Manabu Kitabeppu (北別府 学, Kitabeppu Manabu; July 12, 1957 – June 16, 2023) was a Japanese professional baseball pitcher…
Manabu Kitabeppu (北別府 学, Kitabeppu Manabu; July 12, 1957 – June 16, 2023) was a Japanese professional baseball pitcher, the first-round draft pick of the Hiroshima Toyo Carp in 1975, and one of the most famous Japanese right-handed pitchers. He was known as the "Precision Machine" (精密機械, Seimitsu-Kikai) because of his perfect control pitching, and his nickname was Pei-San (ペイさん). Kitabeppu struggled his first few seasons, then went 17–11 with a 3.58 ERA to make his first All-Star team in 1979. It was the first of five consecutive All-Star picks for Kitabeppu, who helped the team to a Japan Series title in 1980. In 1982 Kitabeppu went 20–8 with a 2.43 ERA, easily his best year up to that point in his pitching career. He led the Central League with 267.3 innings, won the most games on the mound, and was fourth in ERA. He won his first Eiji Sawamura Award that season and also was named to the Best Nine. His streak of All-Star selections ended in 1984, though he continued to pitch well in '84 and '85. In 1986 Kitabeppu had his best season, going 18–4 with a 2.43 ERA. He led the circuit once again in victories, won his only ERA crown, led in complete games (17) and shutouts (4), won his only Gold Glove, and in addition to the Best Nine and Sawamura, won his only MVP award as the Carp returned to the Japan Series, but failed to win. Kitabeppu again was an All-Star in '88 but posted losing records from '87 through '89, once with an ERA of 5.48. The former star allowed the most runs in 1988 (87) and the most homers (22). The next season, he again surrendered the most home runs, also 22. In 1989 he was in the minor leagues for the first time in his career. Kitabeppu emerged resurgent from his trials and after a decent season in 1990, in 1991 he went 11–4 with a 3.38 ERA. He made his seventh All-Star team in 1992, with 14 wins in 22 decisions, and a 2.58 ERA. It was his lowest ERA and most victories since his MVP season of '86. The Carp made their third Japan Series of the Kitabeppu era, but lost to the Seibu Lions. Still just 34, Kitabeppu reached 200 career wins. It was his last good season – he would pitch 24 more games, going 9-9, with ERAs over 5 each time, before retiring. His career line with Hiroshima was 213–141 with a 3.67 ERA. Since Kitabeppu, only one pitcher in Nippon Pro Baseball (Kimiyasu Kudoh) has reached 200 victories. Kitabeppu ranks 17th all-time in wins, 20th in innings (3,113), 26th in strikeouts (1,757), 9th in hits allowed (3,225), and 4th in homers surrendered (380, the Central League record). After retiring, Kitabeppu became an announcer and then the pitching coach for the Carp. Shortly after midnight on June 16, 2023, he died in a hospital in the city of Hiroshima. He was 65. In 2020 he announced that he had been battling leukemia for a long time.
Famous People Born in the Year of the Rooster
Rooster: 1,915 people
Takuro Morinaga (森永卓郎, Morinaga Takurō; 12 July 1957 – 28 January 2025) was a Japanese economist and academic at Dokkyo…
Takuro Morinaga (森永卓郎, Morinaga Takurō; 12 July 1957 – 28 January 2025) was a Japanese economist and academic at Dokkyo University, Saitama, a suburb to Tokyo. He was also a television program editor. As an economist he was highly publicized, expressing his views in television and radio on an array of subjects, from politics to manga to video games. His ideas elicited a large number of reactions on the internet and in media.
Tsutomu Okabori (岡堀 勉, Okabori Tsutomu; born 10 July 1957) is a Japanese former cyclist. He competed in the team…
Tsutomu Okabori (岡堀 勉, Okabori Tsutomu; born 10 July 1957) is a Japanese former cyclist. He competed in the team pursuit event at the 1976 Summer Olympics and 1978 Asian Games. He was also a professional keirin cyclist.
Ikue Mori is a Japanese scientist. She is known for her work on molecular, cellular and neural circuit analyses of…
Ikue Mori is a Japanese scientist. She is known for her work on molecular, cellular and neural circuit analyses of thermotaxis behavior in C. elegans. She is Director of Neuroscience Institute and Professor of Molecular Neurobiology of the Graduate School of Science in Nagoya University, Japan. In 2013, she became the first woman to receive Tokizane Award, the most prestigious neuroscience award in Japan, and in 2017, was awarded Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon.
