Masaaki Sugiyama (杉山正明, Sugiyama Masaaki) (1952-2019) was a Japanese historian and author. Sugiyama was born March 1…Masaaki Sugiyama (杉山正明, Sugiyama Masaaki) (1952-2019) was a Japanese historian and author. Sugiyama was born March 1, 1952, in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. He graduated from the Faculty of Letters of Kyoto University in 1974. In 1992, he became an associate professor at the Faculty of Letters at Kyoto University, and in 1995, a professor, and later a professor at the Graduate School of Letters. He received the Japan Academy Prize in 2007. Sugiyama died on December 24, 2019.
Nobushige Kurokawa (黒川 信重, Kurokawa Nobushige; born 1952) is a Japanese mathematician working in number theory…Nobushige Kurokawa (黒川 信重, Kurokawa Nobushige; born 1952) is a Japanese mathematician working in number theory, especially analytic number theory, multiple trigonometric function theory, zeta functions and automorphic forms. He is currently a professor emeritus at Tokyo Institute of Technology.
Kazuo Oga (男鹿 和雄, Oga Kazuo; born 29 February 1952, in Akita Prefecture, Japan) is an art director and background…Kazuo Oga (男鹿 和雄, Oga Kazuo; born 29 February 1952, in Akita Prefecture, Japan) is an art director and background artist for many Madhouse Studio and Studio Ghibli anime films. Oga has worked with many respected directors, such as Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, Yoshiaki Kawajiri, and Osamu Dezaki. He has also published two compilations of his art and directed a short animated film.
Shōgo Tomiyama (富山 省吾, Tomiyama Shōgo) is a Japanese former film producer. He is best known for his long tenure at…Shōgo Tomiyama (富山 省吾, Tomiyama Shōgo) is a Japanese former film producer. He is best known for his long tenure at Toho, where oversaw the production of the Godzilla film series during its Heisei and Millennium eras.
Issey Ogata (イッセー尾形, Issei Ogata; born February 22, 1952) is a Japanese actor and comedian. He was interested in plays…Issey Ogata (イッセー尾形, Issei Ogata; born February 22, 1952) is a Japanese actor and comedian. He was interested in plays since childhood. After he graduated from Toyotama High School in Japan, he joined a theatrical company and appeared on the stage. Later, he jumped at the opportunity to be an entertainer when he took the gold medal at the audition called "Birth of Comedians". Then, he started garnering roles on Japanese TV. Shows he appeared on include Fuji TV's Evil Grandmother and NHK's RinRinto. He performs in Life Never Stops by himself at GyanGyan Theater in Shibuya. Furthermore, he has had starring roles in major art-house films, including Ota in Edward Yang's Yi Yi, the title character in Jun Ichikawa's Tony Takitani (an adaptation of the Haruki Murakami short story), the role of Japanese Emperor Hirohito in Aleksandr Sokurov's The Sun, and Inoue Masashige in Martin Scorsese's Silence.
Juichi Yamagiwa (Japanese: 山極 寿一) (born on February 21, 1952) is a Japanese anthropologist and the former president of…Juichi Yamagiwa (Japanese: 山極 寿一) (born on February 21, 1952) is a Japanese anthropologist and the former president of Kyoto University.
Ryū Murakami (村上 龍, Murakami Ryū; born February 19, 1952) is a Japanese novelist, essayist and filmmaker. His novels…Ryū Murakami (村上 龍, Murakami Ryū; born February 19, 1952) is a Japanese novelist, essayist and filmmaker. His novels explore human nature through themes of disillusion, drug use, surrealism, murder and war, set against the dark backdrop of Japan. His best known novels are Almost Transparent Blue, Audition, Coin Locker Babies, and In the Miso Soup.
Kazuo Manabe (真部 一男, Manabe Kazuo; February 16, 1952 – November 24, 2007) was a Japanese professional shogi player…Kazuo Manabe (真部 一男, Manabe Kazuo; February 16, 1952 – November 24, 2007) was a Japanese professional shogi player, ranked 9-dan.
Isao Kiso (木曽 功, Isao Kiso; born 11 February 1952) is a Special Advisor to the Cabinet and a former official of the…Isao Kiso (木曽 功, Isao Kiso; born 11 February 1952) is a Special Advisor to the Cabinet and a former official of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in Japan. He has held positions as the Director of Cultural Properties Department at the Agency for Cultural Affairs, the Head of Minister's Secretariat International Affairs Division at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan, Permanent Delegate to UNESCO.
