Tomomi Inada (稲田 朋美, Inada Tomomi; born 20 February 1959) is a Japanese lawyer and politician serving as a member of…Tomomi Inada (稲田 朋美, Inada Tomomi; born 20 February 1959) is a Japanese lawyer and politician serving as a member of the House of Representatives, representing the 1st Fukui Prefecture since September 2005. She previously served as Minister of Defense from August 2016 to July 2017, resigning in response to a cover up scandal within the Japanese Ministry of Defense. She spent time as the Chairwoman of the Policy Research Council of the Liberal Democratic Party in her fourth term as a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). She is a native of Fukui Prefecture. She expresses skepticism that comfort women, forced prostitutes for Japan in World War II, were compelled to work. She also does not accept the international consensus on the number of deaths of the Nanjing Massacre. She was implicated in the 2023–2024 Japanese slush fund scandal for over failing to record over 820,000 yen, but denied any responsibility for the scandal.
Sakumi Yoshino (吉野朔実, Yoshino Sakumi; February 19, 1959 – April 20, 2016) was a Japanese manga artist and literary…Sakumi Yoshino (吉野朔実, Yoshino Sakumi; February 19, 1959 – April 20, 2016) was a Japanese manga artist and literary critic. She became known for her shōjo manga in Bouquet magazine in the 1980s and 1990s. In the late 1990s, she also started drawing seinen manga and publishing essays on film, manga and literature.
Yumiko Himei (姫井 由美子, Himei Yumiko; born February 14, 1959) is a former Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of…Yumiko Himei (姫井 由美子, Himei Yumiko; born February 14, 1959) is a former Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of Japan, a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Okayama, she graduated from Okayama University with a master's degree. She was elected to the House of Councillors for the first time in 2007 after serving in the assembly of Okayama Prefecture for two terms since 1999. She was due to join a new political party, "Kaikaku Club", in 2008, but on August 28, 2008, she withdrew her membership in the new party and reaffirmed her loyalty to the Democratic Party of Japan.
Hiroko Yai (Japanese: 矢井 弘子, Hepburn: Yai Hiroko; born February 12, 1959), better known by her stage name Nana Okada…Hiroko Yai (Japanese: 矢井 弘子, Hepburn: Yai Hiroko; born February 12, 1959), better known by her stage name Nana Okada (岡田 奈々, Okada Nana), is a Japanese actress and former idol singer.
Mitsutake Hagimoto (萩本 光威, Hagimoto Mitsutake) (born 10 February 1959 in Wakayama Prefecture) is a former Japanese…Mitsutake Hagimoto (萩本 光威, Hagimoto Mitsutake) (born 10 February 1959 in Wakayama Prefecture) is a former Japanese rugby player and coach . He played as scrum-half.
Satoshi Miyagi (宮城聰, Miyagi Satoshi; February 9, 1959) is a Japanese Theatre Director, in Kanda, Tokyo. He pursued…Satoshi Miyagi (宮城聰, Miyagi Satoshi; February 9, 1959) is a Japanese Theatre Director, in Kanda, Tokyo. He pursued studies in aesthetics at Tokyo University. He had a strong interest in Rakugo Japanese comic talk since his teens. He was awarded the Theatre Pasta Theatre Awards in 2007 for his excellent work in theatre.
Amy Yamada (山田 詠美, Yamada Eimi; born February 2, 1959) is a contemporary Japanese writer who is most famous for her…Amy Yamada (山田 詠美, Yamada Eimi; born February 2, 1959) is a contemporary Japanese writer who is most famous for her stories that address issues of sexuality, racism, and interracial love and marriage. Her debut and subsequent popular success in the 1990s was a part of Japan's hip-hop and Black culture boom. While she is most known for her stories of complicated and messy romantic love, she also writes on the daily minutiae of life (slice-of-life), child-raising, and bullying.
