Ryutaro Sakamoto (坂本 竜太郎, Sakamoto Ryutaro; born 28 March 1980) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic…Ryutaro Sakamoto (坂本 竜太郎, Sakamoto Ryutaro; born 28 March 1980) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, who serves as a member of the House of Representatives.
Gorgeous (ゴー☆ジャス, Gōjasu; born 10 November 1978, in Iwaki, Fukushima) is a Japanese comedian. Gorgeous is represented…Gorgeous (ゴー☆ジャス, Gōjasu; born 10 November 1978, in Iwaki, Fukushima) is a Japanese comedian. Gorgeous is represented by Sun Music Production. He was formerly signed with Denner Systems.
Sarutoki Minagawa (Japanese: 皆川 猿時, Hepburn: Minagawa Sarutoki; born 1 February 1971) is a Japanese actor. He worked…Sarutoki Minagawa (Japanese: 皆川 猿時, Hepburn: Minagawa Sarutoki; born 1 February 1971) is a Japanese actor. He worked with Suzuki Matsuo in the theater group, Otona Keikaku.
Hiroshi Yanai (矢内 廣; born 7 January 1950 in Iwaki, Fukushima) is a Japanese businessperson. He is the founder and CEO…Hiroshi Yanai (矢内 廣; born 7 January 1950 in Iwaki, Fukushima) is a Japanese businessperson. He is the founder and CEO of Pia Corporation, which is known as Japan’s first ticket distribution service.
Mitsuhide Iwaki (岩城 光英, Iwaki Mitsuhide; born 4 December 1949) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic…Mitsuhide Iwaki (岩城 光英, Iwaki Mitsuhide; born 4 December 1949) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Councillors in the National Diet (national legislature). A native of Iwaki, Fukushima and graduate of Sophia University with a B.L., he worked at Suntory and served in the city assembly of Iwaki for two terms since 1980, in the assembly of Fukushima Prefecture for two terms from 1986 and as mayor of Iwaki for two terms from 1990. He was elected to the House of Councillors for the first time in 1998. Iwaki was named Minister of Justice in Shinzo Abe cabinet on 7 October 2015.
Izumi Yoshida (吉田 泉, Yoshida Izumi; born 26 February 1949) is former a Japanese politician of the Constitutional…Izumi Yoshida (吉田 泉, Yoshida Izumi; born 26 February 1949) is former a Japanese politician of the Constitutional Democratic Party who served as a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Iwaki, Fukushima and graduate of the University of Tokyo, he was elected in 1996 as the mayor of Iwaki. After an unsuccessful run in 2000, he was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time in 2003.
Masayoshi Yoshino (吉野 正芳, Yoshino Masayoshi; born 8 August 1948) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic…Masayoshi Yoshino (吉野 正芳, Yoshino Masayoshi; born 8 August 1948) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a former member of the House of Representatives in the Diet. A native of Iwaki, Fukushima and graduate of Waseda University, he was elected to the first of his three terms in the assembly of Fukushima Prefecture in 1987 and then to the House of Representatives for the first time in 2000. He represented the Fukushima 5th district from 2014 until 2024 when the district was abolished. On 26 April 2017, he became the minister responsible for disaster reconstruction in the Tohoku Region, after the previous minister, Masahiro Imamura, resigned after making insensitive remarks about the 2011 earthquake and tsunami which had hit the Tohoku region.
Katsuaki Satō (佐藤 勝昭, Satō Katsuaki; born April 4, 1946) is the founder and director of Satojuku Karate, also known as…Katsuaki Satō (佐藤 勝昭, Satō Katsuaki; born April 4, 1946) is the founder and director of Satojuku Karate, also known as Odo (The Champion's Way) karate. The Satojuku honbu (headquarters) is located in Tachikawa, Japan. Satō was born on April 4, 1946, on Sakhalin Island, then part of occupied Japan following the end of World War II. The Soviet Union had invaded the island during the closing stages of the war, but around 300,000 Japanese remained on the island, including Satō's family. In 1947, his family moved to Nakoso, in Fukushima Prefecture. In high school Satō trained-in judo; after graduation, he continued to study it while working full-time as a journalist and studying part-time at Chuo University. However, at the age of 20, he injured his knee and shoulder and had to give up judo. Instead, he began training in Kyokushin karate in 1969. Satō studied karate from Terutomo Yamazaki for whom Satō has expressed much respect. Satō reached the rank of shodan (1st degree black belt) on October 1, 1971. He reached the rank of 3rd dan in karate on March 18, 1973 and he had also attained 3rd dan ranking in judo. He reached the rank of 4th dan in karate on May 1, 1974. Satō excelled in tournament competition. He won the 1971 (Third) and 1974 (Sixth) All-Japan Full Contact Karate Championships (AJFCKC), as well as the 1975 First All-World Full Contact Karate Championships (AWFCKC). He was part of a Kyokushin training group nicknamed "The Seven Samurai," which included Jōkō Ninomiya. Satō defeated Ninomiya on his way to taking the 1975 Kyokushin title. In 1976, he was listed at 5 ft 10+1⁄2 in (179.1 cm) in height and 183 pounds (83 kg) in weight. A later source specifies 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) and 90 kg (200 lb; 14 st). He then retired from full-time karate training and competition and devoted himself to assisting his family's business. In 1977, Satō started his own karate style, Satojuku, in Mitaka, Tokyo, as a single dojo (training hall). Satojuku has now grown to include dojo in many locations in Japan. Satojuku is known as a similar style to Kyokushin, but emphasizes precise knockdown techniques over techniques designed to injure or "knock-out" one's opponent. The organization sponsors an annual tournament, the All-Japan Point & K.O. Tournament, held at Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan, with full-contact, knockdown rules of competition. Describing his art in 1987, Satō wrote, "Odo means the way champions must behave. It is based on humane feelings and courtesy, on being honorable, on being devoid of selfishness or bias. It is the antithesis of any martial art that relies only on force to conquer an opponent."
