Mayu Ushida (Japanese: 牛田茉友, Hepburn: Ushida Mayu; born 8 June 1985) is a Japanese politician serving as a member of…Mayu Ushida (Japanese: 牛田茉友, Hepburn: Ushida Mayu; born 8 June 1985) is a Japanese politician serving as a member of the House of Councillors since 2025. She was a television presenter at NHK from 2009 to 2025, and served as news anchor for the Nichiyō Tōron.
Satoshi Umemura (梅村 聡, Umemura Satoshi; born 1975) is a Japanese politician of the Japan Innovation Party, who served…Satoshi Umemura (梅村 聡, Umemura Satoshi; born 1975) is a Japanese politician of the Japan Innovation Party, who served as a member of the House of Councillors and the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Sakai, Osaka and graduate of Osaka University, he was elected for the first time in 2007.
Satoru Kōsaki (神前 暁, Kōsaki Satoru; born September 16, 1974) is a Japanese music composer and arranger. He is best…Satoru Kōsaki (神前 暁, Kōsaki Satoru; born September 16, 1974) is a Japanese music composer and arranger. He is best known for his work on anime, including Lucky Star, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Monogatari, Beastars, and The Apothecary Diaries. He worked at Namco, where he primarily composed soundtracks for video games. Since 2005, he has been affiliated with Keiichi Okabe's music production company Monaca, where he has often collaborated with his colleagues to produce soundtracks for anime and other media.
Kyoko Nozaki (野崎 京子, Nozaki Kyōko; born 9 February 1964) is a Japanese chemist and Professor of Chemistry at University…Kyoko Nozaki (野崎 京子, Nozaki Kyōko; born 9 February 1964) is a Japanese chemist and Professor of Chemistry at University of Tokyo in Japan.
Masayo Takahashi (高橋 政代, Takahashi Masayo; born June 23, 1961) is a Japanese medical physician, ophthalmologist and…Masayo Takahashi (高橋 政代, Takahashi Masayo; born June 23, 1961) is a Japanese medical physician, ophthalmologist and stem cell researcher. Takahashi serves as a project research leader at the Riken Center for Developmental Biology in Kobe focusing on the clinical application of iPS Cell (induced Pluripotent Stem Cell) technology on macular degeneration. In 2014, Takahashi was named by British science journal Nature as one of "five to watch" global scientists for her groundbreaking work in regenerative medicine. In March 2017 a team led by Takahashi completed the first successful transplant of iPS-derived retinal cells into the eye of a patient suffering from advanced wet age-related macular degeneration. During the surgery the patient received a transplant of approximately 250,000 retinal pigment epithelial cells into the eye generated from donor-derived iPSCs. Results of this landmark study were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Akira Sasō (Japanese: さそう あきら, Hepburn: Sasō Akira; born 1961) is a Japanese manga artist and educator. He has won a…Akira Sasō (Japanese: さそう あきら, Hepburn: Sasō Akira; born 1961) is a Japanese manga artist and educator. He has won a Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize and two Japan Media Arts Awards, the latter for his manga Shindō (1997–98) and Maestro (2003–07).
Takehiko Nakao (中尾 武彦, Nakao Takehiko; born 5 March 1956) is a Japanese former civil servant who served as the ninth…Takehiko Nakao (中尾 武彦, Nakao Takehiko; born 5 March 1956) is a Japanese former civil servant who served as the ninth president of the Asian Development Bank between 2013 and early 2020. He is Adviser, Sumitomo Corporation and Chairman, Center for International Economy and Strategy. He is also a board member (external) of the Daiichi Life Insurance Ltd. He teaches international economic policies and development economics as visiting professor at the Graduate School of Public Policy at Tokyo University and National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (Tokyo).
Katsuya Okada (岡田 克也, Okada Katsuya; born 14 July 1953) is a Japanese politician who was Deputy Prime Minister of Japan…Katsuya Okada (岡田 克也, Okada Katsuya; born 14 July 1953) is a Japanese politician who was Deputy Prime Minister of Japan from January to December 2012. A member of the House of Representatives of Japan, he was the president of the Democratic Party, and previously of the Democratic Party of Japan. He also served as Secretary-General of the DPJ three times. During the DPJ's period in government he was Foreign Minister of Japan. In 2016, he remained as leader when the Democratic Party of Japan merged with the Japan Innovation Party to become the Democratic Party.
Satoshi Kawata (河田 聡, Kawata Satoshi; born 1 October 1951), is a scientist based in Japan who is active in…Satoshi Kawata (河田 聡, Kawata Satoshi; born 1 October 1951), is a scientist based in Japan who is active in nanotechnology, photonics, plasmonics, and other areas of applied physics. He is a Professor of Department of Applied Physics at Osaka University. He is also a Chief Scientist at RIKEN. Kawata was the 2022 president of Optica.
Jun Nishikawa (西川 純, Nishikawa Jun; born 8 August 1950) is a former member of the Japanese Red Army (JRA). He was a…Jun Nishikawa (西川 純, Nishikawa Jun; born 8 August 1950) is a former member of the Japanese Red Army (JRA). He was a member of the group that attacked the French embassy in The Hague in 1974. In April 1975 he was arrested in Stockholm before being released later that year as part of a deal with the Japanese government to free the hostages that JRA had taken in the AIA building siege in Kuala Lumpur. He has been linked with the Japan Airlines Flight 472 hijacking carried out by the JRA on September 28, 1977. As a demand they asked for the release of several JRA members, including Junzo Okudaira, and their demands were met by the Japanese government. Nishikawa remained at large during this time. Following an investigation co-ordinated by Interpol, and involving Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru, he was located and arrested 20 years later in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. He was eventually deported to Japan in November 1997, where he was arrested and put on trial. Nishikawa was found guilty of violating the hijacking law, passport forgery, attempted murder and taking hostages. On 30 March 2007, he was sentenced to life imprisonment. Japan's Supreme Court said on September 13, 2011, that it turned down an appeal by Nishikawa against his sentence of life imprisonment.
Koki Ando (安藤 宏基, Andō Kōki; born October 7, 1947) is the son of Momofuku Ando, Japanese inventor of Taiwanese descent…Koki Ando (安藤 宏基, Andō Kōki; born October 7, 1947) is the son of Momofuku Ando, Japanese inventor of Taiwanese descent who created Top Ramen and Cup Noodles. Following his father's death in 2007, Koki Ando has been the president and the CEO of Nissin Foods Holdings Co. Ltd.
Tamayo Marukawa (丸川 珠代, Marukawa Tamayo, born 19 January 1971) is a Japanese politician and former announcer of TV…Tamayo Marukawa (丸川 珠代, Marukawa Tamayo, born 19 January 1971) is a Japanese politician and former announcer of TV Asahi, who served as a member of the House of Councillors from 2007 to 2024. She is a member of the Liberal Democratic Party. She served as the head of the Women's Affairs Office of the LDP in October 2009. She graduated from the University of Tokyo with the Bachelor of Economics degree in 1993. The 2007 House of Councillors election marked her entry into politics. The documentary film "Pictures at an Election" covers some of her campaign. She is married to Taku Otsuka (a member of the House of Representatives). Their wedding ceremony was held in Meiji Shrine on 16 June 2008. They have one child. Marukawa has served twice as Minister of State for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games. She first served in the role under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe from August 2016 until August 2017. She was named to the post a second time by Yoshihide Suga on 18 February 2021 to replace fellow LDP lawmaker and former Olympian Seiko Hashimoto, who had resigned from her Cabinet post in order to take over as President of the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee. Marukawa stood as the LDP candidate for the Tokyo 7th district in the October 2024 House of Representatives election, intending to switch houses. She thus automatically lost her seat in the House of Councillors when the election was announced. Marukawa was defeated in the election. Marukawa again contested Tokyo 7th district in the 2026 general election and was elected. She was affiliated with the nationalist organisation Nippon Kaigi.