Yasuharu Konishi (小西 康陽, Konishi Yasuharu; born February 3, 1959) is a Japanese musician, composer and DJ. He was a…Yasuharu Konishi (小西 康陽, Konishi Yasuharu; born February 3, 1959) is a Japanese musician, composer and DJ. He was a founding member of Pizzicato Five and the only such to stay with the group until its breakup in 2001. Konishi's current activities are through his company readymade entertainment and his record label 524 records (a play on words from Konishi's name, as the numbers 524 can be read ko-ni-shi in Japanese using goroawase).
Tian Wei (Chinese: 田伟; born February 1959) is a Chinese surgeon and professor and doctoral supervisor at Peking…Tian Wei (Chinese: 田伟; born February 1959) is a Chinese surgeon and professor and doctoral supervisor at Peking University and Tsinghua University. He is an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and serves as the president and deputy party chief of Beijing Jishuitan Hospital.
Takeshi Niinami (新浪 剛史 (Niinami Takeshi); born 30 January 1959 in Yokohama) is a Japanese business executive, who was…Takeshi Niinami (新浪 剛史 (Niinami Takeshi); born 30 January 1959 in Yokohama) is a Japanese business executive, who was president, CEO and representative director of Suntory from 2014 until his resignation in September 2025. Suntory is the largest alcoholic beverage maker in Japan, and holds the brands Yamazaki and Jim Beam in its portfolio.
Koshi Sobu (蘇武 幸志, Sobu Kōshi; born 27 January 1959) is a Japanese former volleyball player who competed in the 1984…Koshi Sobu (蘇武 幸志, Sobu Kōshi; born 27 January 1959) is a Japanese former volleyball player who competed in the 1984 Summer Olympics. Standing 192 cm tall and weighing 81 kg. At the Olympics, the Japanese men's volleyball team, with Sobu as a member, achieved a 7th-place finish.
Hideyuki Okano (Japanese: 岡野栄之) (born 26 January 1959 in Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese physiology professor and the…Hideyuki Okano (Japanese: 岡野栄之) (born 26 January 1959 in Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese physiology professor and the current dean of Keio University School of Medicine. He is also the team leader of the Laboratory for Marmoset Neural Architecture, at RIKEN Brain Science Institute. His lab is the first in the world to produce transgenic marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) with germline transmission. He is a director of the International Society for Stem Cell Research.
Koji Nagai (Japanese: 永井 浩二, Hepburn: Nagai Kōji) is a Japanese business executive. He served as the Chief Executive…Koji Nagai (Japanese: 永井 浩二, Hepburn: Nagai Kōji) is a Japanese business executive. He served as the Chief Executive Officer of Nomura Holdings (NYSE: NMR).
Akira Maeda (前田 日明, Maeda Akira) (born Go Il-myeong (Hangul: 고일명, Hanja: 高日明), January 24, 1959) is a Japanese mixed…Akira Maeda (前田 日明, Maeda Akira) (born Go Il-myeong (Hangul: 고일명, Hanja: 高日明), January 24, 1959) is a Japanese mixed martial arts promoter, writer and retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. Maeda was also known by the ring name Kwik-kik-Lee during his time on the British wrestling's slot on the sports show World of Sport (WoS). Maeda helped develop the shoot-style of professional wrestling during the late 1980s. He founded Fighting Network RINGS in 1991 which would become one of the top MMA promotions before it folded in 2002.
Masaji Matsuyama (松山 政司, Matsuyama Masaji; born 20 January 1959) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic…Masaji Matsuyama (松山 政司, Matsuyama Masaji; born 20 January 1959) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Shiida, Fukuoka and graduate of Meiji University, he was elected for the first time in 2001.
Izumi Takemoto (竹本 泉, Takemoto Izumi; born January 19, 1959, in Saitama Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese manga artist…Izumi Takemoto (竹本 泉, Takemoto Izumi; born January 19, 1959, in Saitama Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese manga artist and illustrator. He attended College of Economics at Nihon University. His spouse is manga artist Reiko Yano. He cites artists such as Shinji Wada, Fumio Hisamatsu, Shotaro Ishinomori, and Mitsuteru Yokoyama as his influences.
