Mika Ninagawa (蜷川 実花, Ninagawa Mika; born October 18, 1972) is a Japanese photographer and director, known for her…Mika Ninagawa (蜷川 実花, Ninagawa Mika; born October 18, 1972) is a Japanese photographer and director, known for her brightly colored photographs of flowers, goldfish, and landscapes.
Seiichi Motohashi (本橋 成一, Motohashi Seiichi; 1940 – December 20, 2025) was a Japanese photographer and film director.…Seiichi Motohashi (本橋 成一, Motohashi Seiichi; 1940 – December 20, 2025) was a Japanese photographer and film director. He died on December 20, 2025, at the age of 85.
Ryōji Noyori (野依 良治, Noyori Ryōji; born 3 September 1938) is a Japanese chemist. He won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in…Ryōji Noyori (野依 良治, Noyori Ryōji; born 3 September 1938) is a Japanese chemist. He won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2001. Noyori shared a half of the prize with William S. Knowles for the study of chirally catalyzed hydrogenations; the second half of the prize went to K. Barry Sharpless for his study in chirally catalyzed oxidation reactions (Sharpless epoxidation).
Susumu Hani (羽仁 進, Hani Susumu; born 10 October 1928) is a Japanese film director, and one of the most prominent…Susumu Hani (羽仁 進, Hani Susumu; born 10 October 1928) is a Japanese film director, and one of the most prominent representatives of the 1960s Japanese New Wave. Born in Tokyo, he has directed both documentaries and feature films. He won the Directors Guild of Japan New Directors Award for his first fiction film, Bad Boys, in 1961. His 1962 film Mitasareta seikatsu was entered into the 12th Berlin International Film Festival. His 1963 documentary film Children Hand in Hand was entered into the 4th Moscow International Film Festival winning him a Special Diploma. One of his most famous films is Nanami: The Inferno of First Love (初恋・地獄篇 - Hatsukoi Jigokuhen, 1968), which Hani co-scripted with Shūji Terayama.
Sumiko Haneda (Japanese: 羽田澄子; born 3 January 1926) is a Japanese film director.She is one of the prominent post-war…Sumiko Haneda (Japanese: 羽田澄子; born 3 January 1926) is a Japanese film director.She is one of the prominent post-war documentary filmmakers in Japan who speaks for women and their roles in society through the portrayal of these themes in her films.Haneda also played a role in the establishment of the Tokyo International Women’s Film Festival (1985-2012), the first event of its kind in Japan.
Mieko Kamiya (神谷 美恵子, Kamiya Mieko; January 12, 1914 – October 22, 1979) was a Japanese psychiatrist who treated…Mieko Kamiya (神谷 美恵子, Kamiya Mieko; January 12, 1914 – October 22, 1979) was a Japanese psychiatrist who treated leprosy patients at Nagashima Aiseien Sanatorium. She was known for translating books on philosophy. She worked as a medical doctor in the Department of Psychiatry at Tokyo University following World War II. She was said to have greatly helped the Ministry of Education and the General Headquarters, where the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers stayed, in her role as an English-speaking secretary, and served as an adviser to Empress Michiko. She wrote many books as a highly educated, multi-lingual person; one of her books, titled On the Meaning of Life (ikigai ni tsuite in Japanese), based on her experiences with leprosy patients, attracted many readers.
Ayako Ishigaki (石垣 綾子, Ishigaki Ayako; 1903 – 1996) was an Issei journalist, activist, and feminist, who was among the…Ayako Ishigaki (石垣 綾子, Ishigaki Ayako; 1903 – 1996) was an Issei journalist, activist, and feminist, who was among the first Japanese American women to publish a memoir in English.
