Tsutomu Hanahara (花原 勉, Hanahara Tsutomu; January 3, 1940 – February 5, 2024) was a Japanese wrestler who won a gold…Tsutomu Hanahara (花原 勉, Hanahara Tsutomu; January 3, 1940 – February 5, 2024) was a Japanese wrestler who won a gold medal in the flyweight class at the 1964 Olympics. He competed at the 1958 and 1967 world championships and finished in sixth and third place, respectively.
Shoichiro Irimajiri (入交 昭一郎, Irimajiri Shōichirō; born on January 3, 1940, in Kochi, Japan) is a Japanese engineer and…Shoichiro Irimajiri (入交 昭一郎, Irimajiri Shōichirō; born on January 3, 1940, in Kochi, Japan) is a Japanese engineer and businessman. He earned an aeronautical engineering degree from the University of Tokyo and worked for Honda Motor Co., Ltd. for 20 years, overseeing the introduction of its CBX motorcycle, design of their F1 racing engines for the RA273 as well as being the president of Honda of America Inc. He resigned in 1992 due to a heart problem, and started a Chinese traditional treatment to restore his condition. During this time, it was said that General Motors recruited Irimajiri for a senior executive position at the company, in light of his success at Honda. While he declined that position and accepted a spot as an outside director, if Irimajiri had accepted the offer, he would have been the first Japanese-born automotive executive of an American automobile manufacturer. After his recovery, Hayao Nakayama, then president of Sega Enterprises, asked him to become vice president of the company. In 1996, he additionally became chairman and CEO of Sega of America. He became president of Sega in 1998, when he laid an ambitious plan using the Dreamcast to restore Sega's lost market share and prestige, which took a severe downfall following the flawed launches of the Sega Saturn and the Sega 32X. After Sega reported its third consecutive loss, Irimajiri resigned and Isao Okawa took his place. While president of Sega he invested $5 million into Nvidia, after the tiny Silicon Valley startup had failed to deliver on its contract to create the graphics chip for the Dreamcast. Jensen Huang has publicly expressed his gratitude to Irimajiri for helping to keep Nvidia alive. Nvidia went public in 1999, and in 2000, after Irimajiri had left, Sega sold its Nvidia stock for $15 million. In 2017, Huang returned the favor by honoring a request from Irimajiri to speak to a small group of business leaders while visiting Japan. Irimajiri's most recent position was as chairman of Asahi Tec, a Japanese manufacturer of aluminum parts and castings for automobiles, owned by Ripplewood Holdings.
Masahiko Tsugawa (津川 雅彦, Tsugawa Masahiko), born Masahiko Katō (加藤 雅彦 Katō Masahiko; January 2, 1940 – August 4, 2018)…Masahiko Tsugawa (津川 雅彦, Tsugawa Masahiko), born Masahiko Katō (加藤 雅彦 Katō Masahiko; January 2, 1940 – August 4, 2018) was a Japanese actor and director.
Tatsuo Kainaka (甲斐中 辰夫, Kainaka Tatsuo; born January 2, 1940) became an attorney at law after serving as a member of…Tatsuo Kainaka (甲斐中 辰夫, Kainaka Tatsuo; born January 2, 1940) became an attorney at law after serving as a member of the Supreme Court of Japan, Superintending Prosecutor of Tokyo High Public Prosecutors Office and so on.
Yukiko Otaka (大高 幸子, Ōtaka Yukiko; born 2 January 1940) is a Japanese former swimmer. She competed in two events at the…Yukiko Otaka (大高 幸子, Ōtaka Yukiko; born 2 January 1940) is a Japanese former swimmer. She competed in two events at the 1956 Summer Olympics.
Hajime Sawatari (沢渡 朔, Sawatari Hajime; born 1940) is a Japanese photographer. He is known for his fashion and…Hajime Sawatari (沢渡 朔, Sawatari Hajime; born 1940) is a Japanese photographer. He is known for his fashion and advertising photography as well as his nudes of girls and women. He earned his degree from Nihon University's College of Art with a major in photography.