Shinako Tsuchiya (土屋 品子, Tsuchiya Shinako; born 2 February 1952) is a Japanese politician serving in the House of…Shinako Tsuchiya (土屋 品子, Tsuchiya Shinako; born 2 February 1952) is a Japanese politician serving in the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature) as a member of the Liberal Democratic Party. A native of Kasukabe, Saitama and graduate of University of the Sacred Heart she was elected for the first time in 1996. Her father is Yoshihiko Tsuchiya, former governor of Saitama Prefecture.
Jaw-Shen Tsai (Chinese: 蔡兆申; born February 8, 1952) is a Taiwan-born American physicist specializing in low-temperature…Jaw-Shen Tsai (Chinese: 蔡兆申; born February 8, 1952) is a Taiwan-born American physicist specializing in low-temperature solid-state physics. He is known for pioneering research on superconducting qubits and their quantum control. In 1999, he, Yasunobu Nakamura, and their colleagues achieved the first demonstration of qubit operation in a superconducting circuit. He has conducted research at NEC and RIKEN, and was appointed a professor at the Tokyo University of Science in 2015 and a chair professor at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University in 2025.
Tsugutoshi Gotō (後藤 次利, Gotō Tsugutoshi), born February 5, 1952, is a Japanese songwriter, bassist and music producer.…Tsugutoshi Gotō (後藤 次利, Gotō Tsugutoshi), born February 5, 1952, is a Japanese songwriter, bassist and music producer. Gotō broke into the Japanese music industry playing bass on tour for artists like Sadistic Mika Band, Bread & Butter and Shiro Kishibe. He went on to write and produce songs for other artists including Kenji Sawada, Miyuki Nakajima, Shizuka Kudō, and various idol singers. In 1980, Gotō won Song of the Year at the Japan Record Award for his work on Kenji Sawada's song "Tokio". In 1983, Gotō married former idol singer and actress Midori Kinouchi. The pair divorced four years later. In 1987, he contributed the soundtrack for the Famicom/NES version of the video game Ultima III: Exodus. In 1994, he married former Onyanko Club member Sonoko Kawai. Gotō also joined several musical units like Draw4 in 1990, gym in 2003, Non-Chords in 2004 and WAIP in 2006.
Tetsuo Saito (斉藤 鉄夫, Saitō Tetsuo; born 5 February 1952) is a Japanese politician who served as chief representative of…Tetsuo Saito (斉藤 鉄夫, Saitō Tetsuo; born 5 February 1952) is a Japanese politician who served as chief representative of the Komeito from 2024 to 2026. He served as Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism from 2021 to 2024 and Minister of the Environment from 2008 to 2009. Born in Shimane Prefecture, he was educated at the Tokyo Institute of Technology and worked as an engineer before entering politics. He was elected to serve as chief representative of the Komeito to succeed Keiichi Ishii, who was defeated in the 2024 election.
Takashi Fukutani (福谷たかし; February 4, 1952 – September 9, 2000) was a Japanese manga artist. He is best known for his…Takashi Fukutani (福谷たかし; February 4, 1952 – September 9, 2000) was a Japanese manga artist. He is best known for his manga series Dokudami Tenement.
Miyako Yamaguchi (山口美也子) (born February 3, 1952) is a Japanese actress. She won the award for best supporting actress…Miyako Yamaguchi (山口美也子) (born February 3, 1952) is a Japanese actress. She won the award for best supporting actress at the 7th Hochi Film Award for Farewell to the Land.
Yoshitsugu Harada (原田 令嗣, Harada Yoshitsugu; born 2 February 1952) is a former Japanese politician of the Liberal…Yoshitsugu Harada (原田 令嗣, Harada Yoshitsugu; born 2 February 1952) is a former Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, who served as a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Yaizu, Shizuoka and graduate of Keio University, he worked at the public broadcaster NHK from 1974 to 2003. Harada served in the House of Representatives between 2003 and 2009, representing the Shizuoka 2nd district, succeeding his father Shōzō Harada.
Eitetsu Hayashi (林英哲, Hayashi Eitetsu) (born February 2, 1952) is an acclaimed Japanese musician best known for his…Eitetsu Hayashi (林英哲, Hayashi Eitetsu) (born February 2, 1952) is an acclaimed Japanese musician best known for his solo performance work in taiko. Hayashi joined the group Ondekoza at an early age. Later, after parting from group, helped found the taiko group Kodo, though he quickly left to begin a solo career. Hayashi has performed in notable venues such as Carnegie Hall in 1984 and was the first featured taiko performer at the institution. He is also the recipient of multiple awards recognizing the cultural value of his work.
