Takafumi Uchimoto (Japanese: 内本 隆文, born 19 February 1998) is a Japanese soft tennis player. A right-handed back…Takafumi Uchimoto (Japanese: 内本 隆文, born 19 February 1998) is a Japanese soft tennis player. A right-handed back player, he represents Japan internationally and plays for NTT West. He is a two-time Asian champion in men's singles and men's doubles, having won the singles title at the 2016 Asian Soft Tennis Championships and the doubles title at the 2025 Asian Soft Tennis Championships. He has also won gold medals in the men's team event at the 2022 Asian Games and 2026 Asian Games.
Taku Hiraoka (平岡 卓, Hiraoka Taku; born 29 October 1995) is a Japanese snowboarder, from Gose, Nara. He won silver in…Taku Hiraoka (平岡 卓, Hiraoka Taku; born 29 October 1995) is a Japanese snowboarder, from Gose, Nara. He won silver in the halfpipe at the 2013 FIS Snowboarding World Championships. In the 2014 Winter Olympics, he won a bronze in the halfpipe. Later in 2014, he came in second behind American Taylor Gold in the Red Bull Double Pipe. At the 2015 Winter X Games held in Aspen, Colorado Hiraoka won the silver medal in the Superpipe in finishing second behind American snowboarder Danny Davis' Gold medal effort. On October 27, 2020, Hiraoka was found guilty and given a 30-month suspended prison sentence in a hit and run case that occurred the previous year and had injured six people. Hiraoka had been driving under the influence of alcohol and fled the scene after the accident.
Gurimu Narita (成田 緑夢, Narita Gurimu, born 1 February 1994) is a Japanese disabled snowboarder. He won gold in…Gurimu Narita (成田 緑夢, Narita Gurimu, born 1 February 1994) is a Japanese disabled snowboarder. He won gold in Snowboarding at the 2018 Winter Paralympics – Men's banked slalom in the SB-LL2 classification and bronze in Snowboarding at the 2018 Winter Paralympics – Men's snowboard cross.
Masato Watanabe (渡辺 正人, born April 3, 1979, in Osaka) is a Japanese former professional baseball infielder. He played…Masato Watanabe (渡辺 正人, born April 3, 1979, in Osaka) is a Japanese former professional baseball infielder. He played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Chiba Lotte Marines from 2001 to 2012.
Naoki Matoba (的場 直樹, Matoba Naoki; born May 9, 1977 in Osaka), nicknamed "Matton", is a Japanese former professional…Naoki Matoba (的場 直樹, Matoba Naoki; born May 9, 1977 in Osaka), nicknamed "Matton", is a Japanese former professional baseball catcher in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball. He played for the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks/Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in 2000, and from 2003 to 2008 and with the Chiba Lotte Marines in 2010 and 2011. Matoba is an ordained priest within the Ōtani-ha branch of Shin Buddhism.
Hajime Miki (三木 肇, Miki Hajime; born April 25, 1977) is a Japanese former professional baseball infielder who currently…Hajime Miki (三木 肇, Miki Hajime; born April 25, 1977) is a Japanese former professional baseball infielder who currently serves as the manager for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He played in NPB from 1996 to 2008 for the Yakult Swallows/Tokyo Yakult Swallows and Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.
Ryo Yuzawa (遊澤 亮, Yuzawa Ryō) is a former international table tennis player and coach from Japan. He won a bronze medal…Ryo Yuzawa (遊澤 亮, Yuzawa Ryō) is a former international table tennis player and coach from Japan. He won a bronze medal at the 2000 World Team Table Tennis Championships in the Swaythling Cup (men's team event) with Seiko Iseki, Kōji Matsushita, Hiroshi Shibutani and Toshio Tasaki for Japan. He competed in two Olympic Games in 1996 and 2004.