Momoe Miura (Japanese: 三浦 百恵, Hepburn: Miura Momoe; born 17 January 1959), known by her maiden name Momoe Yamaguchi…Momoe Miura (Japanese: 三浦 百恵, Hepburn: Miura Momoe; born 17 January 1959), known by her maiden name Momoe Yamaguchi (Japanese: 山口 百恵, Hepburn: Yamaguchi Momoe), is a Japanese former singer, actress, and idol whose career lasted from 1972 to 1980. Often simply referred to by her given name "Momoe", Yamaguchi is one of the most successful singers in Japanese music, releasing 32 singles, including three number one hits, and 21 studio albums. She also starred in 15 feature films and several television serial dramas. At age 21, Yamaguchi retired at the height of her popularity to marry her frequent costar, Tomokazu Miura; she has never performed or made a public appearance since. Therefore, she is called a legendary idol in Japan.
Sulpizio Shinzo Moriyama is a Japanese Roman Catholic prelate currently serving as the Bishop of the Roman Catholic…Sulpizio Shinzo Moriyama is a Japanese Roman Catholic prelate currently serving as the Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Oita, Japan.
Kimiko Ikegami (池上季実子, Ikegami Kimiko; born January 16, 1959) is an American-born Japanese actress. She is best known…Kimiko Ikegami (池上季実子, Ikegami Kimiko; born January 16, 1959) is an American-born Japanese actress. She is best known for playing the lead role of Gorgeous in the 1977 film House.
Nakayama Zenji (中山 善司, January 16, 1959) is the fourth and current Shinbashira of Tenrikyo. He has held the office…Nakayama Zenji (中山 善司, January 16, 1959) is the fourth and current Shinbashira of Tenrikyo. He has held the office since October 25, 1998.
Seinosuke Toda (戸田 誠之助, Toda Seinosuke; born January 15, 1959) is a computer scientist working at the Nihon University…Seinosuke Toda (戸田 誠之助, Toda Seinosuke; born January 15, 1959) is a computer scientist working at the Nihon University in Tokyo. Toda earned his Ph.D. from the Tokyo Institute of Technology in 1992, under the supervision of Kojiro Kobayashi. He was a recipient of the 1998 Gödel Prize for proving Toda's theorem in computational complexity theory, which states that every problem in the polynomial hierarchy has a polynomial-time Turing reduction to a counting problem.
Kōtarō Yoshida (吉田 鋼太郎, Yoshida Kōtarō; born January 14, 1959, in Tokyo) is a Japanese actor and theatre director. He…Kōtarō Yoshida (吉田 鋼太郎, Yoshida Kōtarō; born January 14, 1959, in Tokyo) is a Japanese actor and theatre director. He established himself on the stage in classical theatre, becoming a regular in Yukio Ninagawa's Shakespeare productions and co-founding the theatre company Performance Unit AUN in 1997. Television roles in Hanzawa Naoki (2013) and Hanako to Anne (2014) brought him wider recognition and led to frequent film and television work. In 2016 he succeeded Ninagawa as the second artistic director of the Sai no Kuni Shakespeare Series. He is affiliated with Horipro.
Yosuke Tagawa (太川 陽介, Tagawa Yōsuke; born 13 January 1959, in Ōmiya, Naka (now Kyōtango), Kyoto Prefecture, Japan) is a…Yosuke Tagawa (太川 陽介, Tagawa Yōsuke; born 13 January 1959, in Ōmiya, Naka (now Kyōtango), Kyoto Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese actor, tarento, and former idol singer. His real name is Ikuo Tsubokura (坪倉 育生, Tsubokura Ikuo). Tagawa is a resident of Chōfu, Tokyo. He is represented by Sun Music Production. Tagawa's wife is actress Kumiko Fujiyoshi.
Shu Fujisawa (藤沢 周, Fujisawa Shū; born June 29, 1959) is a Japanese writer active during the late Shōwa and early…Shu Fujisawa (藤沢 周, Fujisawa Shū; born June 29, 1959) is a Japanese writer active during the late Shōwa and early Heisei period periods of Japan.