Toyoharu Yoshida (Japanese: 吉田豊治, Hepburn: Yoshida Toyoharu; January 1, 1940 – July 1, 2023), better known as Ippei…Toyoharu Yoshida (Japanese: 吉田豊治, Hepburn: Yoshida Toyoharu; January 1, 1940 – July 1, 2023), better known as Ippei Kuri (九里一平, Kuri Ippei), was a Japanese manga artist and the third president of animation production company Tatsunoko Production.
Hifumi Katō (加藤 一二三, Katō Hifumi; January 1, 1940 – January 22, 2026) was a Japanese professional shogi player who…Hifumi Katō (加藤 一二三, Katō Hifumi; January 1, 1940 – January 22, 2026) was a Japanese professional shogi player who achieved the rank of 9-dan. During his career, he won the Meijin, Tenth Dan, Ōi, Kiō and Ōshō major titles. He also held the record for being the youngest to have been awarded regular professional status at age 14 years and 7 months until Sōta Fujii broke it at age 14 years and 2 months in 2016. Since his given name is written using the kanji characters for the numbers "one","two" and "three", Katō was known to his fans by the nickname "Hifumin" (ひふみん).
Toshihisa Toyoda (Japanese: 豊田利久, born August 6, 1940) is a Japanese economist, with contribution in Econometrics and…Toshihisa Toyoda (Japanese: 豊田利久, born August 6, 1940) is a Japanese economist, with contribution in Econometrics and Development Economics.
Koshiro Tanaka (田中光四郎; born 1940) is a Japanese martial artist and veteran of the Soviet–Afghan war. Tanaka left an…Koshiro Tanaka (田中光四郎; born 1940) is a Japanese martial artist and veteran of the Soviet–Afghan war. Tanaka left an office-job to confront his possible fear of death. He travelled to Peshawar then to the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan and after joining Jamiat-e Islami, took up arms against the Soviet and Afghan government armies.
Toshiko MacAdam nee Horiuchi (1940 - Apr 26, 2026) was a Japanese textile artist based in Bridgetown, Nova Scotia…Toshiko MacAdam nee Horiuchi (1940 - Apr 26, 2026) was a Japanese textile artist based in Bridgetown, Nova Scotia, Canada. She was best known for her work with large-scale textile structures, especially "textile playgrounds" for children, brightly colored net-like structures of crocheted and knotted nylon.
Noriaki Kano (狩野紀昭 Kanō Noriaki, pronounced [kanoː noɾiaki]) is a Japanese educator, lecturer, writer, and consultant…Noriaki Kano (狩野紀昭 Kanō Noriaki, pronounced [kanoː noɾiaki]) is a Japanese educator, lecturer, writer, and consultant in the field of quality management. He is the developer of a customer satisfaction model (now known as the Kano model) whose simple ranking scheme distinguishes between essential and differentiating attributes related to concepts of customer quality. He is a professor emeritus of the Tokyo University of Science. He was Visiting Professor at the University of Rome III during the academic year 2010-2011.
Kenji Shimizu (清水 健二, Shimizu Kenji), b. 1940, is an aikido teacher and founder of the aikido style Tendo-ryu Aikido…Kenji Shimizu (清水 健二, Shimizu Kenji), b. 1940, is an aikido teacher and founder of the aikido style Tendo-ryu Aikido (天道流). Shimizu was born in 1940 in Fukuoka, Japan. He had been training judo since childhood and held a 4th dan in this art when he changed to aikido in 1963. He then became one of the last personal students of the aikido founder Morihei Ueshiba. After Ueshiba died in 1969, Shimizu, then with a 7th dan in aikido, founded his own school in Tōkyō named Tendoryu (School of the Way of Heaven). Tendoryu Aikido is characterized by its large and clear movements, emphasizing naturalness and harmonic flow of motion. Since 1978, Shimizu has regularly held seminars in Germany and other European countries. A German Tendoryu Society was founded in 1993. He received the 8th dan aikido from the Japanese Budo Federation in 1998 and has co-authored a book titled Zen and Aikido (ISBN 4-900586-13-7) with Shigeo Kamata. Shimizu received the 'Foreign Minister Award', an award from the Foreign Minister of Japan, on 16 July 2002, for his work spreading aikido abroad. Shimizu-sensei was the first Aikido and Budo artist to receive this award. In the same year he was invited to the autumn garden party at the imperial palace in Akasaka, Tōkyō.