Hitoshi Okamura (born December 2, 1952) is a Japanese scientist who specializes in chronobiology. He is currently a…Hitoshi Okamura (born December 2, 1952) is a Japanese scientist who specializes in chronobiology. He is currently a professor of Systems Biology at Kyoto University Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Research Director of the Japan Science Technology Institute, CREST. Okamura's research group cloned mammalian Period genes, visualized clock oscillation at the single cell level in the central clock of the SCN, and proposed a time-signal neuronal pathway to the adrenal gland. He received a Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon in 2007 for his research and was awarded Aschoff's Ruler for his work on circadian rhythms in rodents. His lab recently revealed the effects of m6A mRNA methylation on the circadian clock, neuronal communications in jet lag, and the role of dysregulated clocks in salt-induced hypertension.
Anzu Furukawa(古川あんず, February 28 , 1952 – October 23 , 2001) was a butoh dancer and performance artist. Since 1973 she…Anzu Furukawa(古川あんず, February 28 , 1952 – October 23 , 2001) was a butoh dancer and performance artist. Since 1973 she has worked as a choreographer, performer and dancer in various groups in Japan including Dairakudakan and Europe.
Echiko Maeda (前田 悦智子, Maeda Echiko) (born 31 January 1952) is a Japanese volleyball player and Olympic champion. Maeda…Echiko Maeda (前田 悦智子, Maeda Echiko) (born 31 January 1952) is a Japanese volleyball player and Olympic champion. Maeda was a member of the Japanese gold medal winning team at the 1976 Olympic games.
Koichi Tani (谷 公一, Tani Kōichi; born 28 January 1952) is a Japanese politician serving in the House of Representatives…Koichi Tani (谷 公一, Tani Kōichi; born 28 January 1952) is a Japanese politician serving in the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature) as a member of the Liberal Democratic Party. A native of Muraoka, Hyōgo and graduate of Meiji University, he was elected for the first time in 2003.
Kang Chang-il (Korean: 강창일; born 28 January 1952) is a South Korean politician who is member of the National Assembly…Kang Chang-il (Korean: 강창일; born 28 January 1952) is a South Korean politician who is member of the National Assembly since 2004. Kang served as South Korea's ambassador to Japan from January 2021 to 2022.
Hiroyuki Nasu (那須博之, Nasu Hiroyuki) (January 27, 1952 – February 27, 2005) was a Japanese film director. He won the…Hiroyuki Nasu (那須博之, Nasu Hiroyuki) (January 27, 1952 – February 27, 2005) was a Japanese film director. He won the award for Best Director at the 8th Yokohama Film Festival for Be-Bop High School and Be-Bop High School: Kōkō yo Tarō aika.
Kaoru Adachi (安達かおる, Adachi Kaoru; born January 27, 1956) is a Japanese film director, producer and editor, and founder…Kaoru Adachi (安達かおる, Adachi Kaoru; born January 27, 1956) is a Japanese film director, producer and editor, and founder of the Japanese documentary and adult video (AV) studio V&R Planning.
Yūko Katagiri (片桐夕子, Katagiri Yūko; 26 January 1952 – 16 October 2022) was a Japanese actress. She appeared in more…Yūko Katagiri (片桐夕子, Katagiri Yūko; 26 January 1952 – 16 October 2022) was a Japanese actress. She appeared in more than sixty films from 1971 to 2022. Katagiri starred in over fifty Nikkatsu Roman Porno films in eight years and once was married to Nikkatsu director Masaru Konuma, though they later divorced.
Koji Ota (太田 幸司, Ōta Kōji; born January 23, 1952) is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher in Japan's Nippon…Koji Ota (太田 幸司, Ōta Kōji; born January 23, 1952) is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball, and belongs to Mainichi Broadcasting System, Inc. as a commentator in baseball live on radio and TV. Ota is a son of an American father and a Japanese mother, the adopted son of a Japanese stepfather and a Russian stepmother, who emigrated to Japan because of the Russian Revolution in 1917.
Maki Kawai (川合眞紀, Kawai Maki) is a Japanese chemist who developed spatially selective single-molecule spectroscopy. In…Maki Kawai (川合眞紀, Kawai Maki) is a Japanese chemist who developed spatially selective single-molecule spectroscopy. In 2018, she became the first woman to become president of the Chemical Society of Japan.
