Riku Nakayama (中山 陸, Nakayama Riku; born January 22, 2001) is a Japanese football player currently playing for SC…Riku Nakayama (中山 陸, Nakayama Riku; born January 22, 2001) is a Japanese football player currently playing for SC Sagamihara.
Shodai Yokoyama (横山 翔大, Yokoyama Shodai, born 14 October 2000) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as an…Shodai Yokoyama (横山 翔大, Yokoyama Shodai, born 14 October 2000) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as an attacking-midfielder for Singapore Premier League club BG Tampines Rovers. Mainly an attacking-midfielder, he is also capable of playing as a winger and occasionally a left-back.
Shōta Morishita (森下 翔太, Morishita Shōta; born August 14, 2000) is a Japanese professional baseball outfielder for the…Shōta Morishita (森下 翔太, Morishita Shōta; born August 14, 2000) is a Japanese professional baseball outfielder for the Hanshin Tigers of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
Shinnosuke Ogasawara (小笠原 慎之介, Ogasawara Shinnosuke; born October 8, 1997) is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher…Shinnosuke Ogasawara (小笠原 慎之介, Ogasawara Shinnosuke; born October 8, 1997) is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher for the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He has previously played in NPB for the Chunichi Dragons, and in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Washington Nationals. Ogasawara was the winning pitcher at the 2015 Summer Koshien tournament and was regarded as the second best high school pitching prospect in the 2015 NPB draft behind Gifu Commercial High School's Jumpei Takahashi. He holds the record for the worst start to a rookie season in the Japanese Central League going 0–5 in decisions before registering his first professional win. He has represented Japan on the international stage at under-15 and under-18 level helping his country to a runner-up position in the 2015 U-18 Baseball World Cup.
Ryo Yoshida (吉田 凌, Yoshida Ryo; born June 20, 1997 in Nishiwaki, Hyōgo, Japan) is a professional Japanese baseball…Ryo Yoshida (吉田 凌, Yoshida Ryo; born June 20, 1997 in Nishiwaki, Hyōgo, Japan) is a professional Japanese baseball player. He plays pitcher for the Chiba Lotte Marines.
Minori Yamamoto (山本実 born 9 December 1996) is a Japanese rugby union and sevens player. She plays fly-half for Japan…Minori Yamamoto (山本実 born 9 December 1996) is a Japanese rugby union and sevens player. She plays fly-half for Japan internationally and for Sale Sharks in Premiership Women's Ruby. She competed at the 2017, 2021 and 2025 Women's Rugby World Cups.
Kenya Kohara (born 29 August 1994) is a Japanese judoka. Kohara is the silver medalist of the 2018 Judo Grand Slam…Kenya Kohara (born 29 August 1994) is a Japanese judoka. Kohara is the silver medalist of the 2018 Judo Grand Slam Osaka in the –81 kg category.
Shunta Tanaka (田中 俊太, Tanaka Shunta; born August 18, 1993) is a Japanese professional baseball infielder. He previous…Shunta Tanaka (田中 俊太, Tanaka Shunta; born August 18, 1993) is a Japanese professional baseball infielder. He previous played for the Yomiuri Giants and the Yokohama DeNA BayStars in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). On November 16, 2018, he was selected Yomiuri Giants roster at the 2018 MLB Japan All-Star Series exhibition game against MLB All-Stars. His elder brother Kosuke is also a professional baseball player currently playing for Hiroshima Toyo Carp of Nippon Professional Baseball.
Naohisa Takato (髙藤直寿, Takatō Naohisa; born 30 May 1993) is a Japanese retired judoka. Takato was the top ranked judoka…Naohisa Takato (髙藤直寿, Takatō Naohisa; born 30 May 1993) is a Japanese retired judoka. Takato was the top ranked judoka in the world in the extra-lightweight division. He became one of judo's most prominent fighters by winning the 2013 World Championships. In the same year, he also won the World Masters in Tyumen, and the prestigious Grand Slams in Paris, Tokyo and a year earlier in Moscow 2012. With these successes, Takato was ranked No. 1 in the world in 2013 and 2014. He had an all-win record in 2013. Specializing in drop kata guruma, his physical and technical fighting style has become iconic in judo. Takato was one of the most searched judokas in 2015. He once was the most decorated judoka on the IJF World Tour, having notably won eleven gold medals in Grand Slam competitions. Takato won a bronze medal as Japan's extra-lightweight representative at the 2016 Olympics and won the gold medal in the same event at the 2020 Olympics held in Tokyo, Japan.