Goji Sakamoto (坂本 剛二, Sakamoto Gōji; 2 November 1944 – 4 November 2018) was a Japanese politician of the Liberal…Goji Sakamoto (坂本 剛二, Sakamoto Gōji; 2 November 1944 – 4 November 2018) was a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Iwaki, Fukushima and graduate of Chuo University, he had served in the city assembly of Iwaki since 1972 and in the assembly of Fukushima Prefecture for three terms since 1975. In 1986, he ran unsuccessfully for the House of Representatives. He ran again four years later and was elected for the first time. He died on 4 November 2018 at the age of 74 from heart failure.
Ken'ichiro Kobayashi (小林 研一郎, Kobayashi Ken'ichirō; born 9 April 1940) is a Japanese conductor and composer. In Japan…Ken'ichiro Kobayashi (小林 研一郎, Kobayashi Ken'ichirō; born 9 April 1940) is a Japanese conductor and composer. In Japan he is known among his fans as “Kobaken.”
Atsuo Nakamura (中村 敦夫, Nakamura Atsuo; born 18 February 1940) is a Japanese actor and politician. He has appeared in…Atsuo Nakamura (中村 敦夫, Nakamura Atsuo; born 18 February 1940) is a Japanese actor and politician. He has appeared in more than 50 films since 1964. His younger brother Katsuyuki Nakamura is a writer.
Reizo Ohira (born 7 March 1935) is a Japanese basketball player. He competed in the men's tournament at the 1956 Summer…Reizo Ohira (born 7 March 1935) is a Japanese basketball player. He competed in the men's tournament at the 1956 Summer Olympics.
Kuniji Toda (Japanese: 戸田邦司 Toda Kuniji; 18 November 1934 – 4 September 2023) was a Japanese engineer and politician. A…Kuniji Toda (Japanese: 戸田邦司 Toda Kuniji; 18 November 1934 – 4 September 2023) was a Japanese engineer and politician. A member of the New Frontier Party and later the Liberal Party, he served in the House of Councillors from 1995 to 2001. Toda died on 4 September 2023, at the age of 88.
Noboru Kousaka (上坂 昇, Kōsaka Noboru; 6 July 1918 – 2 July 2013) was a Japanese politician. He was a member of the House…Noboru Kousaka (上坂 昇, Kōsaka Noboru; 6 July 1918 – 2 July 2013) was a Japanese politician. He was a member of the House of Representatives for the Japan Socialist Party from 1973 until his retirement in 1991.
Shinpei Kusano (草野心平, Kusano Shinpei, 12 May 1903 – 12 November 1988) was a Japanese poet. He was born in Iwaki…Shinpei Kusano (草野心平, Kusano Shinpei, 12 May 1903 – 12 November 1988) was a Japanese poet. He was born in Iwaki, Fukushima. He was a member of the Japan Art Academy, a Person of Cultural Merit, and a recipient of the Order of Culture. After dropping out of Keio University, he studied art at Lingnan University in Guangdong, China, and published "The Hundredth Grade" in 1928, and joined "Rekitei", a poetry magazine founded by Itzumi Naokichi in 1935. Later, he became an advisor to the propaganda department of the Wang Zhaoming government in the Japanese puppet regime of Nanjing. Some critics have pointed out the influence of the regime's ideology in "Fuji" (1943), which was published in Nanjing. After the war, he republished "Rekitei" and trained many poets and loved frogs.
Vice Admiral Hidemi Yoshida (吉田英三, Eizo; 5 March 1902 – 24 April 1978) was a Japanese naval officer who served in the…Vice Admiral Hidemi Yoshida (吉田英三, Eizo; 5 March 1902 – 24 April 1978) was a Japanese naval officer who served in the Imperial Japanese Navy from 1919 to 1945 and the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) from 1954 to 1958. He was the first Self Defense Fleet commander in 1954 until being succeeded by Vice Admiral Yasumaro Kiguchi.
Takeo Takagi (高木 武雄, Takagi Takeo; 25 January 1892 – 8 July 1944) was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during…Takeo Takagi (高木 武雄, Takagi Takeo; 25 January 1892 – 8 July 1944) was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. He was the commander of the IJN 6th Fleet, which oversaw the deployment of all submarines.
Shōzō Iizuka (飯塚 昭三, Iizuka Shōzō; May 23, 1933 – February 15, 2023) was a Japanese actor, voice actor and narrator…Shōzō Iizuka (飯塚 昭三, Iizuka Shōzō; May 23, 1933 – February 15, 2023) was a Japanese actor, voice actor and narrator from Fukushima Prefecture. He graduated from the fine arts department of Nihon University. He is most known for the roles of Hakaider (Android Kikaider), Doctor Neo Cortex (Crash Bandicoot series), Great King Mons Drake Of The Planet (Tensou Sentai Goseiger), 38 out of 50 Vader Monsters (Denshi Sentai Denjiman), Ryu Jose (Mobile Suit Gundam), Heart (Fist of the North Star), Happosai Ueda (Nintama Rantarou), Nappa (Dragon Ball Z) and Sergeant Bosco Albert "B.A." Baracus (Japanese dub of The A-Team). He played major villain roles in the first eight Metal Hero Series.