Ryuichi Sakamoto (Japanese: 坂本 龍一, Hepburn: Sakamoto Ryūichi; January 17, 1952 – March 28, 2023) was a Japanese…Ryuichi Sakamoto (Japanese: 坂本 龍一, Hepburn: Sakamoto Ryūichi; January 17, 1952 – March 28, 2023) was a Japanese musician, composer, keyboardist, record producer, singer and actor. He pursued a diverse range of styles as a solo artist and as a member of the synth-based band Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO). With his YMO bandmates Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi, Sakamoto influenced and pioneered a number of electronic music genres. As a film score composer, Sakamoto won an Academy Award (Oscar), BAFTA, Grammy and two Golden Globe Awards. Sakamoto began his career as a session musician, producer, and arranger while he was at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music in the mid 1970s. His first major success came in 1978 as co-founder of YMO. He pursued a solo career at the same time, releasing the experimental electronic fusion album Thousand Knives in that year, and the album B-2 Unit in 1980. B-2 Unit includes the track "Riot in Lagos", which had a significant influence on the development of electro, hip hop and dance music. He went on to produce more solo records, and collaborate with many international artists, including David Sylvian, DJ Spooky, Carsten Nicolai, Youssou N'Dour, and Fennesz. Sakamoto composed music for the opening ceremony of the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympic Games, and his composition "Energy Flow" (1999) was the first instrumental number-one single in Japan's Oricon charts history. Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983) marked his debut as both an actor and a film score composer; its main theme was adapted into the single "Forbidden Colours", which became an international hit. His most successful work as a film composer was his original score for The Last Emperor (1987), for which he won the Academy Award for Best Original Score, making him the first Japanese composer to win an Academy Award. He continued earning accolades composing for films such as The Sheltering Sky (1990), Little Buddha (1993), and The Revenant (2015). On occasion, Sakamoto also worked as a composer and a scenario writer on anime and video games. He was awarded the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from the French Ministry of Culture in 2009 for his contributions to music. Sakamoto died on March 28, 2023, from colorectal cancer at the age of 71.
Masakatsu Koike (小池 正勝, Koike Masakatsu; born January 17, 1952 in Itabashi, Tokyo) is a former Japanese politician. He…Masakatsu Koike (小池 正勝, Koike Masakatsu; born January 17, 1952 in Itabashi, Tokyo) is a former Japanese politician. He served as a member of the House of Councillors representing the Tokushima at-large district as a member of the Liberal Democratic Party.
Minoru Kawawada (born 16 January 1952) is a Japanese master of Shotokan karate. He has won the JKA's version of the…Minoru Kawawada (born 16 January 1952) is a Japanese master of Shotokan karate. He has won the JKA's version of the world championships for both kata and kumite, and has also won the JKA All-Japan Championships for kata on 2 occasions. He is currently the Vice General Manager of the Japan Karate Association Technical Division, and an instructor at their headquarters dojo, as well as the famous Hoitsugan dojo founded by Masatoshi Nakayama.
Tatsuhiko Seta (瀬田 龍彦, Seta Tatsuhiko; born January 15, 1952) is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan…Tatsuhiko Seta (瀬田 龍彦, Seta Tatsuhiko; born January 15, 1952) is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team.
Kazuyasu Shiina (椎名 一保, Shiina Kazuyasu; born January 15, 1952) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic…Kazuyasu Shiina (椎名 一保, Shiina Kazuyasu; born January 15, 1952) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party and a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature). After living in Choshi, Chiba and graduating from Nihon University, he was elected to the House of Councillors for the first time in 2002 after serving in the assembly of Chiba Prefecture for four terms.
Keizō Hamada (浜田 恵造, Hamada Keizō; born 10 January 1952) is a former Japanese politician and finance bureaucrat and a…Keizō Hamada (浜田 恵造, Hamada Keizō; born 10 January 1952) is a former Japanese politician and finance bureaucrat and a former governor of Kagawa Prefecture in the Shikoku region of Japan. He held office for three terms, from September 2010 to September 2022.
Jiichiro Date (伊達 治一郎, Date Jiichiro; January 6, 1952 – 20 February 2018) was a Japanese freestyle wrestler. He won the…Jiichiro Date (伊達 治一郎, Date Jiichiro; January 6, 1952 – 20 February 2018) was a Japanese freestyle wrestler. He won the world cup in 1973 and an Olympic gold medal in 1976 and placed third at the 1975 World Championships. On February 20, 2018, he fell from his apartment in Chofu, Tokyo, and died. He was 66 years old.
Yōichi Iha (伊波 洋一, Iha Yōichi; born 4 January 1952) is a Japanese politician. He has represented the Okinawa at-large…Yōichi Iha (伊波 洋一, Iha Yōichi; born 4 January 1952) is a Japanese politician. He has represented the Okinawa at-large district in the Japanese House of Councillors since 2016. He also served two terms as the mayor of Ginowan, Okinawa.
