Masato Sakai (坂井 聖人, Sakai Masato; born 6 June 1995) is a Japanese swimmer who specializes in the men's 200 metre…Masato Sakai (坂井 聖人, Sakai Masato; born 6 June 1995) is a Japanese swimmer who specializes in the men's 200 metre butterfly. He won the silver medal in the men's 200 metre butterfly event at the 2016 Summer Olympics. Sakai was in 6th position at the 150 mark, and finished 0.04 seconds behind Michael Phelps. At the 2015 World Aquatics Championships in Kazan, Sakai finished 4th in the 200 metre butterfly, 0.14 seconds outside the medals.
Daisuke Takahashi (高橋 大輔, Takahashi Daisuke; born September 18, 1983) is a Japanese football coach and former football…Daisuke Takahashi (高橋 大輔, Takahashi Daisuke; born September 18, 1983) is a Japanese football coach and former football player, he is the currently assistant manager of J1 League club Cerezo Osaka. His brother is Yutaro Takahashi.
Ryota Katsuki (香月 良太, Katsuki Ryota; born July 27, 1982) is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher. He played…Ryota Katsuki (香月 良太, Katsuki Ryota; born July 27, 1982) is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes in 2004, the Orix Buffaloes from 2005 to 2012, and the Yomiuri Giants from 2013 to 2016.
Lin Wei-Chu (born 22 January 1979) is a Taiwanese former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Nippon…Lin Wei-Chu (born 22 January 1979) is a Taiwanese former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hanshin Tigers and in the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) for the Chinatrust Brothers. He competed in the 2004 Summer Olympics. He also spent time as the manager of the CTBC Brothers, winning two Taiwan Series.
Noriko Anno (阿武 教子, born 23 May 1976, in Fukue, Yamaguchi) is a Japanese judoka who won the gold medal in the women's…Noriko Anno (阿武 教子, born 23 May 1976, in Fukue, Yamaguchi) is a Japanese judoka who won the gold medal in the women's –78 kg at the 2004 Summer Olympics. She is a four times World Champion, having won the championships in 1997, 1999, 2001 and 2003. Anno married judoka Ryuji Sonoda in 2010.
Satoshi Iwabuchi (岩渕 聡, Iwabuchi Satoshi; born October 7, 1975) is a retired professional tennis player from Japan.…Satoshi Iwabuchi (岩渕 聡, Iwabuchi Satoshi; born October 7, 1975) is a retired professional tennis player from Japan. Iwabuchi won one ATP Tour doubles title in his career, the 2005 Japan Open, where he and Takao Suzuki defeated Simon Aspelin and Todd Perry in straight sets 5–4(3), 5–4(13). As of May 17, 2009, Iwabuchi's highest singles ranking was world number 223, which he reached on October 20, 2003.
Gouichi Motomura (本村 剛一, Motomura Gōichi) (born 25 December 1973) is a retired Challenger tour and Japan Davis Cup team…Gouichi Motomura (本村 剛一, Motomura Gōichi) (born 25 December 1973) is a retired Challenger tour and Japan Davis Cup team tennis player. Over a 16-year period, Motomura captured four Challenger titles, all in doubles, and is tied for the most Davis Cup ties played by a Japanese player, with 23. His career high singles ranking is World No. 134 and doubles ranking is World No. 159.
Ryuji Sonoda (園田 隆二, Sonoda Ryūji; born September 16, 1973) is a Japanese judoka. He was born in Ōmuta, Fukuoka, and…Ryuji Sonoda (園田 隆二, Sonoda Ryūji; born September 16, 1973) is a Japanese judoka. He was born in Ōmuta, Fukuoka, and began judo at the age of a first grader. He won a gold medal at the -60 kg category of the Junior World Championships in 1992 and World Championships in 1993. After graduating from Meiji University, he entered the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. Sonoda retired from competition in 2004. By 2009, he coached All-Japan women's judo team before announcing his resignation on January 31, 2013, following accusations of physical abuse by team members. He married judoka Noriko Anno in 2010.
Toshihisa Tsuchihashi (土橋 登志久, Tsuchihashi Toshihisa; born October 18, 1966 in Kagoshima) is a former tennis player…Toshihisa Tsuchihashi (土橋 登志久, Tsuchihashi Toshihisa; born October 18, 1966 in Kagoshima) is a former tennis player from Japan. In May 1988, Tsuchihashi achieved a career-high singles ranking of World No. 359. He proceeded to represent his native country at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, where he was defeated by Mexico's Agustín Moreno in the first round. In October 1989, he became a quarterfinals of the 1989 ATP Challenger Series.