Tadao Oda (小田忠雄, Oda Tadao) (born 1940, Kyoto) is a Japanese mathematician working in the field of algebraic geometry…Tadao Oda (小田忠雄, Oda Tadao) (born 1940, Kyoto) is a Japanese mathematician working in the field of algebraic geometry, especially toric varieties. The field of toric varieties was developed by Demazure, Mumford, Miyake, Oda and others in the 1970s. He is also known for a book on toric varieties: Convex Bodies and Algebraic Geometry: An Introduction to the Theory of Toric Varieties. In 1958 Oda graduated from Tokai High School in Nagoya, Japan, where Shigefumi Mori and Hisasi Morikawa also graduated from. He earned his bachelor's degree from Kyoto University in 1962, and five years later earned a Ph.D. under David Mumford from Harvard University with thesis Abelian varieties over a perfect field and Dieudonné Modules. After completing his Ph.D., Oda was an associate professor at Nagoya University and became a professor at Tohoku University in 1975. He remained at the university for 28 years. He is an emeritus professor at Tohoku University. Oda wrote "Algebraic Geometry, Sendai, 1985" with Hisasi Morikawa, a former professor at Nagoya University. Tadao has belonged to the Kiwanis Club of Sendai since 1999 and was elected to a three-year term as a trustee of Kiwanis International in 2008.
Kōji Taki (Japanese: 多木 浩二, Hepburn: Taki Kōji; 27 December 1928 – 13 April 2011) was a Japanese critic, photographer…Kōji Taki (Japanese: 多木 浩二, Hepburn: Taki Kōji; 27 December 1928 – 13 April 2011) was a Japanese critic, photographer and philosopher.
Kei Satō (佐藤 慶, Satō Kei; born December 21, 1928 in Aizuwakamatsu – May 2, 2010) was a Japanese character actor and…Kei Satō (佐藤 慶, Satō Kei; born December 21, 1928 in Aizuwakamatsu – May 2, 2010) was a Japanese character actor and narrator. He is known for his work with Japanese New Wave director Nagisa Oshima, and for several films with Kaneto Shindo, such as Onibaba and Kuroneko. He won the best actor award from Kinema Junpo for the films The Ceremony and Nihon no akuryō. He also worked as a narrator for many documentaries, both on television and film.
Tappei Shimokawa (下川 辰平, Tappei Shimokawa; December 11, 1928 – March 25, 2004) was a Japanese actor. He attended…Tappei Shimokawa (下川 辰平, Tappei Shimokawa; December 11, 1928 – March 25, 2004) was a Japanese actor. He attended Musashino Art University, but withdrew before completing his degree. In 1964, he joined Bungakuza Theatre Company but left in 1977. He is well known for his role as Chōsan (Detective Tarō Nozaki) in the detective drama television series Taiyō ni Hoero!. His notable films are The Sands of Kurobe (1968), Akira Kurosawas film Dodes'ka-den (1970) and Kimi yo Fundo no Kawa o Watare (1976).
Noriaki Tsuchimoto (土本典昭, Tsuchimoto Noriaki) (11 December 1928, in Gifu Prefecture, Japan – 24 June 2008) was a…Noriaki Tsuchimoto (土本典昭, Tsuchimoto Noriaki) (11 December 1928, in Gifu Prefecture, Japan – 24 June 2008) was a Japanese documentary film director known for his films on Minamata disease and examinations of the effects of modernization on Asia. Tsuchimoto and Shinsuke Ogawa have been called the "two figures [that] tower over the landscape of Japanese documentary."
Kiyozō Kazama (風間 喜代三, Kazama Kiyozō; born 8 December 1928 in Tokyo) is a Japanese professor of comparative…Kiyozō Kazama (風間 喜代三, Kazama Kiyozō; born 8 December 1928 in Tokyo) is a Japanese professor of comparative linguistics, specializing in Latin and Greek, and emeritus professor at Tokyo University. He studied comparative grammar under Kōzu Harushige at the department of linguistics at Tokyo University, and graduated in 1952. He studied abroad under a scholarship grant at Vienna University and returned to become assistant, and then full, professor at his alma mater. He was awarded his doctorate in September 1978 on the subject of kinship terminology in Indo-European languages. On his retirement, he subsequently taught at Hosei University. He is one of Japan's leading scholars in Indo-European studies, with a particular interest in etymology.
