Izumi Miyazaki (宮﨑泉, Miyazaki Izumi; born 21 February 1959) is a Japanese politician who has served as governor of…Izumi Miyazaki (宮﨑泉, Miyazaki Izumi; born 21 February 1959) is a Japanese politician who has served as governor of Wakayama Prefecture since June 2025. He previously served as superintendent of the Wakayama Prefectural Board of Education and as vice governor of Wakayama Prefecture.
Shūhei Kishimoto (岸本周平, Kishimoto Shūhei; 12 July 1956 – 15 April 2025) was a Japanese politician who served as…Shūhei Kishimoto (岸本周平, Kishimoto Shūhei; 12 July 1956 – 15 April 2025) was a Japanese politician who served as governor of Wakayama Prefecture from 2022 until his death in 2025. He was previously a member of House of Representatives from 2009 and 2022, being elected five times from Wakayama 1st district. Born in Wakayama and educated at the University of Tokyo, Kishimoto worked at the Ministry of Finance and Toyota before entering politics in 2009.
Toshiyuki Adachi (Japanese: 足立 敏之; May 20, 1954 – December 27, 2024) was a Japanese politician who served as a Liberal…Toshiyuki Adachi (Japanese: 足立 敏之; May 20, 1954 – December 27, 2024) was a Japanese politician who served as a Liberal Democratic Party member of the House of Councillors of Japan from 2016, after serving as vice minister for engineering affairs. He represented the National proportional representation block. At the time of his death, he was serving on the following committees: Committee on Land and Transport (Director) Special Committee on Disasters (Director) Research Committee on National Life and Economy Committee on Audit
Heizō Takenaka (竹中 平蔵, Takenaka Heizō; born 3 March 1951) is a Japanese economist, and key figure in Junichiro…Heizō Takenaka (竹中 平蔵, Takenaka Heizō; born 3 March 1951) is a Japanese economist, and key figure in Junichiro Koizumi's administration (2001–2006), played a significant role in Japan's structural reforms, including labor market deregulation. As Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy and later Financial Services, he advocated for policies aimed at increasing economic flexibility, such as amending the Worker Dispatching Act (also known as the Temporary Staffing Services Act). These changes, enacted in 2003 and 2004, expanded the use of temporary (dispatched) workers by relaxing restrictions. Takenaka's reforms indirectly facilitated the replacement of regular government employees with temporary staff in public sectors, such as education, administrative services, and local government offices. Takenaka's affiliation with Pasona Group, Japan's largest temporary staffing agency, has sparked allegations of embezzlement from government and private sectors, stemming from claims that he replaced permanent employees with Pasona's temporary workers. He joined Pasona as a special advisor in February 2007 (shortly after leaving government) and became chairman in August 2009, serving until 2022. Takenaka benefited from the expanded dispatch market post-deregulation, securing government and private contracts in areas like administrative support, COVID-19 measures, and the Tokyo Olympics—leading to personal profits. Takenaka serves on the Board of Trustees of the World Economic Forum.
Yoshinobu Nisaka (仁坂 吉伸, Nisaka Yoshinobu; born 2 October 1950 in Wakayama City) is a former governor of Wakayama…Yoshinobu Nisaka (仁坂 吉伸, Nisaka Yoshinobu; born 2 October 1950 in Wakayama City) is a former governor of Wakayama Prefecture in Japan. He was first elected in 2006 and served for four terms until 2022.
Yukio Nishimoto (西本 幸雄, Nishimoto Yukio; 25 April 1920 – 25 November 2011) was a Japanese baseball player and manager.…Yukio Nishimoto (西本 幸雄, Nishimoto Yukio; 25 April 1920 – 25 November 2011) was a Japanese baseball player and manager. He played for the Mainichi Orions from 1950 to 1955. In nearly 500 games for the Orions, he batted .244 and was on the field for the Orions winning the 1950 Japan Series. As a manager he won eight Pacific League pennants for three different teams: Daimai Orions, Hankyu Braves, and the Kintetsu Buffaloes. Only one other person has won pennants for three different teams since Nishimoto. However, his clubs lost in the Japan Series each time, earning him the nickname "Great Tragic Leader". Nishimoto was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988. He died of heart failure on 25 November 2011 at the age of 91.