Toshifumi Baba (馬場 敏史, Baba Toshifumi; born February 10, 1965) is a former baseball player from Japan. He primarily…Toshifumi Baba (馬場 敏史, Baba Toshifumi; born February 10, 1965) is a former baseball player from Japan. He primarily paid for Orix Blue Wave in the Japan Pacific League.
Yoshiie Tachibana (立花 義家, Tachibana Yoshiie; born October 27, 1958) is a Japanese former Nippon Professional Baseball…Yoshiie Tachibana (立花 義家, Tachibana Yoshiie; born October 27, 1958) is a Japanese former Nippon Professional Baseball outfielder.
Yasuo Kubo (久保 康生, Kubo Yasuo; born April 8, 1958 in Iizuka, Fukuoka, Japan) is a Japanese former Nippon Professional…Yasuo Kubo (久保 康生, Kubo Yasuo; born April 8, 1958 in Iizuka, Fukuoka, Japan) is a Japanese former Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher.
Tsuyoshi Fukui (福井 烈, Fukui Tsuyoshi; born 22 June 1957) is a retired tour and Japan Davis Cup team tennis player.…Tsuyoshi Fukui (福井 烈, Fukui Tsuyoshi; born 22 June 1957) is a retired tour and Japan Davis Cup team tennis player. Fukui holds the record for the most singles win for the Japanese in Davis Cup, with 26. On tour, he won two Challenger tennis events in singles and earned a career-high singles ranking of World No. 177, in January 1983.
Akinobu Mayumi (真弓 明信, Mayumi Akinobu; born July 12, 1953) is the former manager for the Hanshin Tigers baseball team…Akinobu Mayumi (真弓 明信, Mayumi Akinobu; born July 12, 1953) is the former manager for the Hanshin Tigers baseball team in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball. After serving 3 seasons (2009–2011) with the team, he was released in October after failing to make the 2011 play-offs. He was shortly replaced with by Yutaka Wada, who had also previously played for the team during his baseball career. Mayumi had been a star player for the Tigers during his playing days. He was part of the Tigers' team that won the 1985 Japan Series, and hit a home run in the series. Before playing for the Tigers, he was drafted by the Taiheiyo Lions and played for them, as well as a minor-league stint with the Lodi Orioles of the California League as part of a development program piloted by the Lions in the 1970s.
Kazuo Yoshimura (吉村 和郎, Yoshimura Kazuo; born 6 July 1951) is a retired Japanese judoka. Yoshimura is from Kumamoto…Kazuo Yoshimura (吉村 和郎, Yoshimura Kazuo; born 6 July 1951) is a retired Japanese judoka. Yoshimura is from Kumamoto, Kumamoto. He belonged to Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department after graduation from Nihon University in 1973. In 1973, When Yoshimura was a student of university, he won a bronze medal at the World Championships held in Lausanne. He was expected to get gold medal of World Championships in 1977 or Olympic Games in 1980. But he couldn't because World Championship was cancelled and Olympic Games was boycotted by Japanese Government. Yoshimura retired in 1980 and took office as the coach of Kodogakusha (講道学舎, Kōdōgakusha). Among his students is former world champion, Toshihiko Koga and Hidehiko Yoshida. As of 2010, He has coached All-Japan women's judo team since 1997. In November 2012 he resigned as the women's trainer and was replaced by Hitoshi Saito.
Ryoji Katsuki (香月 良仁, born January 22, 1984) is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Nippon…Ryoji Katsuki (香月 良仁, born January 22, 1984) is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Chiba Lotte Marines in 2010 and from 2012 to 2016.
Shuzo Matsuoka (松岡 修造, Matsuoka Shūzō; born 6 November 1967) is a retired Japanese professional tennis player, sports…Shuzo Matsuoka (松岡 修造, Matsuoka Shūzō; born 6 November 1967) is a retired Japanese professional tennis player, sports commentator, entertainer, and motivational speaker. A former Wimbledon quarter-finalist, Matsuoka won one singles title during his career, in Seoul in 1992. In the same year, he reached a career-high ranking of world No. 46. After his tennis career, he became known online for a series of short motivational videos, some edited by fans.