Hiroshi Fujita (Japanese: 藤田 宏, Hepburn: Fujita Hiroshi) (born 7 December 1928 in Osaka) is a retired Japanese…Hiroshi Fujita (Japanese: 藤田 宏, Hepburn: Fujita Hiroshi) (born 7 December 1928 in Osaka) is a retired Japanese mathematician who worked in partial differential equations. He obtained his Ph.D. at the University of Tokyo, under the supervision of Tosio Kato.
Reiji Suzuki (鈴木 礼治, Suzuki Reiji; 4 December 1928 – 15 August 2022) was a Japanese politician. He served as governor…Reiji Suzuki (鈴木 礼治, Suzuki Reiji; 4 December 1928 – 15 August 2022) was a Japanese politician. He served as governor of Aichi Prefecture from 1983 to 1999. He was born in Mie Prefecture. He graduated from Nagoya University. He was a recipient of the Order of the Sacred Treasure.
Takako Doi (土井 たか子, Doi Takako; 30 November 1928 – 20 September 2014) was a Japanese politician who served as leader of…Takako Doi (土井 たか子, Doi Takako; 30 November 1928 – 20 September 2014) was a Japanese politician who served as leader of the Japan Socialist Party (JSP) from 1986 to 1991 and later its successor the Social Democratic Party (SDP) from 1996 to 2003. As leader of the JSP, she became the first female leader of a major Japanese political party, and the country's first female opposition leader. Doi's leadership and the result of the 1989 Upper House elections are considered watershed moments for female political participation in Japan. She led the party to great success in the 1989 and 1990 elections. After the 1993 election, she was elected as the first woman to serve as speaker of the House of Representatives, serving in that office from 1993 to 1996. She then led the diminished SDP from 1996 until her resignation after the 2003 election.
Bernard Ryosuke Inagaki (Japanese: 稲垣良典; 27 November 1928 – 15 January 2022) was a Japanese philosopher and Thomas…Bernard Ryosuke Inagaki (Japanese: 稲垣良典; 27 November 1928 – 15 January 2022) was a Japanese philosopher and Thomas Aquinas scholar. He wrote extensively on medieval philosophy, scholastic philosophy, and philosophy of law. He is known for leading the Japanese translation of Aquinas' Summa Theologiæ.
Tatsuo Nishida (西田 龍雄, Nishida Tatsuo; 26 November 1928 – 26 September 2012) was a professor at Kyoto University. His…Tatsuo Nishida (西田 龍雄, Nishida Tatsuo; 26 November 1928 – 26 September 2012) was a professor at Kyoto University. His work encompasses research on a variety of Tibeto-Burman languages, having made great contributions in particular to the deciphering of the Tangut language.
Tatsuo Takahashi (Japanese: 高橋辰夫; 23 November 1928 – 10 October 2001) was a Japanese politician from Date, Hokkaido. He…Tatsuo Takahashi (Japanese: 高橋辰夫; 23 November 1928 – 10 October 2001) was a Japanese politician from Date, Hokkaido. He was elected five times as a member of the House of Representatives of Japan from Hokkaido's 4th district (1979–1990, 1993–1996 from the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan. In his last term, he served alongside Yukio Hatoyama, Tadamasa Kodaira and Shōichi Watanabe. He retired from politics after losing against Yukio Hatayama in 1996. Former speed skater and current member of the House of Councillors Seiko Hashimoto is his sister in law.
Hikaru Matsunaga (松永 光, Matsunaga Hikaru; 23 November 1928 – 11 October 2022) was a Japanese politician of the Liberal…Hikaru Matsunaga (松永 光, Matsunaga Hikaru; 23 November 1928 – 11 October 2022) was a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) who briefly served as the Minister of Finance from 27 January to 30 July 1998.