Kazuyo Matsui (松居 一代, Matsui Kazuyo; born 25 June 1957 in Ōmihachiman, Shiga Prefecture) is a Japanese actress…
Kazuyo Matsui (松居 一代, Matsui Kazuyo; born 25 June 1957 in Ōmihachiman, Shiga Prefecture) is a Japanese actress, investor, businesswoman, essayist, university professor (special appointment), and lifestyle (household chores) adviser. Her married name was Kazuyo Funakoshi (船越 一代, Funakoshi Kazuyo). She divorced her husband Eiichiro Funakoshi in December 2017. She is represented by the Kazuyo Matsui Jimusho agency.
Tsuyoshi Fukui (福井 烈, Fukui Tsuyoshi; born 22 June 1957) is a retired tour and Japan Davis Cup team tennis player.…
Tsuyoshi Fukui (福井 烈, Fukui Tsuyoshi; born 22 June 1957) is a retired tour and Japan Davis Cup team tennis player. Fukui holds the record for the most singles win for the Japanese in Davis Cup, with 26. On tour, he won two Challenger tennis events in singles and earned a career-high singles ranking of World No. 177, in January 1983.
Yoshimi Seki (Japanese: 関よしみ, Hepburn: Seki Yoshimi; born June 21, 1957) is a Japanese manga artist from Shimonoseki…
Yoshimi Seki (Japanese: 関よしみ, Hepburn: Seki Yoshimi; born June 21, 1957) is a Japanese manga artist from Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture. She is specialized in psychological horror. She won the 18th Nakayoshi and Shōjo Friend newcomer award in the April 1980 of Nakayoshi Deluxe with the short story Otome Tsubaki no Hana no Shita (乙女椿の花の下) with the pen name Itou Kayoko (いとうかよこ).
Makiko Futaki (二木真希子 Futaki Makiko; June 19, 1958 – May 13, 2016) was a Japanese animator best known for her…
Makiko Futaki (二木真希子 Futaki Makiko; June 19, 1958 – May 13, 2016) was a Japanese animator best known for her contributions to Studio Ghibli on films such as My Neighbor Totoro (1988), Princess Mononoke (1997), and Spirited Away (2001). She is also known for her role as a key animator on the cult classic film, Akira (1988), and her early work with studio Gainax on Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise (1987). Hayao Miyazaki, the founder of Studio Ghibli, praised her talents as an artist calling her both a valuable asset and someone he can trust to execute his vision. She died on May 13, 2016, due to an unpublished illness at a Tokyo hospital.
Midori Kinouchi (木之内 みどり, Kinouchi Midori, b. Midori Kiuchi on June 10, 1957) is a former Japanese idol and actress.
Sasshūnada Yasutaka (born 7 June 1957 as Katsuyuki Yoshizaki) is a former sumo wrestler from Ibusuki, Kagoshima, Japan.…
Sasshūnada Yasutaka (born 7 June 1957 as Katsuyuki Yoshizaki) is a former sumo wrestler from Ibusuki, Kagoshima, Japan. He made his professional debut in January 1976, and reached the top division in September 1986. His highest rank was maegashira 1. He retired in September 1992. As of 2023 he is an elder in the Japan Sumo Association under the name Tatsutayama.
Shinya Adachi (足立 信也, Adachi Shin'ya; born June 5, 1957) is a Japanese politician of the Democratic Party for the…
Shinya Adachi (足立 信也, Adachi Shin'ya; born June 5, 1957) is a Japanese politician of the Democratic Party for the People, and a former member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature).
Yasuhiro Yamashita (山下 泰裕, Yamashita Yasuhiro; born 1 June 1957) is a Japanese judoka. He currently works as an…
Yasuhiro Yamashita (山下 泰裕, Yamashita Yasuhiro; born 1 June 1957) is a Japanese judoka. He currently works as an instructor or advisor for numerous organizations, including Tokai University, the International Judo Federation, and the All Japan Judo Federation. He retired from competitive judo on 17 June 1985 after a remarkable career where he won five gold medals in international competitions and marked 203 consecutive victories (with 7 draws in-between) until his retirement where he went undefeated his entire career against non-Japanese wrestlers. He received the Japanese National Prize of Honor on 9 October 1984. He is considered by many to be the greatest judoka ever.