Akio Sasajima (笹島 明夫, Sasajima Akio) (born 1952) is a jazz guitarist born in Japan and currently based in Sapporo…Akio Sasajima (笹島 明夫, Sasajima Akio) (born 1952) is a jazz guitarist born in Japan and currently based in Sapporo, Japan. His playing style incorporates bebop, hard bop, and jazz fusion. He recorded several albums as a leader for Muse and Enja in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Makoto Kitayama (born 1952) is a Japanese musician, active since the late '60s, most notably as vocalist and songwriter…Makoto Kitayama (born 1952) is a Japanese musician, active since the late '60s, most notably as vocalist and songwriter for the progressive rock band Shingetsu. After Shingetsu folded at the end of the seventies, Kitayama has released two solo albums: the instrumental, keyboard-dominated, "Doubutsukai No Chinou" in 1982 (re-released in 2004) and the progressive rock outing "Hikaru Sazanami" in 1998. "Practical Encyclopedia of Kingdom Plantae" was released in 2008, and is the second part of a planned trilogy that started with his debut solo album, inspired by a book series from 1932. He's helped here by Takashi HAYASHI, the leader and guitarist of Qui.
Nobuaki Koga (古賀 伸明, Koga Nobuaki; born February 23, 1952) is a Japanese unionist. From 2009 to 2015, he served as…Nobuaki Koga (古賀 伸明, Koga Nobuaki; born February 23, 1952) is a Japanese unionist. From 2009 to 2015, he served as president of Rengo, the largest national trade union federation in Japan, having previously been its general secretary.
Tatsuhiko Seo (妹尾 達彦, Seo Tatsuhiko) is a Japanese historian. As of 2008 he is a professor of Chuo University's Faculty…Tatsuhiko Seo (妹尾 達彦, Seo Tatsuhiko) is a Japanese historian. As of 2008 he is a professor of Chuo University's Faculty of Literature.
Yoh Iwasa (born 1952) is a Japanese Mathematical Biologist who is considered the leading mathematical biologist in…Yoh Iwasa (born 1952) is a Japanese Mathematical Biologist who is considered the leading mathematical biologist in Japan. His work includes the evolution of costly mate preferences and the evolutionary dynamics of cancer. Notable papers include: "The evolution of costly mate preferences II. The 'handicap' principle" Evolution 1991 "Demographic theory for an open marine population with space-limited recruitment" with Joan Roughgarden Ecology 1985 "Dynamics of chronic myeloid leukaemia" Nature 2005 "Prey distribution as a factor determining the choice of optimal foraging strategy" The American Naturalist 1981 - JSTOR "Influence of nonlinear incidence rates upon the behavior of SIRS epidemiological models" with Simon Levin Journal of Mathematical Biology, 1986 He has mentored more than 20 Ph.D. students and 20 Postdoctoral researchers.
Shinichiro Nakamura (Japanese: 中村 愼一郎, Hepburn: Nakamura Shin'ichirō; born 1952) is a Japanese economist and industrial…Shinichiro Nakamura (Japanese: 中村 愼一郎, Hepburn: Nakamura Shin'ichirō; born 1952) is a Japanese economist and industrial ecologist, and Professor Emeritus at Waseda University. He is known for his contributions to industrial ecology, particularly for developing the Waste input-output analysis (WIO) , an extension of Input–output analysis that incorporates physical flows of waste and recycling.
Shigeo Ohno (大野 茂男, Ōno Shigeo; born March 1952) is a Japanese molecular biologist known for his pioneer research on…Shigeo Ohno (大野 茂男, Ōno Shigeo; born March 1952) is a Japanese molecular biologist known for his pioneer research on Protein Kinase C (PKC) and Cell Polarity. His works led to the fundamental understanding of cell polarity in response to cell signaling.
Hiroko Nagahara (Japanese: 永原 裕子, born 1952) is a Japanese cosmochemist and astromineralogist whose research studies…Hiroko Nagahara (Japanese: 永原 裕子, born 1952) is a Japanese cosmochemist and astromineralogist whose research studies the chemical composition and formation of chondrules, the molten mineral droplets that accrete to form asteroids and meteoroids. She is a fellow of the Earth–Life Science Institute of the Tokyo Institute of Technology, a professor emerita of Tokyo University, and a former president of the Meteoritical Society.
Makoto Sei Watanabe is a Japanese architect. He has been experimenting with programmatic generation of architecture…Makoto Sei Watanabe is a Japanese architect. He has been experimenting with programmatic generation of architecture since the 1990s, and has already been developing and implementing AI since 2001. His activities encompass not only architectural design but also research, artwork, drawing, organizing international competitions, and even writing a novel.