Koji Sone (曽根 康治, Sone Kōji; November 14, 1928 – April 27, 1981) was a Japanese judoka and world champion. He was born…Koji Sone (曽根 康治, Sone Kōji; November 14, 1928 – April 27, 1981) was a Japanese judoka and world champion. He was born in the city Chichibu, Saitama and started judo in his childhood. His father was a 6th Dan in judo and his uncle a 9th Dan. Sone is a university-trained judoka from Meiji University. After that he belonged to Fuji Iron & Steel. As fifth dan, measuring 5 feet and 10 1/2 inches in height and weighing 215 pounds, he received a gold medal at the 1958 World Judo Championships in Tokyo against teammate and 4th dan Akio Kaminaga. Sone was surprisingly eliminated in the second round of the 1960 All-Japan Judo Championships, a contemporary report by the martial artist Donn F. Draeger calling his performance there a "pitiful sight" and mentioning that he was aging. Sone won a silver medal at the 1961 World Judo Championships in Paris, behind Anton Geesink. His loss against Geesink, 5th dan, was heralded as the end of the era in which the best Japanese judokas could not be defeated by foreigners. Within nine minutes of the 20-minute contest, a foot sweep forced Sone onto the ground where he was held for the necessary 30 seconds with a Mune-gatame. Despite that, many believed that Sone was the technically better judoka. At the age of 33 Sone was relatively old for a judoka. It would be the last World Championship without a division into weight classes. After the loss against Geesink, Sone became coach of the Japanese judo team. Sone was accused by Geesink's teammates in the 1965 World Judo Championships of having Seiji Sakaguchi lose against the more rested Matsunaga to have Matsunaga take on the weary Geesink in the final round. Matsunaga still lost, Geesink winning the heavy-weight title by decision. But the Japanese team hoped to beat him with Isao Inokuma in the all-weight class the next day. Before the match, however, Geesink quit. The jubilant Japanese team carried Sone on their shoulders and paraded him around the gym. In 1977 he achieved the rank of 8th Dan. In 1981 he died of cerebral hemorrhage in Tokyo.
Tomi Taira (平良 とみ, Taira Tomi; 5 November 1928 – 6 December 2015) was a Japanese actress with a long history of…Tomi Taira (平良 とみ, Taira Tomi; 5 November 1928 – 6 December 2015) was a Japanese actress with a long history of performing in Okinawan theatre. She was mainly active as an actress, narrator, dialect coach and in other capacities in shows and films taking place in Okinawa and in projects otherwise representing the region, as well as working more directly and officially with the Okinawa Tourist Bureau in promoting the island prefecture. Acting both on stage and in films for many years, her first notable role in films was that of the title role of Nabbie, the grandmother in the 1999 film Nabbie no koi.
Osamu Tezuka (手塚 治虫, born 手塚 治, Tezuka Osamu, (1928-11-03)3 November 1928 – 9 February 1989) was a Japanese manga…Osamu Tezuka (手塚 治虫, born 手塚 治, Tezuka Osamu, (1928-11-03)3 November 1928 – 9 February 1989) was a Japanese manga artist, cartoonist and animator. Considered to be among the greatest and most influential cartoonists of all time, his prolific output, pioneering techniques and innovative redefinitions of genres earned him such titles as "the Father of Manga" (マンガの父, Manga no Chichi), "the Godfather of Manga" (マンガの教父, Manga no Kyōfu) and "the God of Manga" (マンガの神様, Manga no Kami-sama). Additionally, he is often considered the Japanese equivalent to Walt Disney, who served as a major inspiration during Tezuka's formative years. Though this phrase praises the quality of his early manga works for children and animations, it also blurs the significant influence of his later, more literary, gekiga works. Inspired by the early Chinese animated film Princess Iron Fan, Tezuka began what was known as the manga revolution in Japan with his New Treasure Island published in 1947. His output would spawn some of the most influential, successful and well-received manga series including the children's manga Astro Boy, Princess Knight and Kimba the White Lion, and the adult-oriented series Black Jack, Phoenix and Buddha, all of which won several awards. Tezuka died of stomach cancer in 1989. His death had an immediate impact on the Japanese public and other cartoonists. A museum was constructed in Takarazuka dedicated to his memory and life works, and Tezuka received many posthumous awards. Several animations were in production at the time of his death along with the final chapters of Phoenix, which were never released.
