Megumi Ikeda (池田 めぐみ, Ikeda Megumi; born 1 August 1979) (née Harada) is a Japanese former fencer. She competed in the…Megumi Ikeda (池田 めぐみ, Ikeda Megumi; born 1 August 1979) (née Harada) is a Japanese former fencer. She competed in the women's individual épée events at the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics. At the end of October 2025, it was announced that Ikeda would be one of the winners of the HEROs AWARD, along Hakuhō Shō. The prize is delivered by the Nippon Foundation and aimed at recognizing athletes who promote social action through sport. for her contributions to her home prefecture.
Hiroshi Masumura (Japanese: ますむらひろし, Hepburn: Masumura Hiroshi; born October 23, 1952) is a Japanese manga artist. He…Hiroshi Masumura (Japanese: ますむらひろし, Hepburn: Masumura Hiroshi; born October 23, 1952) is a Japanese manga artist. He is best known for his adaptations of Kenji Miyazawa's children novels, including his work on the anime film Night on the Galactic Railroad (1985), and for several manga series set in the fantasy universe Atagoul. Several of his manga feature anthropomorphic cats as protagonists.
Zenjiro Kaneko (金子 善次郎, Kaneko Zenjirō; born 24 September 1943) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic…Zenjiro Kaneko (金子 善次郎, Kaneko Zenjirō; born 24 September 1943) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Yamagata Prefecture and graduate of Hitotsubashi University, he worked at the Ministry of Home Affairs. He was elected for the first time in 2000 as a member of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) but lost his seat three years later after defecting from the DPJ to join the second incarnation of the New Conservative Party. He was re-elected in 2005 as a representative for the LDP.
Takehiko Endo (遠藤 武彦, Endō Takehiko; 5 October 1938 – 27 December 2019) was a Japanese politician who was a member of…Takehiko Endo (遠藤 武彦, Endō Takehiko; 5 October 1938 – 27 December 2019) was a Japanese politician who was a member of Liberal Democratic Party, serving in the House of Representatives in the Diet of Japan.
Mutsuo Minagawa (皆川 睦夫, July 3, 1935 – February 6, 2005) was a Japanese professional baseball pitcher. Listed at 5' 10"…Mutsuo Minagawa (皆川 睦夫, July 3, 1935 – February 6, 2005) was a Japanese professional baseball pitcher. Listed at 5' 10" [1.82 m], 162 lb. [73 k.], Minagawa batted and threw right handed. He was born in Yonezawa, Yamagata. A tough three quarters, side arm pitcher, Minagawa spent 18 seasons in the Pacific Coast League during three different decades spanning 1954–1971, all of them with the Nankai Hawks, which is currently known as the Softbank Hawks. By using a wide array of breaking pitches, his command of sliders and screwballs secured him double-digit victories during 11 seasons, including eight consecutive years from 1956 through 1963. A six-time All-Star, Minagawa also received Best Nine Award honors and was a member of Hawks teams that won six pennant titles and two Japan Series championships. Overall, he posted a career 221-139 record highlighted by a 31-win season in 1968. Since then there has been no other pitchers in the Nippon Professional Baseball who won 30 or more games in a regular season.
Tetsuo Kondo (近藤 鉄雄, Kondō Tetsuo; 11 August 1929 – 4 March 2010) was a Japanese politician who served as Japan's…Tetsuo Kondo (近藤 鉄雄, Kondō Tetsuo; 11 August 1929 – 4 March 2010) was a Japanese politician who served as Japan's Minister of Labour from 1991 until 1992. Kondo, who was from Yamagata Prefecture, began his career as an employee of the Japanese Ministry of Finance. Kondo, a member of the Liberal Democratic Party, served as a member of the House of Representatives of Japan for nine terms from 1972 until 1996. He also served as chief of the now defunct Economic Planning Agency during his career as a lawmaker. Kondo was appointed as Labour Minister within the administration of Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa from 1991 until 1992. He retired from active politics after a failed re-election bid in the 1996 general election. Tetsuo Kondo died in Tokyo of pancreatic cancer on 4 March 2010, at the age of 80.
Hirosuke Hamada (浜田 広介, Hamada Hirosuke; May 25, 1893 - November 17, 1973) was a Japanese children's book writer. His…Hirosuke Hamada (浜田 広介, Hamada Hirosuke; May 25, 1893 - November 17, 1973) was a Japanese children's book writer. His birth name was Hamada Hirosuke (濱田 廣助). He was the first president of the Japan Juvenile Writers Association. Some of his most well-known works are The Red Oni who Cried (泣いた赤鬼, Naita Aka-oni), A Dream of a Gray Starling (椋鳥の夢, Mukudori no yume) and Dragon's Tears (竜の目の涙, Ryu no me no namida), and a series of works known as Hirosuke's Fairytales (ひろすけ童話, Hirosuke Dōwa). Together with Jōji Tsubota and Mimei Ogawa, he is considered one of the "Three Sacred Treasures of Youth Literature" in Japan.
