Momoko Abe (阿部 桃子, Abe Momoko; born 17 September 1994) is a Japanese actress, model and beauty pageant titleholder who…Momoko Abe (阿部 桃子, Abe Momoko; born 17 September 1994) is a Japanese actress, model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Universe Japan 2017 and represented Japan at Miss Universe 2017.
Miyako Tanaka (田中 京, Tanaka Miyako; born 20 February 1967) is a former synchronized swimmer from Japan who competed in…Miyako Tanaka (田中 京, Tanaka Miyako; born 20 February 1967) is a former synchronized swimmer from Japan who competed in the 1988 Summer Olympics. Miyako Tanaka-Oulevey is a Japanese sports psychologist, a PhD holder in system design and management, a certified mental training consultant in sports (CMTCS), public speaker, TV sports commentator, author, and a 1988 Seoul Olympics bronze medalist in synchronized swimming, duet. While assisting the US synchronized swimming Olympic head coach for 4 years in the US, she earned a master’s in sports management specializing in sports psychology. Her academically specialized fields are performance enhancement, career transition, and stress coping. She is the author of more than 40 books (including joint works), and routinely gives lectures, seminars or workshops at universities and companies. Olympic and professional Japanese athletes regularly consult with her regarding performance enhancement and career transition. She is a mental coach for Japan's female national soccer team and the male Paralympic wheelchair basketball team. She is also a member of the IOC marketing committee and a member of the certification committee of the Japanese society of sports psychology. Miyako currently lives with her husband and 2 children in Tokyo, Japan.
Naomi Tokashiki (渡嘉敷 奈緒美, Tokashiki Naomi; born 16 July 1962) is a Japanese politician who is serving in the House of…Naomi Tokashiki (渡嘉敷 奈緒美, Tokashiki Naomi; born 16 July 1962) is a Japanese politician who is serving in the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature) as a member of the Liberal Democratic Party.
Akie Abe (安倍 昭恵, Abe Akie; née Matsuzaki; born 10 June 1962) is the widow of Shinzo Abe, who served as Prime Minister…Akie Abe (安倍 昭恵, Abe Akie; née Matsuzaki; born 10 June 1962) is the widow of Shinzo Abe, who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2012 to 2020.
Yūko Nakagawa (中川郁子, Nakagawa Yūko; née Iwata, born 22 December 1958) is a Japanese politician in the Liberal…Yūko Nakagawa (中川郁子, Nakagawa Yūko; née Iwata, born 22 December 1958) is a Japanese politician in the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). She represented Hokkaido in the House of Representatives from 2012 to 2017. Her husband, Shōichi Nakagawa, was also a politician, serving as Minister of Finance of Japan in 2008 and 2009. Nakagawa was born in Niigata Prefecture and graduated from University of the Sacred Heart in 1981. She worked at Mitsubishi for a year until her marriage to Shōichi, and moved to Hokkaido shortly afterward. After Shōichi's death in 2009, Yūko began to get involved in politics. In the 2012 election, she ran in Hokkaido's 11th district against Tomohiro Ishikawa, who had defeated her husband for the position in the last election; she won with 51 percent of the vote. During her time in the House, she served on the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Committee, and was appointed as parliamentary minister of the committee in 2014. In her role as minister, she spoke out in opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership. After being re-elected in the 2014 election, Nakagawa came under controversy in March 2015, when a photograph was released where she was kissing fellow politician Hirofumi Kado; Nakagawa later apologized for the incident, and LDP President Shinzo Abe offered his continued support after the leak. She was challenged by Kaori Ishikawa, Tomohiro's wife, in the 2017 election. She lost, 54.5 to 45.5 percent, and the kiss with Kado was considered by the media to be the primary reason why she was defeated. Nakagawa narrowly regained a seat in the 2021 election. She was defeated in the 2024 election.