Hiroki Kuroda (黒田 博樹, Kuroda Hiroki; born February 10, 1975) is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher. He…Hiroki Kuroda (黒田 博樹, Kuroda Hiroki; born February 10, 1975) is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher. He pitched in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for Hiroshima Toyo Carp from 1997 to 2007 before playing in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2008 to 2011 and New York Yankees from 2012 to 2014. After the 2014 season, he chose to return to the Carp to finish out his career. Between the two leagues, he won 203 games. In NPB, Kuroda won the Best Nine Award in 2005 and was NPB ERA Champion in 2006. He also won a bronze medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics with the Japanese national baseball team. Kuroda was appointed UNITAR Goodwill Ambassador on 14 September 2015. In 2024, he was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame.
Sō Tsutsui (筒井 壮, Tsutsui Sō; born November 1, 1974) is a former professional baseball player from Ibaraki, Osaka…Sō Tsutsui (筒井 壮, Tsutsui Sō; born November 1, 1974) is a former professional baseball player from Ibaraki, Osaka, Japan.
Yasuhiko Yabuta (薮田 安彦, Yabuta Yasuhiko; born June 19, 1973) is a Japanese former baseball pitcher. Yabuta made his…Yasuhiko Yabuta (薮田 安彦, Yabuta Yasuhiko; born June 19, 1973) is a Japanese former baseball pitcher. Yabuta made his professional debut with the Marines in 1996, and spent 12 years with the organization. He competed in the 2006 World Baseball Classic and struck out Alex Rodriguez, Johnny Damon, and Derrek Lee. He served as a setup man for the Marines in 2007 recording a 4–6 record with a 2.73 ERA in 58 games. After the season, he declared his free agency and came to America to pursue a Major League Baseball career. On November 22, 2007, the Kansas City Star reported that the Kansas City Royals agreed with Yabuta on a two-year contract with a club option for 2010. Yabuta officially signed with the Royals on November 28, 2007. He signed a two-year, $6 million deal with the Kansas City Royals. The deal included a $4 million club option for a third year. Yabuta was sent down to Triple-A Omaha Royals on June 25, 2008. He was designated for assignment on August 2 and was eventually sent outright to the minors. He was brought back to the Royals when the rosters expanded on September 1. His teammates on the Royals have given him the nickname "Shake." On November 24, 2009, he signed a one-year deal with his old team Chiba Lotte, and he has remained with the team since.
Yutaka Nakamura (中村 豊, Nakamura Yutaka; born April 23, 1973 in Sakai, Osaka) is a retired Japanese professional…Yutaka Nakamura (中村 豊, Nakamura Yutaka; born April 23, 1973 in Sakai, Osaka) is a retired Japanese professional outfielder.
Kenji Tomashino (笘篠 賢治, Tomashino Kenji; born October 11, 1966) is a Japanese former Nippon Professional Baseball…Kenji Tomashino (笘篠 賢治, Tomashino Kenji; born October 11, 1966) is a Japanese former Nippon Professional Baseball infielder/outfielder. His elder brother, Seiji, is also a professional baseball player.
Hidekazu Mitsuyama (光山 英和, Mitsuyama Hidekazu; born November 20, 1965) is a Japanese former professional baseball…Hidekazu Mitsuyama (光山 英和, Mitsuyama Hidekazu; born November 20, 1965) is a Japanese former professional baseball catcher who played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) from 1986 to 1999, and again from 2001 to 2002. He is currently a battery coach for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars.
Shinichiro Furumoto (古本 伸一郎, Furumoto Shinichirō; born 11 March 1965) is a former Japanese politician of the Democratic…Shinichiro Furumoto (古本 伸一郎, Furumoto Shinichirō; born 11 March 1965) is a former Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of Japan, who served as a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Takamatsu, Kagawa and graduate of Ritsumeikan University, he was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time in 2003. As a member of the Diet, he represents the 11th District of Aichi prefecture, which includes the cities of Toyota and Miyoshi.
Seiji Tomashino (笘篠 誠治, Tomashino Seiji; born June 22, 1964 in Ibaraki, Osaka, Japan) is a Japanese former Nippon…Seiji Tomashino (笘篠 誠治, Tomashino Seiji; born June 22, 1964 in Ibaraki, Osaka, Japan) is a Japanese former Nippon Professional Baseball infielder/outfielder. His younger brother Kenji is also a professional baseball player.
