Kenichi Ōkuma (Japanese: 大熊謙一, Hepburn: Ōkuma Kenichi; 7 March 1966 – 22 July 2022), also known as Kenichi Okuma…Kenichi Ōkuma (Japanese: 大熊謙一, Hepburn: Ōkuma Kenichi; 7 March 1966 – 22 July 2022), also known as Kenichi Okuma, Kenichi Ohkuma, Kenichi Ookuma, or Ken-ichi Ookuma, was a Japanese video game music composer, sound designer and musician. On July 22nd 2022, he died of esophageal cancer.
Kazuyoshi Nakanishi (中西 一善, Nakanishi Kazuyoshi) is a former Japanese politician who served as a member of the House of…Kazuyoshi Nakanishi (中西 一善, Nakanishi Kazuyoshi) is a former Japanese politician who served as a member of the House of Representatives, the lower house of the National Diet. He served as a member of the Liberal Democratic Party. He resigned his position in the National Diet in 2005 after being arrested for groping a woman.
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.
Kensaku Morita (森田 健作, Morita Kensaku; born 16 December 1949; birth name: 鈴木 栄治 Eiji Suzuki) is a retired Japanese…Kensaku Morita (森田 健作, Morita Kensaku; born 16 December 1949; birth name: 鈴木 栄治 Eiji Suzuki) is a retired Japanese politician, actor and singer. He was elected to three terms as governor of Chiba Prefecture, serving from April 2009 to April 2021.
Kenichi Mikawa (美川 憲一, Mikawa Ken'ichi; born 15 May 1946) is a Japanese singer and TV personality, known for his…Kenichi Mikawa (美川 憲一, Mikawa Ken'ichi; born 15 May 1946) is a Japanese singer and TV personality, known for his outspoken views and onē (オネー, effeminate; literally elder sister) style. Mikawa was born in Suwa, Nagano as Yoshikazu Momose (百瀬 由一, Momose Yoshikazu). He recorded a number of hit songs as a male enka singer in the 1960s and 1970s. The most well-known of his songs include "Sasoriza no Onna" and "Yanagase Blues". His career went into decline in the mid-1970s, but revived about 10 years later when he adopted his current style. He makes frequent appearances on TV talk and variety shows, and is also known as a regular performer on Kōhaku Uta Gassen, the popular New Year's Eve music show. One of the highlights of that show is his annual contest with enka singer Sachiko Kobayashi for the most elaborate costume. Mikawa is openly gay.
Ahn Eak-tai (; Korean: 안익태; Hanja: 安益泰; pronounced [ɐn.ik̚tʰε]; 5 December 1906 – 16 September 1965) was a Korean…Ahn Eak-tai (; Korean: 안익태; Hanja: 安益泰; pronounced [ɐn.ik̚tʰε]; 5 December 1906 – 16 September 1965) was a Korean classical composer and conductor. He conducted numerous major orchestras across Europe, including the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Rome Philharmonic Orchestra. Ahn composed "Aegukga", a song best known as the national anthem of South Korea, Korean Dance, Nongae, and the Symphonic Fantasy Korea. His unpublished works, some of which have been discovered recently, include Poema Synfonic 'Mallorca, Lo Pi Formentor, and The Death of Emperor Gojong. Ahn Eak-tai was born in the northern part of Korea just before the colonial era, and attended a school staffed by Catholic missionaries. There he developed an interest in music as he played a trumpet in the school orchestra. He received his higher education from the Kunitachi Music School in Japan, at the University of Cincinnati, and at the Curtis Institute of Music in the United States during the Great Depression. Ahn continued his study at Vienna under Bernhard Paumgartner, and under Zoltán Kodály at the Eötvös Loránd University in Hungary. Upon a second visit to Vienna, Ahn received assistance from Richard Strauss to bring Symphonic Fantasy Korea to near completion. Beginning with a concert in Budapest, Ahn spent the next five years conducting in Europe. The escalation of World War II brought Ahn to Spain, where he met Lolita Talavera, his future wife. After their marriage in 1946, the two moved to the United States, where Ahn conducted the Philadelphia Orchestra. Then, in 1955, Ahn returned to South Korea, and conducted the Seoul Philharmonic until his death.
Kumazawa Hiromichi (熊沢 寛道; December 18, 1889 – June 11, 1966), also known as the "Kumazawa emperor", was a Japanese…Kumazawa Hiromichi (熊沢 寛道; December 18, 1889 – June 11, 1966), also known as the "Kumazawa emperor", was a Japanese businessman and Buddhist priest from Nagoya who publicly disputed the legitimacy of Emperor Hirohito's bloodline in the period shortly after the end of the Second World War. He claimed to be the 19th direct descendant of Emperor Go-Kameyama. In 1946–1947, Hiromichi was only the first of roughly nineteen men who put themselves forward as Japan's rightful Emperor. As a direct descendant of the Southern Court emperors of the Nanboku-chō period, he argued that Emperor Hirohito was illegitimate. He pointed out that Hirohito's entire line is descended from the Northern Court emperors. He produced a koseki detailing his bloodline back to Emperor Go-Daigo in Yoshino, but his claims and rhetoric failed to inspire anything other than sympathy. Hiromichi's claims ultimately remained unsubstantiated.