Takumi Ohshiro (大城 卓三, Ohshiro Takumi; born February 11, 1993) is a Japanese professional baseball catcher and…Takumi Ohshiro (大城 卓三, Ohshiro Takumi; born February 11, 1993) is a Japanese professional baseball catcher and infielder for the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
Soichi Hashimoto (Japanese: 橋本壮市; born 24 August 1991) is a Japanese retired judoka. Hashimoto was ranked first in the…Soichi Hashimoto (Japanese: 橋本壮市; born 24 August 1991) is a Japanese retired judoka. Hashimoto was ranked first in the lightweight division. Hashimoto rose to prominence by becoming national champion at the All-Japan Judo Championships in 2015. He then became one of the lightweight division's top judokas by winning five tournaments consecutively, spanning from the 2016 World Masters to the 2016 Tokyo Grand Slam and 2017 Paris Grand Slam. Hashimoto is known for his dynamic style of judo and strong groundwork.
Ryunosuke Haga (羽賀 龍之介, Haga Ryunosuke; born 28 April 1991) is a male Japanese retired judoka and 2015 world champion…Ryunosuke Haga (羽賀 龍之介, Haga Ryunosuke; born 28 April 1991) is a male Japanese retired judoka and 2015 world champion in the under 100 kg division. His favoured technique is Uchi Mata. Born in Miyazaki, Haga started judo at the age of 5. He won the gold medal in the –100 kg weight class at the 2010 World Juniors Championships in Agadir. In 2011, Haga won the Shenzhen Universiade. In 2015, he won the gold medal in the Half-heavyweight (100 kg) division at the 2015 World Championships. Haga won the 2015 Tokyo Grand Slam and the 2015 Düsseldorf Grand Prix. Bronze medalist in the 2016 Rio Olympics. Haga's father, Yoshio, was also a judoka. Like his father who was a winner of the Kodokan Cup, he won the competition in 2010 and 2011. Furthermore, he maintains a decade-long friendship with Ōzeki Kirishima Tetsuo, a professional sumo wrestler.
Shōta Tomonaga (友永 翔太, Tomonaga Shōta; born April 1, 1991 in Hadano, Kanagawa, Japan) is a retired Japanese…Shōta Tomonaga (友永 翔太, Tomonaga Shōta; born April 1, 1991 in Hadano, Kanagawa, Japan) is a retired Japanese professional baseball outfielder. He played for the Chunichi Dragons of the Nippon Professional Baseball(NPB).
Kayhan Ozcicek-Takagi (born 15 October 1990) is a Japanese-born Australian judoka. Ozcicek-Takagi is a bronze medalist…Kayhan Ozcicek-Takagi (born 15 October 1990) is a Japanese-born Australian judoka. Ozcicek-Takagi is a bronze medalist of the 2019 Marrakesh Grand Prix in the –100 kg category.
Taishi Ohta (大田 泰示, Ohta Taishi; born June 9, 1990) is a Japanese professional baseball outfielder for the Yokohama…Taishi Ohta (大田 泰示, Ohta Taishi; born June 9, 1990) is a Japanese professional baseball outfielder for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball.
Tomoyuki Sugano (菅野 智之, Sugano Tomoyuki; born October 11, 1989) is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher for the…Tomoyuki Sugano (菅野 智之, Sugano Tomoyuki; born October 11, 1989) is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher for the Colorado Rockies of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Baltimore Orioles, and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Yomiuri Giants. Sugano is a three-time winner of the Central League Most Valuable Player Award and a two-time winner of the Eiji Sawamura Award.
Kosuke Tanaka (田中 広輔, Tanaka Kōsuke; born July 3, 1989) is a professional Japanese baseball player. He plays infielder…Kosuke Tanaka (田中 広輔, Tanaka Kōsuke; born July 3, 1989) is a professional Japanese baseball player. He plays infielder for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp.
Yuya Yoshida (吉田 優也, Yoshida Yūya; born on 28 April 1989) is a Japanese judoka. He won the gold medal in the 90 kg…Yuya Yoshida (吉田 優也, Yoshida Yūya; born on 28 April 1989) is a Japanese judoka. He won the gold medal in the 90 kg weight class at the 2014 Asian Games.
Daijiro Tanaka (田中 大二郎, Tanaka Daijirō; born April 29, 1988) is a Japanese former professional baseball first baseman…Daijiro Tanaka (田中 大二郎, Tanaka Daijirō; born April 29, 1988) is a Japanese former professional baseball first baseman who played for the Yomiuri Giants in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball. He played with the Giants in 2008, 2009 and 2011.