Yoshiyuki Ohmiya (近江谷 好幸, Ōmiya Yoshiyuki; born January 8, 1959) is a Japanese curler and curling coach from Kitami…Yoshiyuki Ohmiya (近江谷 好幸, Ōmiya Yoshiyuki; born January 8, 1959) is a Japanese curler and curling coach from Kitami, Hokkaido, Japan. He represented Japan at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, where the Japanese men's team placed 5th. His daughter is Japanese female curler Anna Ohmiya, participant of Japan women's curling team on 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada.
Tetsunari Iida (飯田 哲也, Iida Tetsunari; born 1959, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan) is director of the Institute for…Tetsunari Iida (飯田 哲也, Iida Tetsunari; born 1959, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan) is director of the Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies in Japan. Following the Fukushima nuclear disaster, he is calling for a decrease in Japan's reliance on nuclear power and an increase in renewable energy use. Iida started his career as a nuclear engineer, but he quit in 1992, and went to study renewable energy in Sweden. In September 2011, Iida launched the Japan Renewable Energy Foundation, which is backed by ¥1 billion (US$13 million) from Japan's richest man, Masayoshi Son. Solar power in Japan has been expanding since the late 1990s. The country is a leading manufacturer of photovoltaics (PV) and a large installer of domestic PV systems with most of them grid connected.
Hiroya Ebina (蝦名 大也, Ebina Hiroya; 4 January 1959 – 7 January 2026) was a Japanese politician. He was the mayor of…Hiroya Ebina (蝦名 大也, Ebina Hiroya; 4 January 1959 – 7 January 2026) was a Japanese politician. He was the mayor of Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan, from 2008 to 2024 and a member of the Hokkaido Legislative Assembly from 1999 until 2008. On the evening of 7 January 2026, after returning home from a meeting, he collapsed at his home in Kushiro City and was taken to a hospital, where he died of a sudden cardiac arrest the same day. He was 67.
Yusuke Kishi (貴志 祐介, Kishi Yūsuke; born January 3, 1959) is a Japanese author. He is a member of the Mystery Writers of…Yusuke Kishi (貴志 祐介, Kishi Yūsuke; born January 3, 1959) is a Japanese author. He is a member of the Mystery Writers of Japan and the Honkaku Mystery Writers Club of Japan.
Atsuji Yamamoto (山本 貴嗣, Yamamoto Atsuji; born January 1, 1959) is a Japanese manga artist and character designer, best…Atsuji Yamamoto (山本 貴嗣, Yamamoto Atsuji; born January 1, 1959) is a Japanese manga artist and character designer, best known for manga Ultimate Teacher, Elf-17 and Saber Cats, along with video game series Metal Max.
Takao Makino (牧野 京夫, Makino Takao; born 1959) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party who serves as…Takao Makino (牧野 京夫, Makino Takao; born 1959) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party who serves as member of the House of Councillors. A graduate of Waseda University and former member of the assembly of Shizuoka Prefecture, he was elected to the House of Councillors for the first time in 2007.
Takashi Araya (荒谷 卓, Romanization: Araya Takashi, 1 January 1959 (Shōwa 34) - ) is a Japanese martial artist and…Takashi Araya (荒谷 卓, Romanization: Araya Takashi, 1 January 1959 (Shōwa 34) - ) is a Japanese martial artist and author, who is the director at Shiseikan, Meiji Shrine. He was a Japan Ground Self-Defense Force colonel and has organized the Special Forces Group (特殊作戦群, Tokushusakusengun) as the first leader.
Hiromichi Kataura (片浦 弘道, Kataura Hiromichi) is a Japanese scientist known for his work on synthesis and…Hiromichi Kataura (片浦 弘道, Kataura Hiromichi) is a Japanese scientist known for his work on synthesis and characterization of single-wall and double-wall carbon nanotubes and on encapsulation of water, fullerenes and other organic molecules into carbon nanotubes. Kataura is the leader of self-assembled nano-electronics group at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST).