Maria Mori (森マリア; born June 29, 1956) is a former singer and actress from Sapporo, Japan. She was also known as Maria…Maria Mori (森マリア; born June 29, 1956) is a former singer and actress from Sapporo, Japan. She was also known as Maria Elizabeth. The daughter of an American FBI agent and a Japanese mother, she was a member of the Golden Half singing group, whose other members all had Japanese mothers and fathers from other countries. The group was active from 1970 to 1974 and appeared as regulars on the Tokyo Broadcasting System Saturday prime-time variety show Hachiji da yo! Zen'in shūgō which also featured the comedy group The Drifters and idol singers The Candies. Individually, Maria appeared in the television jidaigeki series Edo o Kiru and Yuki-hime Onmitsu Dōchūki and from 1988 to 1993 as Oryū in the TBS television series in Ōoka Echizen. She made guest appearances on Abarenbō Shōgun as well as in contemporary dramas including G-men 75, and co-hosted Chibikko Avec Utagassen.
Princess Tomohito of Mikasa (寛仁親王妃信子, Tomohito Shinnōhi Nobuko) (born Nobuko Asō (麻生信子, Asō Nobuko); 9 April 1955) is a…Princess Tomohito of Mikasa (寛仁親王妃信子, Tomohito Shinnōhi Nobuko) (born Nobuko Asō (麻生信子, Asō Nobuko); 9 April 1955) is a member of the Japanese imperial family as the widow of Prince Tomohito of Mikasa.
Hisako, Princess Takamado (憲仁親王妃久子, Norihito Shinnōhi Hisako) (born Hisako Tottori (鳥取久子, Tottori Hisako); 10 July…Hisako, Princess Takamado (憲仁親王妃久子, Norihito Shinnōhi Hisako) (born Hisako Tottori (鳥取久子, Tottori Hisako); 10 July 1953), is a member of the Japanese imperial family as the widow of Norihito, Prince Takamado.
Prince Tomohito of Mikasa (寛仁親王, Tomohito Shinnō; 5 January 1946 – 6 June 2012) was a member of the Imperial House of…Prince Tomohito of Mikasa (寛仁親王, Tomohito Shinnō; 5 January 1946 – 6 June 2012) was a member of the Imperial House of Japan and the eldest son of Takahito, Prince Mikasa and Yuriko, Princess Mikasa. He was a first cousin of Emperor Akihito, and was formerly sixth in the line of succession to the Japanese throne and the heir apparent to the princely house of Mikasa-no-miya and the title "Prince Mikasa". Prince Tomohito was the first member of the Imperial House of Japan with a full beard since Emperor Meiji, thus earning him the popular nickname of the "Bearded Prince" (ヒゲの殿下 Hige no Denka). He died of cancer on 6 June 2012, aged 66.
Yasuko Konoe (近衛 甯子, Konoe Yasuko; born 26 April 1944), formerly Princess Yasuko of Mikasa (甯子内親王, Yasuko Naishinnō)…Yasuko Konoe (近衛 甯子, Konoe Yasuko; born 26 April 1944), formerly Princess Yasuko of Mikasa (甯子内親王, Yasuko Naishinnō), is the first child of Takahito, Prince Mikasa, and Yuriko, Princess Mikasa. She married Tadateru Konoe on 16 December 1966. As a result, she gave up her imperial title and left the Japanese imperial family, as required by law.
Michiko (美智子; born Michiko Shōda [正田 美智子 Shōda Michiko], 20 October 1934) is a member of the Imperial House of Japan…Michiko (美智子; born Michiko Shōda [正田 美智子 Shōda Michiko], 20 October 1934) is a member of the Imperial House of Japan who has been the Empress Emerita of Japan since 1 May 2019. She was the Empress of Japan as the wife of Akihito, the 125th Emperor of Japan reigning from 7 January 1989 to 30 April 2019. Michiko married Crown Prince Akihito and became Crown Princess of Japan in 1959. She was the first commoner to marry into the Japanese imperial family. She has three children with her husband: Naruhito, Fumihito, and Sayako. Her elder son, Naruhito, is the current emperor. As crown princess and later as empress consort, she has become the most visible and widely travelled imperial consort in Japanese history. Upon Akihito's abdication, Michiko received the new title of Jōkōgō (上皇后), or Empress Emerita.
Ayako Sono (曽野 綾子, Sono Ayako; September 17, 1931 – February 28, 2025) was a Japanese writer. She published numerous…Ayako Sono (曽野 綾子, Sono Ayako; September 17, 1931 – February 28, 2025) was a Japanese writer. She published numerous novels, essays and articles between the 1950s and the early 2020s. Sono was also considered to be nationalist and conservative. She provoked controversy for advocating a system similar to South Africa's apartheid for Japan's immigrants. She also advocated for women to quit their jobs after becoming pregnant.
