Mio Shirakane (Japanese: 白金未桜; born 23 November 2005) is a Japanese judoka who competes in the women's 57 kg category.…Mio Shirakane (Japanese: 白金未桜; born 23 November 2005) is a Japanese judoka who competes in the women's 57 kg category. Representing the University of Tsukuba, she won the gold medal at the 2025 World Junior Championships and a bronze medal in the women's 57 kg event at the 2026 Asian Games.
Mao Arai (Japanese: 新井 万央, Hepburn: Arai Mao; born 23 May 2003) is a Japanese judoka. She won a gold medal in the mixed…Mao Arai (Japanese: 新井 万央, Hepburn: Arai Mao; born 23 May 2003) is a Japanese judoka. She won a gold medal in the mixed team event at the 2024 World Judo Championships held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. She is also a gold and bronze medalist from the 2024 Asian Championships, her older sister, Chizuru is also a former judoka who won gold in the 70 kg division at Tokyo 2020 Olympiad.
Moka Kuwagata (桑形 萌花, Kuwagata Moka; born 10 October 2002) is a Japanese judoka who competes in the women's 70 kg…Moka Kuwagata (桑形 萌花, Kuwagata Moka; born 10 October 2002) is a Japanese judoka who competes in the women's 70 kg division. Her specialty is uchimata.
Kim Ji-su (born 12 December 2000) is a South Korean judoka. Kim participated at the 2018 World Judo Championships…Kim Ji-su (born 12 December 2000) is a South Korean judoka. Kim participated at the 2018 World Judo Championships, winning a medal. In 2021, Kim won the silver medal in her event at the 2021 Asian-Pacific Judo Championships held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Kim competed in the women's 57 kg event at the 2020 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, Japan.
Uta Abe (阿部 詩, Abe Uta; born 14 July 2000) is a Japanese judoka who competes in the Women's half-lightweight (52 kg)…Uta Abe (阿部 詩, Abe Uta; born 14 July 2000) is a Japanese judoka who competes in the Women's half-lightweight (52 kg) division. She won the gold medal in the Women's 52 kg competition at the 2020 Summer Olympics and two silver medals in a row with the Japanese team in the judo mixed team events at the 2020 and 2024 Summer Olympics. Abe is also a six-time world champion, having won the gold medal in her weight category at the World Judo Championships in 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2025, and 2026. She rose to prominence after winning her first senior gold medal, aged just 16, at the 2017 Judo Grand Prix Düsseldorf, thus becoming the youngest IJF senior competition winner in history.
Kaho Nakayama (born 23 October 1998) is a Japanese female handball player player for Romanian handball club CSM Slatina…Kaho Nakayama (born 23 October 1998) is a Japanese female handball player player for Romanian handball club CSM Slatina and the Japanese national team.
Aya Sakagami (born 8 June 1997) is a Japanese judoka. Sakagami is a bronze medalist from the 2018 Judo Grand Prix The…Aya Sakagami (born 8 June 1997) is a Japanese judoka. Sakagami is a bronze medalist from the 2018 Judo Grand Prix The Hague in the –48 kg category.
Hitomi Nakajima (born 13 July 1995) is a Japanese sprint hurdler. She was runner-up in the 100 metres hurdles at 2026…Hitomi Nakajima (born 13 July 1995) is a Japanese sprint hurdler. She was runner-up in the 100 metres hurdles at 2026 Asian Games and won the bronze medal in the 60 metres hurdles at the 2026 Asian Indoor Athletics Championships. She was a semi-finalist in the 100 m hurdles at the 2025 World Championships.
Megu Hirose (廣瀬芽) (born April 23, 1981 in Hyōgo Prefecture) is a Japanese softball player who won the gold medal at the…Megu Hirose (廣瀬芽) (born April 23, 1981 in Hyōgo Prefecture) is a Japanese softball player who won the gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Seiko Okamoto (岡本 聖子, Okamoto Seiko) (born 14 March 1978) is a Japanese former professional tennis player. Okamoto took…Seiko Okamoto (岡本 聖子, Okamoto Seiko) (born 14 March 1978) is a Japanese former professional tennis player. Okamoto took part in the 2006 Bangalore Open but lost in the first round of singles qualifying, and the first round of doubles, alongside Ryōko Fuda. She has stated that her favorite surface to play on is hardcourt. In her career, Okamoto won one doubles title on the WTA Tour, as well as two singles and 15 doubles titles on the ITF Women's Circuit.