Kyohei Iwasaki (岩崎 恭平, born April 4, 1986) is a Japanese professional baseball second baseman. Iwasaki played for…Kyohei Iwasaki (岩崎 恭平, born April 4, 1986) is a Japanese professional baseball second baseman. Iwasaki played for Chunichi Dragons in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball in 2009, 2010, and 2013.
Takuya Hara (原 拓也, Hara Takuya; born May 18, 1984 in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan) is a Japanese professional baseball…Takuya Hara (原 拓也, Hara Takuya; born May 18, 1984 in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan) is a Japanese professional baseball infielder for the Orix Buffaloes in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball.
Masahiko Morino (森野 将彦, Morino Masahiko; born July 28, 1978 in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture) is a former Japanese…Masahiko Morino (森野 将彦, Morino Masahiko; born July 28, 1978 in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture) is a former Japanese professional baseball infielder for the Chunichi Dragons in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball. He also played for Team Japan at the 2008 Olympics. Morino retired in 2017 and served as the Dragons' second team batting coach until the end of the 2019 season.
Kosei Inoue (井上 康生, Inoue Kōsei; born 15 May 1978) is a Japanese judoka. He won the gold medal in the under 100 kg…Kosei Inoue (井上 康生, Inoue Kōsei; born 15 May 1978) is a Japanese judoka. He won the gold medal in the under 100 kg class at the 2000 Summer Olympics. He is well known for his specialty throws, Uchi Mata (内股, inner thigh throw) and Ōuchi gari (大内刈, major inner reap). He is considered by the Judo community as one of the best competitive judoka. His notable accomplishments include three golds at the World Championships and All Japan Championships (one of four Judokas who have accomplished this). His older brother, Tomokazu Inoue is also judoka and former Asian champion. He is affiliated with Sohgo Security Services (Alsok), a security firm.
Hiroomi Fujita (藤田 博臣, Fujita Hiroomi; born 23 February 1976) is a Japanese judoka. Fujita is from Goshogawara, Aomori.…Hiroomi Fujita (藤田 博臣, Fujita Hiroomi; born 23 February 1976) is a Japanese judoka. Fujita is from Goshogawara, Aomori. He began judo at the junior high school days and won gold medal at World Junior Championships in 1994, World University Championships in 1996, East Asian Games in 1997, and so on. After graduation from Tokai University, He belonged to Asahi Kasei. Fujita retired in 2000.
Tōki Susumu (born July 4, 1974 as Jun Tamaki) is a former sumo wrestler from Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture, Japan. His…Tōki Susumu (born July 4, 1974 as Jun Tamaki) is a former sumo wrestler from Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture, Japan. His highest rank was komusubi. He wrestled for Takasago stable and was a sumo coach at two other stables until his retirement in 2023.
Yone Kamio (神尾 米, Kamio Yone; born November 22, 1971 in Yokohama) is a retired Japanese tennis player who competed on…Yone Kamio (神尾 米, Kamio Yone; born November 22, 1971 in Yokohama) is a retired Japanese tennis player who competed on the WTA Tour. She attained a career-best ranking of #24 in the world in October 1995. That year, she reached the third round of the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and the U.S. Open.
Hiroshi Koizumi (小泉 洋史, Koizumi Hiroshi; born 25 May 1969 in Kanagawa) is a Japanese racing driver who last competed…Hiroshi Koizumi (小泉 洋史, Koizumi Hiroshi; born 25 May 1969 in Kanagawa) is a Japanese racing driver who last competed for TF Sport in the LMGT3 class of the European Le Mans Series.
Yoshihiro Takayama (高山 善廣, Takayama Yoshihiro; born September 19, 1966) is a Japanese former professional wrestler and…Yoshihiro Takayama (高山 善廣, Takayama Yoshihiro; born September 19, 1966) is a Japanese former professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. Debuting for UWF International (UWFI) in the 1990s, Takayama joined All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) in 1997 after UWF-i folded. In 2000, he joined Pro Wrestling Noah (Noah), and later became a mainstay in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) where he arguably achieved his greatest success, holding the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and NWF Heavyweight Championship simultaneously in 2003. He is one of only five men to hold all three puroresu major heavyweight titles (New Japan Pro-Wrestling's IWGP Heavyweight Championship, All Japan Pro Wrestling's Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship, and Pro Wrestling Noah's GHC Heavyweight Championship), the others being Kensuke Sasaki, Keiji Muto, Satoshi Kojima, and Yuji Nagata. Takayama first became known for his toughness after he began competing in mixed martial arts, when he took part in one of the most famous fights in MMA history at PRIDE 21 against Don Frye. Through his career Takayama had several career-threatening injuries, including a stroke after a match against Kensuke Sasaki in 2004. Takayama's career ended with a spinal cord injury in May 2017, which left him paralyzed from the shoulders down. After much rehabilitation, he gained some mobility in his upper body, being able to sit up without much assistance, but remains paralyzed to this day, using a motorized wheelchair for mobility.