Hidé Ishiguro (Japanese: 石黒ひで, Ishiguro Hidé; 4 August 1931 – 18 February 2026) was a Japanese analytic philosopher and…Hidé Ishiguro (Japanese: 石黒ひで, Ishiguro Hidé; 4 August 1931 – 18 February 2026) was a Japanese analytic philosopher and emeritus professor at Keio University, Tokyo. She is considered an expert on the philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz on whom she published many papers. She was also a Wittgenstein scholar.
Sadako Ogata, née Nakamura (緒方 貞子, Ogata Sadako; 16 September 1927 – 22 October 2019), was a Japanese academic…Sadako Ogata, née Nakamura (緒方 貞子, Ogata Sadako; 16 September 1927 – 22 October 2019), was a Japanese academic, diplomat, author, administrator, and professor emerita at the Roman Catholic Sophia University. She was widely known as the head of the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) from 1991 to 2000, as well as in her capacities as Chair of the UNICEF Executive Board from 1978 to 1979 and as President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) from 2003 to 2012. She also served as Advisor of the Executive Committee of the Japan Model United Nations (JMUN).
Kikuko Inoue (Japanese: 井上喜久子, 3 December 1924 – 16 February 2018) was a Japanese equestrian. She competed at the 1964…Kikuko Inoue (Japanese: 井上喜久子, 3 December 1924 – 16 February 2018) was a Japanese equestrian. She competed at the 1964 Summer Olympics, the 1972 Summer Olympics, and the 1988 Summer Olympics. At the 1988 Olympics, she was the oldest Japanese Olympian. Her maternal grandfather was businessman Asano Sōichirō. Both her father, Masashi Hide, and her mother, Keiko Masugi, were experienced equestrians. Inoue died on 16 February 2018 at home in Tokyo due to acute heart failure, aged 93. An obituary was published on 16 January 2019, about 11 months after his death.
Okamura Fuku (Japanese: 岡村ふく; June 3, 1899 – April 26, 1982), also known as Mother Helen Theresia, was a Japanese Roman…Okamura Fuku (Japanese: 岡村ふく; June 3, 1899 – April 26, 1982), also known as Mother Helen Theresia, was a Japanese Roman Catholic nun born in the Empire of Japan. In 1944 she was the co-founder, with Fr. Vincent Totsuka Bunkyō (1892–1939, Bunkei Totsuka in some sources), of the Missionary Sisters of St. John the Evangelist, and Sakuramachi hospital. She was listed as the director in the early 1970s. Louis Massignon reported meeting her and her congregation in 1959 when he visited Sakuramachi hospital in Tokyo, and she is listed in his correspondence. In 1963, when she was mother superior, she received a national medal for her work with developmentally disabled people, and her role in founding Sakuramachi hospital with Fr. Totsuka.
Kaori Ishikawa (石川かおり, Ishikawa Kaori; born 10 May 1984) is a member of the Constitutional Democratic Party in the…Kaori Ishikawa (石川かおり, Ishikawa Kaori; born 10 May 1984) is a member of the Constitutional Democratic Party in the House of Representatives, representing Hokkaido's 11th district after being elected for the first time. She was an analyst for Nippon BS Broadcasting before meeting her husband, Tomohiro Ishikawa, with whom she has two children. Ishikawa was born in Yokohama and graduated from the University of the Sacred Heart.
Mariko Oi (大井 真理子, Ōi Mariko; born 14 December 1981) is a Japanese bilingual journalist based in Singapore, who has…Mariko Oi (大井 真理子, Ōi Mariko; born 14 December 1981) is a Japanese bilingual journalist based in Singapore, who has worked for the BBC since 2006, when she became the network's first Japanese reporter. She hosts the BBC World Service's visualised podcast, Asia Specific, which delivers in-depth analysis and expertise on stories from across Asia-Pacific on Wednesdays and Saturdays on YouTube, BBC Sounds, Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Previously, Oi regularly presented Newsday and Business Today (formerly Asia Business Report) on BBC News Channel and business segments on BBC Radio 4 and BBC World Service. She spent 2021 as the BBC's Asia Business correspondent. Oi also worked as the network’s Tokyo correspondent in 2012 and North America Business correspondent in 2013 and 2016.
