Saori Ikeuchi (池内 さおり; born September 15, 1982) is a member of the Japanese Communist Party, serving in the House of…Saori Ikeuchi (池内 さおり; born September 15, 1982) is a member of the Japanese Communist Party, serving in the House of Representatives. She is one of the representatives representing the Tokyo proportional representation block. Ikeuchi believes that the government should do more to protect the rights of LGBT people.
Yumiko Shirai (Japanese: 白井弓子; born (1967-03-15)March 15, 1967) is a Japanese manga artist. She is best known for her…Yumiko Shirai (Japanese: 白井弓子; born (1967-03-15)March 15, 1967) is a Japanese manga artist. She is best known for her manga Wombs, winner of the 2017 Nihon SF Taisho Award.
Osamu Tsuno (津野 修, Tsuno Osamu; born 20 October 1938) is a Japanese official and jurist who served as justice of the…Osamu Tsuno (津野 修, Tsuno Osamu; born 20 October 1938) is a Japanese official and jurist who served as justice of the Supreme Court from 2004 to 2008 and as Director General of the Cabinet Legislation Bureau from 1999 to 2002. Tsuno studied law at Kyoto University, graduated in 1962 and joined the Ministry of Finance. He held several positions in the Ministry before being transferred to the Cabinet Legislation Bureau in 1986, becoming director of the Third Department. He successively became director of the First Department in 1992, Deputy Director General in 1996 and Director General in 1999. He retired in 2002. He was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2004 and served until 2008, when he reached the obligatory retirement age.
Kenzaburō Ōe (大江 健三郎, Ōe Kenzaburō; 31 January 1935 – 3 March 2023) was a Japanese writer and a major figure in…Kenzaburō Ōe (大江 健三郎, Ōe Kenzaburō; 31 January 1935 – 3 March 2023) was a Japanese writer and a major figure in contemporary Japanese literature. His novels, short stories and essays, strongly influenced by French and American literature and literary theory, deal with political, social and philosophical issues, including nuclear weapons, nuclear power, social non-conformism, and existentialism. Ōe was awarded the 1994 Nobel Prize in Literature for creating "an imagined world, where life and myth condense to form a disconcerting picture of the human predicament today".
Yukichi Amano (天野 祐吉) (27 April 1933 in Adachi, Tokyo – 20 October 2013 in Tokyo) was a Japanese columnist, founder and…Yukichi Amano (天野 祐吉) (27 April 1933 in Adachi, Tokyo – 20 October 2013 in Tokyo) was a Japanese columnist, founder and chief editor of monthly magazine Kokoku Hihyo. Amano attended Meiji Gakuin University but did not graduate. In 1970 he established Madra Publishing Ltd. In 1979 he established Kokoku Hihyo, a magazine that was discontinued in 2009. In 2002 he became Director (later Honorary Director) of the Shiki Memorial Museum.
Ishida Hakyō (石田波郷; March 18, 1913 – November 21, 1969) was a Japanese haiku poet. Ishida Hakyō was born on March 18…Ishida Hakyō (石田波郷; March 18, 1913 – November 21, 1969) was a Japanese haiku poet. Ishida Hakyō was born on March 18, 1913, in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture. He attended Matsyama Middle School, where numerous haiku poets and other authors had been educated, and was publishing his own haiku in local newspapers as early as fourth grade. Ishida was profoundly influenced by Katsushika (1930), the haiku collection by Shūōshi Mizuhara. He moved to Tokyo and began contributing to Shūōshi's publication, Ashibi ("Staggerbush"), eventually becoming an editor at the magazine. He also began studying literature at Meiji University. In 1935, at the age of 22, he published his first haiku collection, Ishida Hakyō kushū. While still contributing to Ashibi, in 1937 he became the founding editor of his own journal, Tsuru ("Crane"). Eventually, he broke with the Ashibi group and joined the Nihon Bungaku Hokokukai ("Patrotic Association for Japanese Literature"). Ishida was drafted in 1943 into the Japanese Army and served in a carrier pigeon unit in northern China. His service only lasted a few months until he contracted pleurisy and was discharged. Ishida suffered serious illness the rest of his life. After the war was no easier for Ishida and his family, as they were forced to live in a shack in the ruins of Tokyo. He wrote a number of poems describing postwar desolation. Ishida had two major operations and was hospitalized from 1948 to 1950 and published a collection of five hundred haiku called Shakumyō ("Clinging to Life") about his experience. Ishida is often grouped with fellow haiku poets Nakamura Kusatao and Katō Shūson as part of a humanist approach to poetry referred to as ningen tankyūha (人間探求派). Ishida eventually published seven volumes of haiku. He was awarded the Yomiuri Prize in 1954. Ishida Hakyō died on 21 November 1969.