Masahiro Miyazaki (宮崎 正裕 - Miyazaki Masahiro, born 1963) is a Japanese Kendo practitioner who works for Kanagawa…Masahiro Miyazaki (宮崎 正裕 - Miyazaki Masahiro, born 1963) is a Japanese Kendo practitioner who works for Kanagawa Prefectural Police in Japan. He participated in the All Japan Kendo Championship 12 times from 1990 to 2001 and won 6 times, more than any other competitor in the championship's history, including 2 successive victories (1998 and 1999). Because of his outstanding achievements in Kendo, he is called “the Master Swordsman of the Heisei era" and “an Iron Man of Kendo.” Miyazaki was born in 1963 in Kanagawa Prefecture near Tokyo. He has a younger brother named Fumihiro who, like him, was a member of the Japanese National Team and is also an All-Japan Kendo Champion (1997). In 1969, Miyazaki entered Shinotani Elementary School in Yokohama City. When he was 7, he began to practice Kendo at Genbukan Sakagami Dojo. In 1981, after he graduated from Toukai Dai Huzoku Sagami High School, which had a strong Kendo Club, he started working for the Kanagawa Prefectural Police. Due to his accomplishments, Kanagawa Prefectural Police Kendo Club nominated Miyazaki as Sword Master of the Kendo Club in 2012. Miyazaki distinguished himself from other Kendo practitioners with his aggression and speed. The average time that Miyazaki spent defeating the opponent was shorter than that of other Kendo practitioners who participated in the All Japan Kendo Championship. According to a study of Tsukuba University, Miyazaki's calf muscles are about twice as strong as regular Japanese adult men, and that makes Miyazaki's movement faster. Moreover, his interval between getting ready and striking is short: Miyazaki spends about 5.5 seconds and the other competitors spend about 7.5 seconds. Therefore, Miyazaki's matches rarely go into overtime. The short matches help him maintain his stamina. Miyazaki passed the Kendo 8th Dan Exam in 2009. After a year, he won the All-Japan 8th Dan Tournament on his first appearance. Since Miyazaki became a sword master in 2012, he trains many Kendo practitioners to become successful. He won the All-Japan 8th Dan Tournament a second time in 2016.
Yoshiyuki Morishita (森下 能幸, Morishita Yoshiyuki; born 4 December 1962) is a Japanese actor. He has appeared in more…Yoshiyuki Morishita (森下 能幸, Morishita Yoshiyuki; born 4 December 1962) is a Japanese actor. He has appeared in more than eighty films since 1996.
Tatsunori Hara (原 辰徳, Hara Tatsunori; born July 22, 1958) is a Japanese former professional baseball infielder and…Tatsunori Hara (原 辰徳, Hara Tatsunori; born July 22, 1958) is a Japanese former professional baseball infielder and manager. He played 15 seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Yomiuri Giants, and also spent 17 seasons as the club's manager.
Yasuhiro Yamashita (山下 泰裕, Yamashita Yasuhiro; born 1 June 1957) is a Japanese judoka. He currently works as an…Yasuhiro Yamashita (山下 泰裕, Yamashita Yasuhiro; born 1 June 1957) is a Japanese judoka. He currently works as an instructor or advisor for numerous organizations, including Tokai University, the International Judo Federation, and the All Japan Judo Federation. He retired from competitive judo on 17 June 1985 after a remarkable career where he won five gold medals in international competitions and marked 203 consecutive victories (with 7 draws in-between) until his retirement where he went undefeated his entire career against non-Japanese wrestlers. He received the Japanese National Prize of Honor on 9 October 1984. He is considered by many to be the greatest judoka ever.
Akio Ishii (石井 昭男, Ishii Akio; born September 26, 1955) is a Japanese former professional baseball outfielder. He…Akio Ishii (石井 昭男, Ishii Akio; born September 26, 1955) is a Japanese former professional baseball outfielder. He played for the Chunichi Dragons. He is currently the second team hitting coach for the Chunichi Dragons in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball.
Chihiro Yonekura (米倉 千尋, Yonekura Chihiro; born August 19, 1972) is a Japanese singer and songwriter from Yokohama…Chihiro Yonekura (米倉 千尋, Yonekura Chihiro; born August 19, 1972) is a Japanese singer and songwriter from Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan.