 さくら, nomura sakura; born on (1976-11-22)November 22, 1976) is a Japanese female mixed martial artist and kickboxer.
Atsushi Yoneyama (米山 篤志, Yoneyama Atsushi; born November 20, 1976) is a former Japanese football player and manager who…Atsushi Yoneyama (米山 篤志, Yoneyama Atsushi; born November 20, 1976) is a former Japanese football player and manager who played once for the Japan national team.