Masanobu Fukuoka (Japanese: 福岡 正信, Hepburn: Fukuoka Masanobu; 2 February 1913 – 16 August 2008) was a Japanese farmer…Masanobu Fukuoka (Japanese: 福岡 正信, Hepburn: Fukuoka Masanobu; 2 February 1913 – 16 August 2008) was a Japanese farmer and philosopher celebrated for his natural farming and re-vegetation of desertified lands. He was a proponent of no-till, herbicide and pesticide-free cultivation methods from which he created a particular method of agriculture, commonly referred to as "natural farming" or "do-nothing farming". Fukuoka was the author of several books, scientific papers and other publications, and was featured in television documentaries and interviews from the 1970s onwards. His influences went beyond farming to inspire individuals within the natural food and lifestyle movements. He was an outspoken advocate of the value of observing nature's principles.
Lieutenant Chitoshi Isozaki (磯崎 千利, Isozaki Chitoshi; 12 January 1913–20 June 1993) was an officer and ace fighter…Lieutenant Chitoshi Isozaki (磯崎 千利, Isozaki Chitoshi; 12 January 1913–20 June 1993) was an officer and ace fighter pilot in the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Pacific theater of World War II. In aerial combat over China, the Pacific, and Japan, he was officially credited with destroying twelve enemy aircraft. Isozaki survived World War II.
Sadamu Takahashi (高橋 定, Takahashi Sadamu; December 5, 1912 – December 25, 2015) was a dive bomber pilot officer in the…Sadamu Takahashi (高橋 定, Takahashi Sadamu; December 5, 1912 – December 25, 2015) was a dive bomber pilot officer in the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during World War II. He is best known for leading the Zuikaku's dive bomber squadron during the Battle of the Eastern Solomons and the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands. He survived the war and later served in the Japan Self-Defense Forces retiring in 1970 with the rank of Vice Admiral.
Ryūtarō Ōtomo (大友柳太朗, Ōtomo Ryūtarō) (5 June 1912 – 27 September 1985) was a Japanese film and television actor most…Ryūtarō Ōtomo (大友柳太朗, Ōtomo Ryūtarō) (5 June 1912 – 27 September 1985) was a Japanese film and television actor most famous for his starring roles in jidaigeki. In 1936, he made his debut in movies with the film Aozura Roshi. Overall Ryūtarō Ōtomo appeared in more than 100 movies. He ended his life by leaping from the top of a building in 1985. His final appearance in the film was Tampopo directed by Juzo Itami in 1985.
Takeo Yoshikawa (吉川 猛夫, Yoshikawa Takeo; March 7, 1912 – February 20, 1993) was a Japanese spy in Hawaii before the…Takeo Yoshikawa (吉川 猛夫, Yoshikawa Takeo; March 7, 1912 – February 20, 1993) was a Japanese spy in Hawaii before the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.
Asaichi Tamai (玉井 浅一; December 25, 1902 – December 10, 1964) was a captain in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World…Asaichi Tamai (玉井 浅一; December 25, 1902 – December 10, 1964) was a captain in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.
Nakamura Kusatao (中村 草田男; July 27, 1901 – August 5, 1983) was a Japanese haiku poet. Nakamura was born on July 27…Nakamura Kusatao (中村 草田男; July 27, 1901 – August 5, 1983) was a Japanese haiku poet. Nakamura was born on July 27, 1901, in Amoy, Fujian Province, China, the son of a Japanese diplomat. A few years later his mother brought him to Japan, where he was educated in various schools in Matsuyama and Tokyo. One of those schools was Seinan Elementary School (港区立青南小学校) in Tokyo. When returning to that school twenty years later, he wrote perhaps his most famous haiku, reflecting on the falling snow and the passing of the Meiji era: In 1977, the haiku was inscribed on a stone monument at the school unveiled by Nakamura. In 1925, he attended Tokyo University to study German literature, compelled by the works of Nietzsche, Hölderlin, Chekhov, Dostoevsky, and Strindberg. Following his father's death, he suffered a nervous breakdown in 1927 and turned to poetry, particularly the tanka of Saitō Mokichi. Eventually, he returned to Tokyo University, changing his major to Japanese literature and writing his bachelor's thesis on the poet Shiki Masakoa. He finally graduated in 1933. Following graduation, he taught at the Seiki Gakuen until 1967. At Tokyo University, he joined the Tokyo University Haiku Society. In 1929, he met Kyoshi Takahama, the doyen of the conservative haiku school centered on the magazine Hototogisu. He joined the school and met other leading poets like Takashi Matsumoto and Kawabata Bōsha. He submitted haiku to Hototogisu and published his first collection, Chōshi (長子; "The Eldest Son"), in 1936. Like many other poets, he eventually broke with Hototogisu and started his own magazine, Banryoku (萬緑; "Myriad Green Leaves"), in 1946. He was the first president of the Association of Haiku Poets. Nakamura was a leading figure in a humanist approach to poetry referred to as ningen tankyūha (人間探求派). His verse was also noted for its ambiguity and obscurity. He went on to write over a half dozen haiku collections, several volumes of essays and criticism, and short stories he referred to as märchen.