Sumio Watanabe (渡辺 澄夫, Watanabe Sumio; born 1959) is a Japanese mathematician and engineer working in probability…Sumio Watanabe (渡辺 澄夫, Watanabe Sumio; born 1959) is a Japanese mathematician and engineer working in probability theory, applied algebraic geometry and Bayesian statistics. He is currently a professor at Tokyo Institute of Technology in the Department of Computational Intelligence and Systems Science. He is the author of the text, Algebraic Geometry and Statistical Learning Theory, which proposes a generalization of Fisher's regular statistical theory to singular statistical models.
Akira Ogata (緒方明) is a Japanese film director. He was given the Directors Guild of Japan New Directors Award for his…Akira Ogata (緒方明) is a Japanese film director. He was given the Directors Guild of Japan New Directors Award for his film, Boy's Choir, in 2000, and then won the award for best director at the 31st Yokohama Film Festival for Nonchan Noriben.
Keiko Kawashima (Japanese: 川島慶子; born 1959) is a Japanese historian of science whose research has focused on women in…Keiko Kawashima (Japanese: 川島慶子; born 1959) is a Japanese historian of science whose research has focused on women in science and gender in science. She is a professor emerita at the Nagoya Institute of Technology.
Asako Narahashi (楢橋 朝子, Narahashi Asako; born 1959 in Tokyo) is a Tokyo-based Japanese photographer. She is known for…Asako Narahashi (楢橋 朝子, Narahashi Asako; born 1959 in Tokyo) is a Tokyo-based Japanese photographer. She is known for her approach of taking photos from offshore and splitting the frame between water and land or sky. Her photographs are held in a permanent collection in San Francisco Museum of Art and The National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo. In 1990, Narahashi opened the gallery 03FOTOS (1990-2001) to present her works. In 1996, she co-founded the photography magazine Main (1996-2000) with Ishiuchi Miyako.
Ken Kiyoyuki Okuyama (奥山 清行, Okuyama Kiyoyuki; born 1959) is a Japanese industrial designer. He is the owner of the Ken…Ken Kiyoyuki Okuyama (奥山 清行, Okuyama Kiyoyuki; born 1959) is a Japanese industrial designer. He is the owner of the Ken Okuyama Design company. Okuyama formerly worked for Pininfarina, designing and supervising projects such as the Enzo Ferrari and Ferrari P4/5.
Kunio Okawara (大河原 邦男, Ōkawara Kunio; born December 26, 1947) is a mecha designer in the Japanese anime industry. He…Kunio Okawara (大河原 邦男, Ōkawara Kunio; born December 26, 1947) is a mecha designer in the Japanese anime industry. He was born and currently lives in Inagi, Tokyo, where he works out of a studio in his home. He was one of the pioneering mecha designers in Japan and established the profession of 'mecha design' in the anime industry. His representative works include Gundam series from the Real Robot shows, the Brave series from the Super Robot shows and Time Bokan series from the comedy anime. In 2011, he received the Distinguished Service Award of the Japan Media Arts Festival for his achievements over the years.
Shinji Kajio (梶尾 真治, Kajio Shinji; born 24 December 1947 in Kumamoto Prefecture) is a Japanese author of science…Shinji Kajio (梶尾 真治, Kajio Shinji; born 24 December 1947 in Kumamoto Prefecture) is a Japanese author of science fiction and fantasy. The film Yomigaeri is based on Kajio's novel of the same name and he also co-wrote the manga series Memories of Emanon (おもいでエマノン, Omoide Emanon) (2008) with Kenji Tsuruta (who additionally illustrated the series), which was serialized in Monthly Comic Ryu. The manga is based on his 1983 short story of the same title and became the beginning of his long-running series of "Emanon" short stories, about a mysterious girl born 3 billion years ago (and whose name is "No name" backwards). In 1971, he made his pro debut after his book, Pearls for Mia (美亜へ贈る真珠, Mia e Okuru Shinju) was published by Hayakawa Publishing Company (早川書房, Hayakawa Shoboo). He won the 1991 Nihon SF Taisho Award.
