Takumi Kanaya (Japanese: 金谷拓実, born 23 May 1998) is a Japanese professional golfer. He had an exceptionally successful…Takumi Kanaya (Japanese: 金谷拓実, born 23 May 1998) is a Japanese professional golfer. He had an exceptionally successful amateur career and was world ranked number 1 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking for 55 weeks. He also won a professional event on the 2019 Japan Golf Tour while still an amateur.
Hitoshi Kumano (熊野 準, Kumano Hitoshi; born November 22, 1991) is a Japanese professional wrestler trained by and signed…Hitoshi Kumano (熊野 準, Kumano Hitoshi; born November 22, 1991) is a Japanese professional wrestler trained by and signed to Pro Wrestling Noah.
Tomoya Inzen (隠善 智也, Inzen Tomoya; born June 5, 1984 in Hiroshima, Japan) is a Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball…Tomoya Inzen (隠善 智也, Inzen Tomoya; born June 5, 1984 in Hiroshima, Japan) is a Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball player for the Yomiuri Giants in Japan's Central League.
Taiji Nishitani (西谷泰治, Nishitani Taiji; born 1 February 1981, in Hiroshima Prefecture) is a Japanese former…Taiji Nishitani (西谷泰治, Nishitani Taiji; born 1 February 1981, in Hiroshima Prefecture) is a Japanese former professional racing cyclist who competed professionally between 2006 and 2014, entirely for the Aisan Racing Team. He was the winner of the Japanese National Road Race Championships in 2009. He retired at the end of the 2014 season, and now works as a directeur sportif for the Aisan Racing Team. He joined Aisan Racing Team soon after graduating from Nihon University and had success on the UCI Asia Tour. He was the third Japanese to win a stage at the HC classified Tour de Langkawi. In addition to road races, Nishitani also represented Japan in international track cycling competitions, riding in such events as the scratch race, Madison, and omnium.
Keiichi Yamada (山田恵一, Yamada Keiichi; born November 10, 1964), better known as Jushin Liger (獣神ライガー, Jūshin Raigā) and…Keiichi Yamada (山田恵一, Yamada Keiichi; born November 10, 1964), better known as Jushin Liger (獣神ライガー, Jūshin Raigā) and later Jushin Thunder Liger (獣神サンダー・ライガー, Jūshin Sandā Raigā), is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist, signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) as a trainer. He is the longest-tenured member of the NJPW roster, having worked for the company since his professional wrestling debut in 1984. Throughout his career, which spanned three-and-a-half decades, he wrestled over 4,000 matches and performed in major events for various promotions across the globe. Debuting under his real name for NJPW in 1984, he was given the gimmick of Jushin Liger in 1989, based on the anime series of the same name. Becoming Jushin "Thunder" Liger the following year, he saw unprecedented success in the junior heavyweight division when he won the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship a record 11 times and set the record for its longest reign during his sixth reign, which lasted for 628 days. Liger was the first three-time Best of the Super Juniors tournament winner (a record eventually tied by Koji Kanemoto and Hiromu Takahashi), is a former six-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion, won the Super J Cup twice (in 1995 and 2000), and was inducted into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame in 1999. Liger also wrestled the opening match for the first January 4 Tokyo Dome Show in 1992. He is frequently cited as one of the greatest junior heavyweight wrestlers of all time. He was also inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2020. Yamada had his retirement match at Wrestle Kingdom 14 on January 5, 2020, 35 years after his career began, and has since been working as a trainer in the New Japan Dojo and as a commentator.
Eikichi Yazawa (矢沢 永吉, Yazawa Eikichi; born September 14, 1949) is a Japanese singer and songwriter. He is the father…Eikichi Yazawa (矢沢 永吉, Yazawa Eikichi; born September 14, 1949) is a Japanese singer and songwriter. He is the father of singer-songwriter Yoko Yazawa. He has been nicknamed as "Ei-chan" (永ちゃん), "Boss" and "The King of Rock".
Yoshiaki Unetani (采谷 義秋; 6 October 1944 – 5 November 2022) was a Japanese long-distance runner. Unusually for an elite…Yoshiaki Unetani (采谷 義秋; 6 October 1944 – 5 November 2022) was a Japanese long-distance runner. Unusually for an elite athlete, he combined training with his job as a high school teacher at Takehara Senior High School. Unetani had a personal best for the marathon of 2.12:12 which he set in the Fukuoka Marathon in 1970. He competed in the marathon at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, placing 36th. He secured his place at Munich by finishing third in the Lake Biwa Marathon, a race he had won the previous year. He is most well known for winning the 1969 Boston Marathon in a time of 2.13:49. Unetani died from pneumonia in Wu City, Hiroshima Prefecture, on 5 November 2022, at the age of 78.