Mansaku Itami (伊丹万作; real name Yoshitoyo Ikeuchi 池内義豊; 2 January 1900 – 21 September 1946) was a Japanese film director…Mansaku Itami (伊丹万作; real name Yoshitoyo Ikeuchi 池内義豊; 2 January 1900 – 21 September 1946) was a Japanese film director and screenwriter known for his critical, sometimes satirical portraits of Japan and its history. He is the father of the director Juzo Itami.
Daisuke Itō (伊藤 大輔, Itō Daisuke; 12 October 1898 – 19 July 1981) was a Japanese film director and screenwriter who…Daisuke Itō (伊藤 大輔, Itō Daisuke; 12 October 1898 – 19 July 1981) was a Japanese film director and screenwriter who played a central role in the development of the modern jidaigeki and samurai cinema.
Moritake Tanabe (田辺 盛武, Tanabe Moritake; 26 February 1889 – 10 July 1949) was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army…Moritake Tanabe (田辺 盛武, Tanabe Moritake; 26 February 1889 – 10 July 1949) was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II, commanding the IJA 25th Army from April 1943 until the surrender of Japan. He was the brother-in-law of General Hitoshi Imamura. After the war, Tanabe was charged with war crimes, found guilty, and hanged in 1949.
Noburu Katagami (片上 伸, Katagami Noburu; February 20, 1884 – March 5, 1928) was a Japanese literary critic and a…Noburu Katagami (片上 伸, Katagami Noburu; February 20, 1884 – March 5, 1928) was a Japanese literary critic and a professor of Russian literature at Waseda University. He is also known as Tengen Katagami (片上天絃; later 片上天弦).
Yoshishige Abe (安倍 能成, Abe Yoshishige; 23 December 1883 – 7 June 1966) was a philosopher, educator, and statesman in…Yoshishige Abe (安倍 能成, Abe Yoshishige; 23 December 1883 – 7 June 1966) was a philosopher, educator, and statesman in Shōwa period Japan. As Minister of Education in the immediate post-war era, he oversaw major reforms to the Japanese educational system.
Yoshiyuki Kawashima (川島 義之, Kawashima Yoshiyuki; 25 May 1878 – 8 September 1945) was a general in the Imperial Japanese…Yoshiyuki Kawashima (川島 義之, Kawashima Yoshiyuki; 25 May 1878 – 8 September 1945) was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army and Army Minister in the 1930s.
Hisui Sugiura (杉浦 非水, Sugiura Hisui; May 15, 1876 – August 18, 1965) was a Japanese graphic designer who was a pioneer…Hisui Sugiura (杉浦 非水, Sugiura Hisui; May 15, 1876 – August 18, 1965) was a Japanese graphic designer who was a pioneer of modern Japanese graphic design.
Sokotsu Samukawa (寒川 鼠骨, Samukawa Sokotsu; November 3, 1875 – August 18, 1954) was a Haiku poet in Japan during the…Sokotsu Samukawa (寒川 鼠骨, Samukawa Sokotsu; November 3, 1875 – August 18, 1954) was a Haiku poet in Japan during the Meiji period. Sokotsu was a pen name and his real name was Akimitsu (陽光).
Kyoshi Takahama (高浜 虚子, Takahama Kyoshi; 22 February 1874 – 8 April 1959) was a Japanese poet active during the Shōwa…Kyoshi Takahama (高浜 虚子, Takahama Kyoshi; 22 February 1874 – 8 April 1959) was a Japanese poet active during the Shōwa period of Japan. His real name was Takahama Kiyoshi (高浜清); Kyoshi was a pen name given to him by his mentor, Masaoka Shiki.