Yukiko Kashiwagi (柏木 由紀子, Kashiwagi Yukiko; born December 24, 1947) is a Japanese actress and the wife of Japanese…Yukiko Kashiwagi (柏木 由紀子, Kashiwagi Yukiko; born December 24, 1947) is a Japanese actress and the wife of Japanese singer Kyu Sakamoto from 1971 until his death in the August 1985 Japan Air Lines Flight 123 crash. In the 1970s, Kashiwagi retired from her career as an actress and instead presented a series of welfare performances with her husband in children's homes and nursing homes and on Japanese television.
Mitsuo Tsukahara (塚原 光男 Tsukahara Mitsuo, born December 22, 1947) is a Japanese artistic gymnast. He was five times an…Mitsuo Tsukahara (塚原 光男 Tsukahara Mitsuo, born December 22, 1947) is a Japanese artistic gymnast. He was five times an Olympic Gold Medalist. He remained active in the sport after his retirement from competition. He served as vice president of the Japan Gymnastic Association. Tsukahara competed throughout the late 1960s and 1970s, retiring from gymnastics competition in 1978 after the World Championships. Winning five gold, one silver and three bronze medals, Tsukahara was an important contributor in Japan's win at the team competition in three consecutive Olympic Games: in 1968, 1972 and 1976. He married fellow gymnast Chieko Oda. He has remained connected to the gymnastics world, partly through his son Naoya Tsukahara, who was also a multi-medalist at the World Championships and Olympic Games throughout the late 1990s and who still competed as of 2014.
Hiroshi Nagai (Japanese: 永井博, born December 22, 1947) is a Japanese graphic designer and illustrator, known for his…Hiroshi Nagai (Japanese: 永井博, born December 22, 1947) is a Japanese graphic designer and illustrator, known for his cover designs of city pop albums in the 1980s, which established the recognizable visual aesthetic associated with the loosely defined music genre.
Akihiko Ohya (大矢 明彦 Ōya Akihiko, born December 20, 1947) is a former Japanese baseball player and manager. He was the…Akihiko Ohya (大矢 明彦 Ōya Akihiko, born December 20, 1947) is a former Japanese baseball player and manager. He was the manager of the Yokohama BayStars baseball team in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball until he was fired on May 18, 2009, for not maintaining club standards.
Akira Fuse (布施 明, Fuse Akira; born December 18, 1947) is a Japanese singer and actor. He debuted in 1965 with the…Akira Fuse (布施 明, Fuse Akira; born December 18, 1947) is a Japanese singer and actor. He debuted in 1965 with the single "Kimi ni Namida to Hohoemi o" (君に涙とほほえみを; "Tears and Smiles to You").
Seiken Akamine (赤嶺 政賢, Akamine Seiken; born 18 December 1947) is a Japanese politician of the Japanese Communist Party…Seiken Akamine (赤嶺 政賢, Akamine Seiken; born 18 December 1947) is a Japanese politician of the Japanese Communist Party, who served as a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Naha, Okinawa and graduate of the Tokyo University of Education, he taught at high schools. He was elected to the first of his three terms in the Naha City Assembly in 1985 and then to the House of Representatives for the first time in 2000. In the 2014 Japanese general elections, he won Okinawa's 1st district. The election saw significant gains for the Japanese Communist Party, which raised its seat total from 8 to 21. Akamine's victory was JCP's first single-seat constituency victory in 18 years. His victory was part of a wave against the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in Okinawa caused by local anger over by a joint US-Japan decision to relocate a marine base to a residential area. LDP candidates lost all four Okinawan seats despite the party winning nationwide. In the 2017 general election, Akamine retained his seat. In the 2026 Japanese general election he lost the district to the previous LDP representative Kōnosuke Kokuba.
Riyoko Ikeda (池田 理代子, Ikeda Riyoko; born December 18, 1947) is a Japanese manga artist and singer. She was one of the…Riyoko Ikeda (池田 理代子, Ikeda Riyoko; born December 18, 1947) is a Japanese manga artist and singer. She was one of the most popular mangaka in the 1970s, being best known for The Rose of Versailles.