Miyuki Fukumoto (née Aoyama; born 4 January 1977) is a female high jumper from Japan. Her personal best jump is 1.92…Miyuki Fukumoto (née Aoyama; born 4 January 1977) is a female high jumper from Japan. Her personal best jump is 1.92 metres, achieved in July 2004 in Osaka. She won the silver medal at the 2003 Asian Championships, and finished fifth at the 2006 Asian Games. She was the Japanese national high jump champion in 2006. She competed at the 2007 World Championships without reaching the final.
Mayumi Yamashita (山下 まゆみ, Yamashita Mayumi; born 22 November 1975) is a Japanese judoka. Yamashita is from Takayama…Mayumi Yamashita (山下 まゆみ, Yamashita Mayumi; born 22 November 1975) is a Japanese judoka. Yamashita is from Takayama, Gifu and began judo when she was in second grade. After graduating from Tohwa University, she began working for the Osaka Prefectural Police. In 2000, Yamashita won the All-Japan Championships and the All-Japan Weight Class Championships (全日本選抜柔道体重別選手権大会, Zennihon senbatsu jūdō taijūbetsu senshuken taikai) and was chosen to represent Japan in the 2000 Olympic Games held in Sydney. There she defeated Christine Cicot by Osotogari to win a bronze medal. Yamashita retired after the Kodokan Cup (講道館杯, Kōdōkan-hai) competition in 2003.
Hitomi Akano (赤野 仁美, Akano Hitomi; born 27 July 1974) is a retired Japanese female mixed martial artist. She announced…Hitomi Akano (赤野 仁美, Akano Hitomi; born 27 July 1974) is a retired Japanese female mixed martial artist. She announced her formal retirement from MMA on 1 August 2013. Akano used a song she penned herself called "Between the Sky" as her entrance music. She is a former Smackgirl Middleweight Champion at 128 pounds (58 kg).
Misako Ando (安藤 美佐子, Andō Misako) (born March 21, 1971) is a Japanese softball player who plays as a shortstop. She won…Misako Ando (安藤 美佐子, Andō Misako) (born March 21, 1971) is a Japanese softball player who plays as a shortstop. She won the silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics.
Noriko Yamaji (山路 典子, Yamaji Noriko) (born September 17, 1970) is a Japanese softball player who played first base and…Noriko Yamaji (山路 典子, Yamaji Noriko) (born September 17, 1970) is a Japanese softball player who played first base and as a catcher in the Olympic Games from 1996 to 2004. For the team she won a silver medal in 2000 and the bronze medal in 2004. She also served as a coach for the gold medal winning team at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Chika Kodama (児玉千佳, Kodama Chika; born 19 March 1970) is a Japanese softball player. She competed in the women's…Chika Kodama (児玉千佳, Kodama Chika; born 19 March 1970) is a Japanese softball player. She competed in the women's tournament at the 1996 Summer Olympics.
Mitsue Aoki (青木 光恵, Aoki Mitsue; born February 24, 1969) is a Japanese manga artist best known for the manga series…Mitsue Aoki (青木 光恵, Aoki Mitsue; born February 24, 1969) is a Japanese manga artist best known for the manga series Koume-chan ga Iku! (小梅ちゃんが行く!!, Here Comes Koume!!) which was adapted into a 12 episode anime series by the studio Gainax. Her works include short gag manga, story manga, yonkoma and essays.
Chiyo Okumura (奥村チヨ, Okumura Chiyo; February 18, 1947, Ikeda, Osaka) is a popular Japanese pop singer and former…Chiyo Okumura (奥村チヨ, Okumura Chiyo; February 18, 1947, Ikeda, Osaka) is a popular Japanese pop singer and former fashion model who made her debut in the 1960s. She is best known for her songs "Koi no Dorei" (恋の奴隷 English: "Slave of Love") and "Shuuchakueki" (終着駅 English: "Terminal Station"). Her cover of The Ventures recording, "Hokkaido Skies" sold over one million copies, and earned her a gold disc award. Following this success, she released another hit, "Ginza Lights." "Koi no Dorei" was covered on GO!GO!7188's cover album, Tora no Ana. On January 6, 2018, Okumura announced her retirement from the music industry.