Kawahigashi Hekigotō (河東 碧梧桐; February 26, 1873 – February 1, 1937), birth name Kawahigashi Heigorō (河東 秉五郎), was a…Kawahigashi Hekigotō (河東 碧梧桐; February 26, 1873 – February 1, 1937), birth name Kawahigashi Heigorō (河東 秉五郎), was a Japanese poet and modern pioneer of the haiku form.
Kazue Shōda (勝田 主計, Shōda Kazue; October 19, 1869 – October 10, 1948) was a Japanese statesman in the Meiji and Taishō…Kazue Shōda (勝田 主計, Shōda Kazue; October 19, 1869 – October 10, 1948) was a Japanese statesman in the Meiji and Taishō periods.
Baron Yoshinori Shirakawa (白川 義則, Shirakawa Yoshinori; 24 January 1869 – 26 May 1932) was a general in the Imperial…Baron Yoshinori Shirakawa (白川 義則, Shirakawa Yoshinori; 24 January 1869 – 26 May 1932) was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army. He died from injuries caused by a bomb set by Korean independence activist Yun Bong-gil in Shanghai.
Akiyama Saneyuki (秋山 真之; April 12, 1868 – February 4, 1918) was a Japanese navy officer in the Imperial Japanese Navy…Akiyama Saneyuki (秋山 真之; April 12, 1868 – February 4, 1918) was a Japanese navy officer in the Imperial Japanese Navy during the Meiji era. He was a planner of Battle of Tsushima in the Russo-Japanese War. General Akiyama Yoshifuru was his elder brother and politician Hisako Ōishi was his granddaughter.
Masaoka Shiki (正岡 子規; Japanese pronunciation: [ma.saꜜ.o.ka | ɕi̥.kʲiꜜ, -sa.o.ka ɕi̥.kʲiꜜ], October 14, 1867 – September…Masaoka Shiki (正岡 子規; Japanese pronunciation: [ma.saꜜ.o.ka | ɕi̥.kʲiꜜ, -sa.o.ka ɕi̥.kʲiꜜ], October 14, 1867 – September 19, 1902), pen-name of Masaoka Noboru (正岡 升), was a Japanese poet, author, and literary critic in Meiji period Japan. Shiki is regarded as a major figure in the development of modern haiku poetry, credited with writing nearly 20,000 stanzas during his short life. He also wrote on reform of tanka poetry. Some consider Masaoka to be one of the four great haiku masters, the others being Matsuo Bashō, Yosa Buson, and Kobayashi Issa.
Masataka Ogawa (小川 正孝, Ogawa Masataka; 21 February 1865 – 11 July 1930) was a Japanese chemist mainly known for the…Masataka Ogawa (小川 正孝, Ogawa Masataka; 21 February 1865 – 11 July 1930) was a Japanese chemist mainly known for the claimed discovery of element 43 (later known as technetium), which he named nipponium. In fact, he had discovered, but misidentified, element 75 (later called rhenium). After graduating from the University of Tokyo, he studied under William Ramsay in London, where he worked on the analysis of the rare mineral thorianite. He extracted and isolated a small amount of an apparently unknown substance from the mineral, which he announced as the discovery of element 43, naming the newly discovered element nipponium. He published his results in 1909 and a notice was also published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. For this work, he was awarded a doctorate and the highest prize of the Tokyo Chemical Society. However, no other researchers were able to replicate his discovery, and the announcement was forgotten. Ogawa served as president of Tohoku University between 1919 and 1928. While the name nipponium could not be reused for another element, element 113 was also discovered by a team of Japanese scientists and is now named nihonium, also after Japan. The name was chosen in respectful homage to Ogawa's work.
Akiyama Yoshifuru (秋山 好古; February 9, 1859 – November 4, 1930) was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army, and was…Akiyama Yoshifuru (秋山 好古; February 9, 1859 – November 4, 1930) was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army, and was considered the father of modern Japanese cavalry. He was the older brother of Vice Admiral Akiyama Saneyuki.
Masayoshi Oshikawa (押川方義; 1850–1928) was a Japanese evangelist, political activist and founder and first president of…Masayoshi Oshikawa (押川方義; 1850–1928) was a Japanese evangelist, political activist and founder and first president of Tohoku Gakuin University.