Shigeru Onishi (Japanese: 大西茂, Onishi Shigeru, November 2, 1928 – December 2, 1994) was a Japanese visual artist.…Shigeru Onishi (Japanese: 大西茂, Onishi Shigeru, November 2, 1928 – December 2, 1994) was a Japanese visual artist. Onishi produced photography-based work and abstract ink paintings. Michel Tapié introduced Onishi's calligraphic works to Europe with works by the Gutai group artists in the context of the Art Informel movement. These calligraphic works used the sumi method that Japanese painters traditionally use from ink made from soot or oil and animal glue. He started his artistic career as photographer in 1950 and gradually shifted to abstract ink painting. Although he was a self-educated photographer, he was very familiar with various photographic and photo development techniques. He worked with multiple exposure, development processing with brushes and sponges, discoloration using developing agents, film processing, color tone manipulation using temperature, and other methods. These techniques would often achieve experimental results.
Giuseppe Pittau (20 October 1928 – 26 December 2014) was a Roman Catholic titular archbishop. Born in Villacidro…Giuseppe Pittau (20 October 1928 – 26 December 2014) was a Roman Catholic titular archbishop. Born in Villacidro, Italy, Pittau was ordained to the priesthood for the Society of Jesus on 18 March 1959. He earned a PhD from Harvard University in 1963. On 28 July 1998 Pope John Paul II appointed Pittau titular archbishop of Castro di Sardegna and secretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education and Pittau was ordained on 26 September 1998. He was also rector of Sophia University in Tokyo, and of the Gregorian University in Rome. On 25 November 2003, Pittau retired. Pittau died on Friday 26 December 2014. Before his service in the Congregation for Catholic Education, he had assisted the Jesuit that Pope John Paul II had chosen in the early 1980s, Cardinal Paolo Dezza, S.J., to govern the order following the incapacitation due to a stroke of their then-superior general, Father Pedro Arrupe, S.J. Pope Francis made reference to the services he had rendered in Tokyo and at the Gregorian University, to the Roman Curia, and to the Society of Jesus in the telegram of condolence he sent to the Jesuit superior general, Father Adolfo Nicolas, S.J., upon learning of his death.
Susumu Hani (羽仁 進, Hani Susumu; born 10 October 1928) is a Japanese film director, and one of the most prominent…Susumu Hani (羽仁 進, Hani Susumu; born 10 October 1928) is a Japanese film director, and one of the most prominent representatives of the 1960s Japanese New Wave. Born in Tokyo, he has directed both documentaries and feature films. He won the Directors Guild of Japan New Directors Award for his first fiction film, Bad Boys, in 1961. His 1962 film Mitasareta seikatsu was entered into the 12th Berlin International Film Festival. His 1963 documentary film Children Hand in Hand was entered into the 4th Moscow International Film Festival winning him a Special Diploma. One of his most famous films is Nanami: The Inferno of First Love (初恋・地獄篇 - Hatsukoi Jigokuhen, 1968), which Hani co-scripted with Shūji Terayama.
Shōji Hayashi (林 昌二, Hayashi Shōji) (23 September 1928 – 30 November 2011) was a Japanese architect. As chief architect…Shōji Hayashi (林 昌二, Hayashi Shōji) (23 September 1928 – 30 November 2011) was a Japanese architect. As chief architect of Nikken Sekkei, Ltd., he designed many notable buildings, including the Palaceside Building in Tokyo, which was selected as one of 20 works of modern Japanese architecture by Docomomo Japan. He was chairman of the Japan Institute of Architects (1990–1992) and an honorary fellow of the American Institute of Architects.
Shiro Hashizume (橋爪四郎, Hashizume Shirō; September 20, 1928 – March 9, 2023) was a Japanese Olympic freestyle swimmer.…Shiro Hashizume (橋爪四郎, Hashizume Shirō; September 20, 1928 – March 9, 2023) was a Japanese Olympic freestyle swimmer. He won the silver medal in the men's 1500m freestyle at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland. He broke the world record in the same event on August 16, 1949, clocking 18:35.7. That time was bettered the same day, however, by compatriot Hironoshin Furuhashi at the American Swimming Championships in Los Angeles, California.
Takahiro Sonoda (Japanese: 園田 高弘, Hepburn: Sonoda Takahiro; September 17, 1928 – October 7, 2004) was a Japanese…Takahiro Sonoda (Japanese: 園田 高弘, Hepburn: Sonoda Takahiro; September 17, 1928 – October 7, 2004) was a Japanese classical pianist.