Nobuyuki Uenoyama (上野山 信行, Uenoyama Nobuyuki; born 26 May 1957) is a Japanese former footballer and manager. He managed…
Nobuyuki Uenoyama (上野山 信行, Uenoyama Nobuyuki; born 26 May 1957) is a Japanese former footballer and manager. He managed Kamatamare Sanuki at the start of the 2021 season before resigning just two months into the season. His son, Jin Uenoyama, played for FC Osaka before retiring at the end of 2020.
Shinji Morisue (森末 慎二, Morisue Shinji; born May 22, 1957) is a Japanese gymnast and Olympic champion. The parallel bar…
Shinji Morisue (森末 慎二, Morisue Shinji; born May 22, 1957) is a Japanese gymnast and Olympic champion. The parallel bar skill Morisue is named after him.
Yoshihiko Noda (Japanese: 野田 佳彦, Hepburn: Noda Yoshihiko; born 20 May 1957) is a Japanese politician who served as the…
Yoshihiko Noda (Japanese: 野田 佳彦, Hepburn: Noda Yoshihiko; born 20 May 1957) is a Japanese politician who served as the Prime Minister of Japan from 2011 to 2012. He has been a member of the House of Representatives since 2000. Noda entered politics in 1993 as a member of the now-defunct Japan New Party. In 1996, he joined the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ). After the DPJ won control of the Diet in 2009 general election, Noda was named a senior vice minister of finance in the cabinet of Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, and in 2010, was named minister of finance in the cabinet of Prime Minister Naoto Kan. Following Kan's resignation as prime minister, Noda won the ensuing leadership election and was appointed prime minister on 2 September 2011. Following a severe loss for the DPJ in the December 2012 general election, Noda announced his resignation as party leader, triggering a leadership election that was won by Banri Kaieda. Noda was succeeded as Prime Minister by Shinzo Abe, President of the Liberal Democratic Party, on 26 December 2012. As the DPJ underwent mergers and reorganizations, Noda left to sit as an independent politician. In 2021, Noda joined the CDP, the primary successor to the DPJ. In 2024, Noda successfully stood for the CDP's party presidential election, defeating incumbent leader Kenta Izumi and former leader Yukio Edano. Weeks after assuming the presidency of the party, the 2024 general election was announced, with the CDP achieving its best result in party history, and the ruling LDP coalition being limited to a minority. After a rout in the 2026 general election, Noda resigned as co-president of the newly-formed Centrist Reform Alliance.
Hatsuko Yamasaki (山崎 初子; born May 18, 1957), known professionally as Hako Yamasaki (山崎ハコ, Yamasaki Hako), is a Japanese…
Hatsuko Yamasaki (山崎 初子; born May 18, 1957), known professionally as Hako Yamasaki (山崎ハコ, Yamasaki Hako), is a Japanese folk singer-songwriter, actress, and writer. She recorded her first album Tobimasu in 1975. In 1991, she made her acting debut.
Kenta Satoi (佐戸井けん太, Satoi Kenta), born May 14, 1957, in the Chiba Prefecture, Japan, is a Japanese theatre and film…
Kenta Satoi (佐戸井けん太, Satoi Kenta), born May 14, 1957, in the Chiba Prefecture, Japan, is a Japanese theatre and film actor. His roles most often consist of either father-type roles, or conversely, villain roles in police dramas and action movies. In the sho-gekijo theatre realm he is known for playing a wide variety of character roles. Satoi is 183 cm tall, and his hobbies are basketball and rakugo "sit-down" comedy.
Koji Suzuki (鈴木 光司, Suzuki Kōji; May 13, 1957 – May 8, 2026) was a Japanese writer, who was born in Hamamatsu and lived…
Koji Suzuki (鈴木 光司, Suzuki Kōji; May 13, 1957 – May 8, 2026) was a Japanese writer, who was born in Hamamatsu and lived in Tokyo. Suzuki was the author of the Ring novels, which have been adapted into other formats, including films, manga, television series, and video games. He wrote several books on the subject of fatherhood. His hobbies included traveling, motorcycling, as well as sailing. He graduated from Keio University before debuting as a novelist. Koji Suzuki died in Tokyo on May 8, 2026, at the age of 68.