Lee In (Korean: 이인; Hanja: 李仁; September 20, 1896 – April 5, 1979) was a South Korean politician and lawyer who served…Lee In (Korean: 이인; Hanja: 李仁; September 20, 1896 – April 5, 1979) was a South Korean politician and lawyer who served as the first minister of justice for South Korea from August 2, 1948, to June 5, 1949.
Ogiwara Seisensui (荻原 井泉水; 16 June 1884 – 11 May 1976) was the pen-name of Ogiwara Tōkichi (荻原 藤吉), a Japanese haiku…Ogiwara Seisensui (荻原 井泉水; 16 June 1884 – 11 May 1976) was the pen-name of Ogiwara Tōkichi (荻原 藤吉), a Japanese haiku poet active during the Taishō and Shōwa periods of Japan.
Shinzō Fukuhara (福原 信三, Fukuhara Shinzō; July 25, 1883 – November 4, 1948) was a Japanese photographer. He was born in…Shinzō Fukuhara (福原 信三, Fukuhara Shinzō; July 25, 1883 – November 4, 1948) was a Japanese photographer. He was born in Kyōbashi-ku, Tokyo, on 25 July 1883, as the fourth son of Arinobu Fukuhara, the head of Apothecary Shiseidō (which in 1927 would be incorporated as Shiseidō) and Toku Fukuhara (福原 とく). The third brother predeceased his birth, so he was named and treated as the third son. His two other elder brothers also died young, but the next brother, Rosō, would also win fame as a photographer; and, to a lesser degree, his youngest brother Nobuyoshi (信義, b.1897) would too, under the name Tōru Namiki (並木 透). Fukuhara first used a camera in 1896, if not earlier. He went to Columbia University to study pharmacology in 1908, and after his graduation traveled around England, Germany and Italy before settling in Paris in 1913. While there he certainly viewed much art and is likely to have seen various exhibitions of post-Impressionist works; Iizawa sees the influence of artists such as Seurat in Fukuhara's photographs later collected as "Paris and the Seine." Fukuhara died on 4 November 1948.
Naotake Satō (佐藤 尚武, Satō Naotake; 30 October 1882 – 18 December 1971) was a Japanese diplomat and politician who…Naotake Satō (佐藤 尚武, Satō Naotake; 30 October 1882 – 18 December 1971) was a Japanese diplomat and politician who served as President of the House of Councillors from 1949 to 1953. He was a career diplomat who served as ambassador to Belgium and France in the 1930s. He briefly served as foreign minister under Prime Minister Senjuro Hayashi in 1937. He then served as ambassador to Italy and later to the Soviet Union, holding the latter position during most of the Second World War. After the war he was elected to the House of Councillors and served as its president.
Shigeru Yoshida (吉田 茂, Yoshida Shigeru; Japanese pronunciation: [jo.ɕi.da (|) ɕi.ɡe.ɾɯ, -ŋe.ɾɯ], 22 September 1878 – 20…Shigeru Yoshida (吉田 茂, Yoshida Shigeru; Japanese pronunciation: [jo.ɕi.da (|) ɕi.ɡe.ɾɯ, -ŋe.ɾɯ], 22 September 1878 – 20 October 1967) was a Japanese diplomat and politician who served as prime minister of Japan from 1946 to 1947 and again from 1948 to 1954, serving through most of the country's occupation after World War II. Yoshida played a major role in determining the course of post-war Japan by forging a strong relationship with the United States and pursuing economic recovery. Born in Tokyo to a former samurai family, Yoshida graduated from Tokyo Imperial University in 1906 and joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He held various assignments abroad, including in China, where he advocated increased Japanese influence. From 1928 to 1930, Yoshida served as vice minister of foreign affairs, then served as ambassador to Italy until 1932. In 1936, he was considered for foreign minister in the cabinet of Kōki Hirota, but he was opposed by the Army, who strongly identified him with liberalism and friendship with Great Britain and the United States. Yoshida served as ambassador to Britain from 1936 to 1938. He largely avoided political participation during the Pacific War. During the U.S. occupation after the war's end, Yoshida served as foreign minister in the cabinets of Prince Higashikuni and Kijūrō Shidehara. Yoshida became prime minister in 1946, after Ichirō Hatoyama was purged by authorities on the verge of taking office; Yoshida served as foreign minister in his own first three cabinets. He oversaw the adoption of the Constitution of Japan before losing office after the election of 1947. He returned to the premiership in 1948, and negotiated the Treaty of San Francisco, which ended the occupation and saw the restoration of sovereignty to Japan, and a security treaty with the U.S. Yoshida pursued a strategy of concentrating on economic reconstruction while relying on an alliance with the United States for defense, a strategy known as the Yoshida Doctrine. The last years of his premiership were marked by conflict with Hatoyama, who had by then been depurged. This culminated in Yoshida being ousted and replaced by Hatoyama in 1954. Yoshida's legacy continued to play an important part in Japanese political life, particularly through his two protégés, Hayato Ikeda and Eisaku Satō, who served as prime ministers from 1960 to 1964 and 1964 to 1972 respectively. Yoshida died in 1967 and received a state funeral. His grandson, Tarō Asō, served as prime minister from 2008 to 2009.