Chūichi Nagumo (南雲 忠一, Nagumo Chūichi; 25 March 1887 – 6 July 1944) was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN)…Chūichi Nagumo (南雲 忠一, Nagumo Chūichi; 25 March 1887 – 6 July 1944) was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during World War II. Nagumo led Japan's main carrier battle group, the Kido Butai, in the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, and over the following months in successful raids on Darwin in Australia and in the Indian Ocean. In June 1942, he participated at the Battle of Midway, where his strike force suffered a crushing defeat. Nagumo was re-assigned to another fleet during the Guadalcanal campaign, and later stationed in the Japanese home islands. In 1944, he was deployed to a naval command in the Mariana Islands, where he committed suicide during the Battle of Saipan.
Kwanichi Terazawa (寺沢 寛一, Terazawa Kan'ichi; July 15, 1882 – February 5, 1969) was a Japanese mathematician and…Kwanichi Terazawa (寺沢 寛一, Terazawa Kan'ichi; July 15, 1882 – February 5, 1969) was a Japanese mathematician and administrator. Terazawa was born in Yonezawa, graduated from the Imperial University of Tokyo in 1908 following the study of physics, and earned his D.Sc. degree in 1917. His career at the Imperial University of Tokyo lasted from 1918 to his retirement in 1949 where he was professor of physics, while having served as professor at the Aeronautical Research Institute for nineteen of those years. He served as the director of that institution in 1942–1943 and as professor at the Earthquake Research Institute from 1936 to 1942 (and as director in 1938–1942). For the period 1938-1943 he was employed as dean of the Faculty of Science and in 1951 he was received at the Japan Academy.
Tetsu Tamura (also known as "S. Tetsu Tamura"; birth name: Satoru Tamura); October 18, 1876 – August 19, 1909) was a…Tetsu Tamura (also known as "S. Tetsu Tamura"; birth name: Satoru Tamura); October 18, 1876 – August 19, 1909) was a Japanese meteorologist and oceanographer, who utilized higher mathematics, active in the United States (U.S. National Weather Service) before Syukuro Manabe (2021 Nobel Prize in Physics) and Japan during the Meiji era. Tamura helped Cleveland Abbe (head of the NWS) as his assistant specialized in physico-mathematical theory for three years (1903 – 1906) until his returning to Japan and frequently published articles to Science magazine, Weekly Weather Review, etc. as listed below. He was also a pedagogist of the comparative educational system. He taught at the Naval War College, Tokyo Higher Normal School (now University of Tsukuba), and Waseda University.
Kiyoshi "Karl" Kawakami (河上 清, Kawakami Kiyoshi; 8 August 1873 – 12 October 1949) was a Japanese Christian journalist…Kiyoshi "Karl" Kawakami (河上 清, Kawakami Kiyoshi; 8 August 1873 – 12 October 1949) was a Japanese Christian journalist who published several books in the United States and the United Kingdom. He was born in Yonezawa, educated in the law in Japan, and was for a short time engaged in newspaper work in that country. He sometimes wrote under the name of K. K. Kawakami. Although Japanese do not have middle names, he is said to have been a socialist in his youth, when he apparently adopted the middle name "Karl" (from Karl Marx). In 1901 he travelled to the United States and studied at the universities of Iowa and Wisconsin. In 1905, engaged in journalism, he traveled extensively in China, Siberia, and Russia. He was a correspondent for leading newspapers in Tokyo and a frequent contributor to American magazines and newspapers.
Ikeda Shigeaki (池田成彬; 15 August 1867 – 9 October 1950), also known as Seihin Ikeda, was a politician, cabinet minister…Ikeda Shigeaki (池田成彬; 15 August 1867 – 9 October 1950), also known as Seihin Ikeda, was a politician, cabinet minister and businessman in the Empire of Japan, prominent in the early decades of the 20th century. He served as director of Mitsui Bank from 1909-1933, was appointed governor of the Bank of Japan in 1937, and served as Minister of Finance under Prime Minister Fumimaro Konoe from 1937 to 1939. In 1941, he was made a member of the Imperial Privy Council; following Japan's defeat in World War II, Ikeda was banned from public political service.
Count Hirata Tosuke (平田 東助; 2 March 1849 – 14 April 1925) was a Japanese statesman and the 7th Lord Keeper of the Privy…Count Hirata Tosuke (平田 東助; 2 March 1849 – 14 April 1925) was a Japanese statesman and the 7th Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal of Japan, active in the Meiji and Taishō period Empire of Japan.