Yōko Kondō (Japanese: 近藤 ようこ, Hepburn: Kondō Yōko; born May 11, 1957) is a Japanese manga artist. Beginning her career…
Yōko Kondō (Japanese: 近藤 ようこ, Hepburn: Kondō Yōko; born May 11, 1957) is a Japanese manga artist. Beginning her career in 1979 in the alternative manga magazine Garo, she is known for her historical and folklore-inspired works as well as for adaptations of classic Japanese literature.
Rino Katase (かたせ梨乃, Katase Rino; born 8 May 1957) is a Japanese actress. She won the Award for Best Supporting Actress…
Rino Katase (かたせ梨乃, Katase Rino; born 8 May 1957) is a Japanese actress. She won the Award for Best Supporting Actress at the 11th Japan Academy Prize for Yakuza Wives II and Yoshiwara Enjō.
Yasuhito Yamamoto (Japanese: 山本康人, Hepburn: Yamamoto Yasuhito; born 1957) is a Japanese manga artist from Tokyo. He…
Yasuhito Yamamoto (Japanese: 山本康人, Hepburn: Yamamoto Yasuhito; born 1957) is a Japanese manga artist from Tokyo. He made his debut in 1980 in Young Jump with a gag-comedy manga before turning to more serious dramas. He won the 1994 Kodansha Manga Award for general manga for Tetsujin Ganma.
Akira Ishii (born 6 May 1957 in Ibaraki Prefecture) is a Japanese former politician who served as a member of the House…
Akira Ishii (born 6 May 1957 in Ibaraki Prefecture) is a Japanese former politician who served as a member of the House of Councillors of Japan from 2016 until his resignation in 2025. He represented the National proportional representation block and was a member of the Japan Innovation Party. On 1 September 2025, Ishii resigned from the House of Councillors after allegations of defrauding the government and his subsequent expulsion from the Japan Innovation Party. He was indicted on charges of fraud on 30 September.
Yasuhiko Fukuda (福田 裕彦, Fukuda Yasuhiko; born May 3, 1957) is a Japanese composer and keyboardist.
Sanae Mishima (三島 早苗, Mishima Sanae; born May 3, 1957) is a former Japanese football player. She played for Japan…
Sanae Mishima (三島 早苗, Mishima Sanae; born May 3, 1957) is a former Japanese football player. She played for Japan national team.
Kow Otani (大谷 幸, Ōtani Kō; born May 1, 1957) is a Japanese composer. He is best known for creating the soundtracks for…
Kow Otani (大谷 幸, Ōtani Kō; born May 1, 1957) is a Japanese composer. He is best known for creating the soundtracks for the Heisei Gamera trilogy, Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack, Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, and Shadow of the Colossus.
Hiroshi Ogawa (小川 宏, Ogawa Hiroshi; born May 1, 1957), better known as Rossy Ogawa (ロッシー小川, Rosshī Ogawa), is a…
Hiroshi Ogawa (小川 宏, Ogawa Hiroshi; born May 1, 1957), better known as Rossy Ogawa (ロッシー小川, Rosshī Ogawa), is a Japanese businessman and professional wrestling promoter. He is the founder and the current head booker of Dream Star Fighting Marigold. He is one of the three founders and former executive producer of the Japanese professional wrestling promotion World Wonder Ring Stardom. Ogawa is often regarded as being instrumental in the modern popularization of women's pro wrestling in Japan.
Torahiko Tanaka (田中 寅彦, Tanaka Torahiko; born April 29, 1957) is a Japanese retired professional shogi player who…
Torahiko Tanaka (田中 寅彦, Tanaka Torahiko; born April 29, 1957) is a Japanese retired professional shogi player who achieved the rank of 9-dan. He is also a former Kisei title holder and a former senior managing director of the Japan Shogi Association.
Yuko Yaegashi-Ota (born 26 April 1957) is a Japanese speed skater. She competed at the 1976 Winter Olympics and the…
Yuko Yaegashi-Ota (born 26 April 1957) is a Japanese speed skater. She competed at the 1976 Winter Olympics and the 1980 Winter Olympics.