Hironoshin Furuhashi (古橋 廣之進, Furuhashi Hironoshin; 16 September 1928 – 2 August 2009) was a Japanese Olympic freestyle…Hironoshin Furuhashi (古橋 廣之進, Furuhashi Hironoshin; 16 September 1928 – 2 August 2009) was a Japanese Olympic freestyle swimmer. In 1948, he set world records in the 400 and 1,500 meter freestyles at the Japan national championships. Furuhashi and Japan were not allowed to compete at the 1948 Summer Olympics because of Japan's role in World War II. Because of his achievement at the 1949 U.S. National Championships of Aquatics, in which he set new world records of freestyle swimming in all distance categories, Furuhashi was referred to by the US media as "the flying fish of Fujiyama". Furuhashi competed in the 1952 Summer Olympics, but did not perform well because of the lingering effects of dysentery which he had contracted during a swimming tour of South America in 1950. In total, Furuhashi set 33 world records during his swimming career. After retiring from competitive swimming, he served as president of the Japanese Olympic Committee for five terms until retiring in 1999. On August 2, 2009, he was found dead in his sleep at his hotel room in Rome, where he was staying for the 2009 World Aquatics Championships.
Yasumasa Narasaki (楢崎 泰昌, Narasaki Yasumasa; 9 September 1928 – 21 October 2014) was a Japanese politician from the…Yasumasa Narasaki (楢崎 泰昌, Narasaki Yasumasa; 9 September 1928 – 21 October 2014) was a Japanese politician from the Liberal Democratic Party. He served as a member of the House of Councillors from 1992 to 1998.
Fumihiko Maki (槇 文彦, Maki Fumihiko; 6 September 1928 – 6 June 2024) was a Japanese architect. In 1993, he received the…Fumihiko Maki (槇 文彦, Maki Fumihiko; 6 September 1928 – 6 June 2024) was a Japanese architect. In 1993, he received the Pritzker Prize for his work, which often explores pioneering uses of new materials and fuses the cultures of east and west. Maki died on 6 June 2024, at the age of 95.
Kōichi Hamada (浜田 幸一, Hamada Kōichi; 5 September 1928 – 5 August 2012) was a Japanese politician who served in the…Kōichi Hamada (浜田 幸一, Hamada Kōichi; 5 September 1928 – 5 August 2012) was a Japanese politician who served in the House of Representatives from 1969 to 1980 and from 1983 to 1993. A member of the Liberal Democratic Party, he often drew attention for his unrestrained statements and actions. After his retirement from politics he was active as a television personality.
Takahiro Tamura (田村高廣, Tamura Takahiro; 31 August 1928 – 16 May 2006) was a Japanese film actor. He appeared in 100…Takahiro Tamura (田村高廣, Tamura Takahiro; 31 August 1928 – 16 May 2006) was a Japanese film actor. He appeared in 100 films between 1954 and 2005. He and his younger brothers Masakazu and Ryō were known as the three Tamura brothers. They were sons of actor Tsumasaburo Bando.
Osamu Shimomura (下村 脩, Shimomura Osamu; August 27, 1928 – October 19, 2018) was a Japanese organic chemist and marine…Osamu Shimomura (下村 脩, Shimomura Osamu; August 27, 1928 – October 19, 2018) was a Japanese organic chemist and marine biologist, and professor emeritus at Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) in Woods Hole, Massachusetts and Boston University School of Medicine. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2008 for the discovery and development of green fluorescent protein (GFP) with two American scientists: Martin Chalfie of Columbia University and Roger Tsien of the University of California-San Diego.
Ryuzo Yanagimachi (柳町 隆造, Yanagimachi Ryūzō; August 27, 1928 – September 27, 2023) was a Japanese-born, American-based…Ryuzo Yanagimachi (柳町 隆造, Yanagimachi Ryūzō; August 27, 1928 – September 27, 2023) was a Japanese-born, American-based scientist. He made numerous key contributions to the study of mammalian fertilization, and he was also a pioneer in the cloning field. Accordingly, he assisted in fertilization technologies such as in vitro fertilization and direct sperm injection into the egg (commonly called intracytoplasmic sperm injection or ICSI), which are widely used today in human infertility clinics throughout the world. In 1997, his laboratory at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa successfully cloned mice using the Honolulu technique.