Minoru Niihara (二井原 実, Niihara Minoru; born March 12, 1960) is a Japanese singer. He is the original and current lead…Minoru Niihara (二井原 実, Niihara Minoru; born March 12, 1960) is a Japanese singer. He is the original and current lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Loudness. His first band was Earthshaker, in which he played bass and sang. His vocal style was influenced by blues singers, but he adapted quickly his voice to the high pitch tones requested in a heavy metal act. He was selected after an audition to become the lead singer of Loudness in 1981 and his voice, together with the flashy guitar work of guitarist Akira Takasaki were recognized as a trademark of the band. Although the first three albums were sung using mostly Japanese lyrics, he started singing in English only on their 1984 album, Disillusion. After Loudness released Jealousy, he left the band in 1988 and was replaced by the American singer Mike Vescera. After working with several bands (including Ded Chaplin, Sly and X.Y.Z.→A), as well as his solo career, he returned to Loudness in 2001. He released two solo albums: One in 1989 and Ashes To Glory in 2006, in addition to recording many albums with Sly and X.Y.Z.→A. In 2008 he formed a parallel band called Nishidera Minoru, with Show-Ya's singer Keiko Terada and Earthshaker's singer Masafumi "Marcy" Nishida. They released an album and produced and organized the Hard na Yaon 2009 festival. In 2018, readers and professional musicians voted Niihara the fifth best vocalist in the history of hard rock and heavy metal in We Rock magazine's "Metal General Election".
Masahide Uehara (上原 正英, Uehara Masahide; born April 26, 1959), known by his pen name Alice Arisugawa (有栖川有栖, Arisugawa…Masahide Uehara (上原 正英, Uehara Masahide; born April 26, 1959), known by his pen name Alice Arisugawa (有栖川有栖, Arisugawa Arisu), is a Japanese mystery writer. He is one of the representative writers of the new traditionalist movement in Japanese mystery writing and was the first president of the Honkaku Mystery Writers Club of Japan from 2000 to 2005. He has also served as part of the selection committee for various literary awards, most notably the Ayukawa Tetsuya Award from 1996 to 1999 and Edogawa Rampo Prize from 2014 to 2017.
Shin-Ichi Fukuda (福田 進一, Fukuda Shin'ichi; born in Osaka, Japan on December 25, 1955) is a Japanese classical…Shin-Ichi Fukuda (福田 進一, Fukuda Shin'ichi; born in Osaka, Japan on December 25, 1955) is a Japanese classical guitarist. He has released more than 60 albums, including in Memoriam: Takemitsu: Guitar Works, his interpretation of works by the Japanese composer Toru Takemitsu. Shin-ichi Fukuda Official Website
Rokkō Toura (戸浦 六宏, Toura Rokkō; 30 April 1937 – 25 March 1993) was a Japanese stage and film actor active from 1960 to…Rokkō Toura (戸浦 六宏, Toura Rokkō; 30 April 1937 – 25 March 1993) was a Japanese stage and film actor active from 1960 to 1993. He is mostly associated with the films of director Nagisa Ōshima.
Teiichi Fukuda (福田 定一; August 7, 1923 – February 12, 1996), also known as Ryōtarō Shiba (司馬 遼太郎), was a Japanese…Teiichi Fukuda (福田 定一; August 7, 1923 – February 12, 1996), also known as Ryōtarō Shiba (司馬 遼太郎), was a Japanese author. He is best known for his novels about historical events in Japan and on the Northeast Asian sub-continent, as well as his historical and cultural essays pertaining to Japan and its relationship to the rest of the world.
Shigeji Tsuboi (壺井繁治, Tsuboi Shigeji; October 18, 1897 – September 4, 1975) was an influential Japanese poet of the…Shigeji Tsuboi (壺井繁治, Tsuboi Shigeji; October 18, 1897 – September 4, 1975) was an influential Japanese poet of the modern era of Japanese literature. He was cofounder (with Hagiwara Kyojiro) of the Dadaist-Anarchist poetry journal Aka tokuro (Red and Black, 1923–24) and Bungei Kaiho (Literary liberation, 1927).