Kotokaze Kōki (born 26 April 1957 as Koichi Nakayama) is a former sumo wrestler from Tsu, Mie, Japan. Beginning his…
Kotokaze Kōki (born 26 April 1957 as Koichi Nakayama) is a former sumo wrestler from Tsu, Mie, Japan. Beginning his career in 1971, he reached the top makuuchi division in 1977 but after a serious injury in 1979 he fell greatly in rank before staging a comeback. His highest rank was ōzeki, which he reached in 1981. He won two tournament championships and was a runner-up in two others. He won six special prizes and six gold stars for defeating yokozuna. He retired in 1985 and became an elder of the Japan Sumo Association and the head coach of Oguruma stable.
Kenji Kawai (川井 憲次, Kawai Kenji; born April 23, 1957) is a Japanese music composer and arranger. Known as one of the…
Kenji Kawai (川井 憲次, Kawai Kenji; born April 23, 1957) is a Japanese music composer and arranger. Known as one of the biggest names in the soundtrack world, he has worked on a wide range of mixed media productions, including anime, TV shows, films, video games and ice shows. Among his credits are Toei's: Kamen Rider Heisei Generations Forever, Tsui Hark's Seven Swords and Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon; Wilson Yip's Ip Man; Mamoru Oshii's films: The Red Spectacles, StrayDog: Kerberos Panzer Cops, Ghost in the Shell, Mobile Police Patlabor and Assault Girls. He also worked on the OVA and TV anime adaptations of: Vampire Princess Miyu, The Sky Crawlers and Avalon; the anime adaptations of Rumiko Takahashi's Ranma ½ and Maison Ikkoku; the live-action adaptation of Gantz and Hideo Nakata's films: Ring, Ring 2, Chaos, Dark Water and Kaidan. His nephew, Hidehiro Kawai, is a bassist in Fox Capture Plan, an instrumental band.
Kotochitose Kosei (born 22 April 1957 as Minoru Yamamoto) is a former sumo wrestler from Chitose, Hokkaidō, Japan. In…
Kotochitose Kosei (born 22 April 1957 as Minoru Yamamoto) is a former sumo wrestler from Chitose, Hokkaidō, Japan. In July 1971, he made his professional debut and he reached the top division in May 1981. His highest rank was maegashira 5. He retired from active competition in July 1986. He became a wakaimonogashira (assistant) at Sadogatake stable after his retirement.
Shunya Yoshimi (吉見 俊哉, Yoshimi Shun'ya; born April 22, 1957 in Japan) is a Japanese sociologist. He is a professor at…
Shunya Yoshimi (吉見 俊哉, Yoshimi Shun'ya; born April 22, 1957 in Japan) is a Japanese sociologist. He is a professor at the Interfaculty Initiative in Information Studies, the University of Tokyo. He is one of the most influential cultural sociologists in Japan and best known for helping introduce cultural studies to Japan. His research topics include cultural studies, media studies and urban sociology. Yoshimi has authored several books on subjects such as cultural theory, urban culture, international exposition, media culture, information technology, the emperor system, and the Americanization of modern Japan and East Asia. Yoshimi's works in Japanese include Dramaturgy in the City: A Social History of Popular Entertainments in Modern Tokyo (Kobundo, 1987), The Politics of Exposition: Imperialism, Commercialism and Popular Entertainment (Chuokoronsha, 1992), Cultural Sociology in the Media Age (Shinyosha, 1994), Voice of Capitalism: The Social Construction of Telephone, Gramophone and Radio in Japan (Kodansha, 1995), Expo Syndrome: Postwar Politics and Cultural Struggle in Postwar Japan (Chikuma Shobo, 2005), and Pro-America, Anti-America: Political Unconsciousness in Postwar Japan (Iwanami Shoten, 2007). He was the dean of the Interfaculty Initiative in Information Studies, the University of Tokyo (2006-2008) and currently a vice president of the University of Tokyo.
Nobuteru Ishihara (石原 伸晃, Ishihara Nobuteru; born April 19, 1957) is a Japanese politician, who served as the…
Nobuteru Ishihara (石原 伸晃, Ishihara Nobuteru; born April 19, 1957) is a Japanese politician, who served as the Secretary-General of the Liberal Democratic Party from 2010 to 2012. Previously, he also served in the House of Representatives as representative from 1990 to 2021.