Huang Hsin-chieh (Chinese: 黃信介; 20 August 1928 – 30 November 1999) was a Taiwanese politician, Taipei city council…Huang Hsin-chieh (Chinese: 黃信介; 20 August 1928 – 30 November 1999) was a Taiwanese politician, Taipei city council member, National Assembly representative, Legislative Yuan legislator, publisher of Formosa Magazine and Taiwan Political Theory magazine (台灣政論), senior Dangwai Leader, third chairperson of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), and senior adviser to the president of the Republic of China. He was born on August 20, 1928, during the period when Taiwan was under Japanese governance also known to the Japanese as the Japan governance period of Taiwan and was fluent in Japanese and Taiwanese. He married Chang Yueh-ching (張月卿) in 1954 and had four children and adopted sons. They lived in a modest residence on Chongqing N. Rd in Datong District, Taipei City for over three decades. On November 30, 1999, he died of a heart attack in Taipei at the age of 71. He was buried in Bali District, President Lee Teng-hui on January 18, 2000, awarded Huang Hsin-chieh the posthumous citation for activities to promote political reform, nation building, and democracy advancement. Lee's successor Chen Shui-bian established a memorial lecture at the Ketagalan Institute in Huang Hsin-chieh's memory to promote deeper democracy through lectures ranging from constitutional reform to China-Taiwan-US relations.
Shōji Yasui (安井 昌二, Yasui Shōji; 16 August 1928 – 3 March 2014) was a Japanese actor. He was best known for playing the…Shōji Yasui (安井 昌二, Yasui Shōji; 16 August 1928 – 3 March 2014) was a Japanese actor. He was best known for playing the central role of Private Mizushima in Kon Ichikawa's The Burmese Harp.
Toshio Inamura (稲村 稔夫, Inamura Toshio, 16 August 1928 – 12 March 2000) was a Japanese educator and politician. He…Toshio Inamura (稲村 稔夫, Inamura Toshio, 16 August 1928 – 12 March 2000) was a Japanese educator and politician. He served as a member of the House of Councillors and as mayor of Sanjō in Niigata Prefecture.
Tatsuo Ikeda (池田 龍雄, Ikeda Tatsuo; August 15, 1928 – 30 November 2020) was a Japanese avant-garde artist. An active…Tatsuo Ikeda (池田 龍雄, Ikeda Tatsuo; August 15, 1928 – 30 November 2020) was a Japanese avant-garde artist. An active figure in the Japanese postwar art scene, Ikeda’s works adopted a surrealist sensibility deeply grounded in social and political critique. Using strategies of distortion, grotesque figures, biomorphic forms, and a satirical tone, Ikeda sharply engaged with a range of contemporary issues including labor politics and class conflict, Japan-United States relations, nuclear disarmament, and legacies of militarism, especially through the proliferation and continued presence of American military bases on Japanese soil after the end of the Occupation era. A leading figure in the Reportage movement of the 1950s and early 60s, Ikeda, along with artists such as Hiroshi Nakamura, Kikuji Yamashita, and Shigeo Ishii, visited sites of protest across the country to document the realities of postwar social unrest through a expressive mode inflected with both surrealist and realist tenors. He was involved in a number of prominent but short-lived artistic societies that emerged after the war, including Tarō Okamoto and Kiyoteru Hanada's Zen'ei Bijutsu-kai (Avant-garde Art Study Group, which had its roots in their earlier Yoru no Kai group), Seiki no Kai (Century Society), Seibiren (Youth Artists' Alliance) and the Seisakusha Kondankai (Producers' Workshop), which he co-founded with film critic Senpei Kasu. Ikeda mostly worked in painting and drawing using earthy monochromatic tones, though later in his career he turned towards mixed-media and sculptural work as well. He is best known for his ink drawing works, which include Anti-Atomic Bomb, Chronicle of Birds and Beasts, and Genealogy of Monsters. His later works, particularly following the Anpo protests in 1960 and their failure to enact social upheaval, turned to more spiritual and cosmological concepts, as evidenced by the biomorphic, embryonic forms expressed in the BRAHMAN series (1973–88).