Tesshō Genda (玄田 哲章, Genda Tesshō; born May 20, 1948) (sometimes credited as Tessyou Genda, Tetsuaki Genda, or Tetsusyo…Tesshō Genda (玄田 哲章, Genda Tesshō; born May 20, 1948) (sometimes credited as Tessyou Genda, Tetsuaki Genda, or Tetsusyo Genda) is a Japanese actor, voice actor and narrator. He is employed by the talent management firm 81 Produce. When he debuted, he used his real name, Mitsuo Yokoi (横居 光雄, Yokoi Mitsuo) as artist name. Because he had experience with ballet, he was known by the nickname "Pirouette Genda." Genda is one of Japan's most prolific voice actors, with 234 roles credited to his name as of September 25, 2007. Genda has performed the roles of Masami Iwaki (Dokaben), Suppaman (Dr. Slump), Gō Reietsu (High School! Kimengumi), Optimus Prime (A.K.A. Convoy) (The Transformers), Umibouzu (City Hunter), Ichimi Araiwa (Cooking Papa), and Action Kamen (Crayon Shin-chan) and is the current Japanese voice of Tigger in Winnie the Pooh media. He is also known for voicing Kurama in Naruto, and Kaido in One Piece. Like his Canadian counterpart Peter Cullen, Genda reprised the role of Optimus Prime (Convoy) in the Japanese dub of the 2007 Transformers movie. He is best known as the Japanese voice of Batman in numerous animated television series and animated films. Like his American counterpart Kevin Conroy, Genda reprised the role of Batman in the Japanese dub of Batman: Gotham Knight. He voices Kratos in the Japanese versions of the God of War video game series. In February 2010, Genda received a Merit Award from the 4th Seiyu Awards. He is the official dub-over artist of Arnold Schwarzenegger and has met with Schwarzenegger several times. He is a standard choice for Japanese dubbing of the voices of such English-speaking actors as Samuel L. Jackson, John Goodman, Dan Aykroyd, Laurence Fishburne, and Gérard Depardieu. He was the first dubbing actor for Sylvester Stallone and Steven Seagal in their early days.
Zhang Shizhao (simplified Chinese: 章士钊; traditional Chinese: 章士釗; pinyin: Zhāng Shìzhāo; Wade–Giles: Chang Shih-chao…Zhang Shizhao (simplified Chinese: 章士钊; traditional Chinese: 章士釗; pinyin: Zhāng Shìzhāo; Wade–Giles: Chang Shih-chao; 20 March 1881 – 1 July 1973), courtesy name Xingyan, pen name Huangzhonghuang, Qingtong or Qiutong, was a Chinese journalist, educator, politician of the early 20th century known for his advocacy first of revolutionary cultural values in the period leading up to the 1911 Revolution and then of traditional Confucian culture in following years. From the early years of the 20th century, Zhang edited a series of widely read journals and in the 1910s and 20s conducted respectful debates with New Culture Movement advocates of deep change and promoted Classical Chinese writing and protested written vernacular Chinese. He was the Minister of Justice and Minister of Education of the Beiyang Government, led by Duan Qirui during the Republic of China period. He was a senator in the Republic of China government and a standing committee member of the National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China and a standing committee member of the CPPCC in PRC. He was the president of the Central Research Institute of Culture and History. In 1949, Zhang was among a group of non-Communist intellectuals who reached out to Mao Zedong.
Kunichika Tomiyama (冨山 邦親, Tomiyama Kunichika; October 31, 1938 – September 25, 1995), better known professionally by…Kunichika Tomiyama (冨山 邦親, Tomiyama Kunichika; October 31, 1938 – September 25, 1995), better known professionally by his stage name Kei Tomiyama (富山 敬, Tomiyama Kei), was a Japanese actor, voice actor, and narrator. He was affiliated with multiple talent agencies during his career, including Aoni Production and Production Baobab. Tomiyama is best known for his roles in Tiger Mask as Naoto Date/Tiger Mask, Space Battleship Yamato as Susumu Kodai, UFO Robo Grendizer as Duke Fried/Daisuke Umon, the Time Bokan series as the Narrator, GeGeGe no Kitarō as Nezumi-Otoko, Chibi Maruko-chan as Tomozō Sakura and Shintarō Honami, and Legend of the Galactic Heroes as Yang Wen-li.