Ryosuke Yasunami (born April 19, 1957) is a Japanese jurist who has served as an associate Justice of the Supreme Court…
Ryosuke Yasunami (born April 19, 1957) is a Japanese jurist who has served as an associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Japan since 2021.
Mitsuomi Koizumi (小泉光臣, koizumi mitsuomi) is the incumbent president of Japan Tobacco, a Nikkei 225 company. He…
Mitsuomi Koizumi (小泉光臣, koizumi mitsuomi) is the incumbent president of Japan Tobacco, a Nikkei 225 company. He replaced Hiroshi Kimura as president in June 2012.
Masaru Uchiyama (内山 勝, Uchiyama Masaru; born April 14, 1957) is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan…
Masaru Uchiyama (内山 勝, Uchiyama Masaru; born April 14, 1957) is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team. His brother Atsushi Uchiyama also played for Japan national team.
Haruhisa Hasegawa (長谷川 治久, Hasegawa Haruhisa; born April 14, 1957) is a former Japanese football player. He played for…
Haruhisa Hasegawa (長谷川 治久, Hasegawa Haruhisa; born April 14, 1957) is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team.
Toshiyuki Honda (本多 俊之, Honda Toshiyuki; born April 9, 1957) is a Japanese jazz musician and composer. Honda's father…
Toshiyuki Honda (本多 俊之, Honda Toshiyuki; born April 9, 1957) is a Japanese jazz musician and composer. Honda's father was a jazz critic, whose name was also Toshiyuki Honda. As a jazz musician, he learned flute and saxophone, and worked in the late 1970s with George Otsuka and the Burning Waves ensemble. In the 1980s he worked with Chick Corea, Tatsuya Takahashi, and Kazumi Watanabe, as well as leading his own ensemble, Super Quartet. He was also a member of the ensemble Native Son. Starting in the late 1980s, Honda turned increasingly toward composing for film and television, as well as working in record producing. He composed the soundtrack for the Juzo Itami film A Taxing Woman in 1987, which raised his prominence as a film scorer. He went on to compose the score for all but one of the rest of Itami's films.
Mitsuru Matsumura (松村 充, Matsumura Mitsuru; born on April 9, 1957, in Yokohama) is a Japanese former competitive figure…
Mitsuru Matsumura (松村 充, Matsumura Mitsuru; born on April 9, 1957, in Yokohama) is a Japanese former competitive figure skater. He won the Japanese national title in the 1978–79 season and competed at two Winter Olympics, placing 11th in 1976 (Innsbruck) and 8th in 1980 (Lake Placid, New York). He also appeared at seven World Championships, achieving his best results, 6th, at the 1980 Worlds in Dortmund. After retiring from competition, he became a coach.
Akira Ōta (born 8 April 1957 in Akita) is a Japanese former wrestler who competed in the 1984 Summer Olympics, in the…
Akira Ōta (born 8 April 1957 in Akita) is a Japanese former wrestler who competed in the 1984 Summer Olympics, in the 1988 Summer Olympics, and in the 1992 Summer Olympics.
Hiroyuki Itagaki (Japanese: 板垣 博之, Hepburn: Itagaki Hiroyuki; born April 4, 1957), better known by the pen name Keisuke…
Hiroyuki Itagaki (Japanese: 板垣 博之, Hepburn: Itagaki Hiroyuki; born April 4, 1957), better known by the pen name Keisuke Itagaki (板垣 恵介, Itagaki Keisuke), is a Japanese manga artist. He is best known for his martial arts series Baki the Grappler (1991–1999) and its many sequels, which together have sold over 100 million copies, making it one of the best-selling manga series in history. Itagaki lives in Fuchū, Tokyo, and has been a Musashi Province Fuchū Ambassador since 2014. He is the father of fellow manga artist Paru Itagaki.
Nobuyoshi Kuwano (桑野 信義, Kuwano Nobuyoshi; born April 4, 1957 in Ōta, Tokyo) is a Japanese television performer, former…
Nobuyoshi Kuwano (桑野 信義, Kuwano Nobuyoshi; born April 4, 1957 in Ōta, Tokyo) is a Japanese television performer, former member of Rats & Star. His nickname is "Kuwa-man" (桑マン). In Rats & Star, he took charge of the trumpet and vocals. After the group broke up, he shifted to a television comedian and co-starred with The Drifters' Ken Shimura and Masashi Tashiro. He took over as lead vocalist of Rats & Star during Masayuki Suzuki's solo concert tour. He appears in some Japanese television programs as a performer. He was disappointed by Masashi Tashiro's arrest. He also said to Tashiro in public, "It's disappointing. Please atone for your crimes and thoroughly cleanse your body and soul" following Tashiro's retirement from the entertainment world.