Shoichiro Takenaka (竹中 正一郎, Takenaka Shōichirō; 30 September 1912 – 4 April 1997) was a Japanese long-distance runner.…Shoichiro Takenaka (竹中 正一郎, Takenaka Shōichirō; 30 September 1912 – 4 April 1997) was a Japanese long-distance runner. He competed in the men's 5000 metres at the 1932 Summer Olympics.
Shuhei Nishida (西田 修平, Nishida Shūhei; March 21, 1910 – April 13, 1997) was a Japanese Olympic athlete who competed…Shuhei Nishida (西田 修平, Nishida Shūhei; March 21, 1910 – April 13, 1997) was a Japanese Olympic athlete who competed mainly in the pole vault. Nishida was born in what is now part of Nachikatsuura, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. He was a student of the Engineering Department at Waseda University, when selected as a member of the Japanese Olympic team for the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, where he won the silver medal in the pole vault event. After graduation from Waseda University, he obtained a job at Hitachi. He subsequently participated in the 1936 Summer Olympics held in Berlin, Germany where he repeated his performance winning a second silver medal in the same event tying with his friend and teammate Sueo Oe. When the two declined to compete against each other to decide a winner, Nishida was awarded the silver and Oe the bronze by decision of the Japanese team, on the basis that Nishida had cleared the height in fewer attempts. The competition was featured in a scene in the documentary Olympia, filmed by Leni Riefenstahl. On their return to Japan, Nishida and Oe famously had their Olympic medals cut in half, and had a jeweler splice together two new “friendship medals”, half in bronze and half in silver. At the age of 41, Nishida won a bronze medal at the 1951 Asian Games. He remained active in sports all of his life, serving as a referee at events, and from 1959 as an honorary vice chairman of the Japan Association of Athletics Federations, and as a member of the Japanese Olympic Committee. In 1989, he was awarded the silver medal of the Olympic Order. Nishida died of heart failure in 1997 at the age of 87.
Henry Yuzuru Sugimoto (March 12, 1900 – May 8, 1990) was a Japanese-American artist, art teacher and a survivor of…Henry Yuzuru Sugimoto (March 12, 1900 – May 8, 1990) was a Japanese-American artist, art teacher and a survivor of Japanese American Internment during World War II. Sugimoto became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1952.
Sadao Iguchi (井口 貞夫; 1899 – May 27, 1980) was a Japanese diplomat who served as ambassador to Canada and ambassador to…Sadao Iguchi (井口 貞夫; 1899 – May 27, 1980) was a Japanese diplomat who served as ambassador to Canada and ambassador to the United States.
Yoshihide Hayashi (林 義秀, Hayashi Yoshihide; August 25, 1891 – February 5, 1978) was a general in the Imperial Japanese…Yoshihide Hayashi (林 義秀, Hayashi Yoshihide; August 25, 1891 – February 5, 1978) was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II.
Ken Terajima (寺島健, Terajima Ken; 23 September 1882 – 30 October 1972) was a Japanese Vice Admiral and politician. He…Ken Terajima (寺島健, Terajima Ken; 23 September 1882 – 30 October 1972) was a Japanese Vice Admiral and politician. He served as the Minister of Communications from 18 October 1941 to 8 October 1943, and Minister of Railways from 18 October 1941 to 2 December 1941, in the Tōjō Cabinet.
Kichisaburō Nomura (野村 吉三郎, Nomura Kichisaburō; December 16, 1877 – May 8, 1964) was an admiral in the Imperial…Kichisaburō Nomura (野村 吉三郎, Nomura Kichisaburō; December 16, 1877 – May 8, 1964) was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy and was the ambassador to the United States at the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Hiroshi Shimomura (Japanese: 下村宏; 11 May 1875 – 9 December 1957) was a Japanese official who served as minister of…Hiroshi Shimomura (Japanese: 下村宏; 11 May 1875 – 9 December 1957) was a Japanese official who served as minister of state and director general of the Cabinet Intelligence Bureau in 1945, at the end of World War II. In that capacity, he was involved in realising the Emperor's surrender broadcast. He was the fourth president of the Japanese Olympic Committee (1937–1942), and a graduate of Tokyo Imperial University.
Minakata Kumagusu (南方 熊楠; May 18, 1867 – December 29, 1941) was a Japanese author, biologist, naturalist and…Minakata Kumagusu (南方 熊楠; May 18, 1867 – December 29, 1941) was a Japanese author, biologist, naturalist and ethnologist.