Takahiro Kimura (木村 孝洋, Kimura Takahiro; born April 4, 1957) is a former Japanese football player and manager.
Kazumi Kotani (小谷一美, Kotani Kazumi; born April 3, 1957) better known by the ring name Daikokubō Benkei (大黒坊弁慶) is a…
Kazumi Kotani (小谷一美, Kotani Kazumi; born April 3, 1957) better known by the ring name Daikokubō Benkei (大黒坊弁慶) is a former Japanese sumo wrestler and professional wrestler best known for his time in the Japanese promotion Big Japan Pro Wrestling (BJW).
Kiyoshi Ejima (born April 2, 1957) is a Japanese politician who has served as a member of the House of Councillors of…
Kiyoshi Ejima (born April 2, 1957) is a Japanese politician who has served as a member of the House of Councillors of Japan since 2013. He represents the Yamaguchi at-large district as a member of the Liberal Democratic Party.
Kazuko Kori (郡 和子, Kōri Kazuko; born 31 March 1957) is a Japanese politician serving as the mayor of Sendai. She was…
Kazuko Kori (郡 和子, Kōri Kazuko; born 31 March 1957) is a Japanese politician serving as the mayor of Sendai. She was formerly a member of the Democratic Party of Japan and served in the House of Representatives. A native of Sendai, Miyagi and graduate of Tohoku Gakuin University, she was elected for the first time in 2005 after working at a TV broadcaster.
Kenji Kobayashi (小林健二, Kobayashi Kenji; born March 31, 1957) is a Japanese retired professional shogi player who…
Kenji Kobayashi (小林健二, Kobayashi Kenji; born March 31, 1957) is a Japanese retired professional shogi player who achieved the rank of 9-dan. He is also a former director of the Japanese Shogi Association.
Masao Akashi (明石昌夫, Akashi Masao; March 25, 1957 – May 19, 2025) was a Japanese music arranger in distributors Being…
Masao Akashi (明石昌夫, Akashi Masao; March 25, 1957 – May 19, 2025) was a Japanese music arranger in distributors Being Inc., mainly in their label B-Gram Records. In 1988, he debuted as arranger in debut single Dakara Sono Te wo Hanashite by Japanese hard-rock band B'z. By 1998, his arrangement work had been involved with many Being artists including Manish, Wands and Zard. Although Akashi was no longer working for Being Inc., he sometimes provided producing jobs for various artists such as Naomi Tamura, Maria, Color Bottle and Sonoda Band. Akashi died on May 19, 2025, at the age of 68.
Park Yu-ha (Korean: 박유하; born March 25, 1957) is a professor at the College of Liberal Arts, Sejong University. Her…
Park Yu-ha (Korean: 박유하; born March 25, 1957) is a professor at the College of Liberal Arts, Sejong University. Her research focuses on Japanese–Korean relations. Her 2013 book Comfort Women of the Empire criticized the Korean interpretation of comfort women as exclusively "sex slaves."
Izumi Kobayashi (Japanese: 小林 泉美, Hepburn: Kobayashi Izumi; born 25 March 1957) is a Japanese musician, record…
Izumi Kobayashi (Japanese: 小林 泉美, Hepburn: Kobayashi Izumi; born 25 March 1957) is a Japanese musician, record producer, and business executive. Originally working for a funk band at a US military base, she formed the band ASOCA and won the EastWest '76 Best Keyboardist award, and she performed as a keyboardist for other musicians and bands. Working for CBS/Sony, she released several solo albums, either with the Mimie-Chan Super Band and its later iteration Izumi Kobayashi & Flying Mimi Band or solely with her own name. She also worked as a composer for Japanese media, including "Lum's Love Song" (the theme song for the Urusei Yatsura anime), and hosted TV Tokyo late-night show Rock in Japan. She later moved to London in 1985 and worked as a record producer and industry executive in Europe, serving as president of Cisco Records London.