Yoshihiko Matsumoto (松本 慶彦, Matsumoto Yoshihiko; born 7 January 1981) is a Japanese volleyball player. He competed in…Yoshihiko Matsumoto (松本 慶彦, Matsumoto Yoshihiko; born 7 January 1981) is a Japanese volleyball player. He competed in the men's tournament at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Riki Fukuda (Japanese: 福田 力, Fukuda Riki; born January 6, 1981), is a Japanese mixed martial artist currently competing…Riki Fukuda (Japanese: 福田 力, Fukuda Riki; born January 6, 1981), is a Japanese mixed martial artist currently competing in the Middleweight division. A professional competitor since 2004, he has formerly competed for the UFC, EliteXC, DEEP, DREAM, K-1 (MMA), Shooto, and Pancrase. Currently, he runs an izakaya-style restaurant in Leiden, The Netherlands.
Aki Shibata (芝田安希 Shibata Aki, born January 6, 1981) was a Japanese volleyball player who played for Toray Arrows. She…Aki Shibata (芝田安希 Shibata Aki, born January 6, 1981) was a Japanese volleyball player who played for Toray Arrows. She served as captain of the team between 2008 and 2010. Toray announced that she retired in June 2010.
Takamasa Oe (大江 崇允, Ōe Takamasa; born 6 January 1981) is a Japanese screenwriter. He was co-nominated with Ryusuke…Takamasa Oe (大江 崇允, Ōe Takamasa; born 6 January 1981) is a Japanese screenwriter. He was co-nominated with Ryusuke Hamaguchi for an Academy Award in the category Best Adapted Screenplay for the film Drive My Car.
Rinko Kikuchi () (菊地 凛子, Kikuchi Rinko; born Yuriko Kikuchi (菊地 百合子, Kikuchi Yuriko), January 6, 1981) is a Japanese…Rinko Kikuchi () (菊地 凛子, Kikuchi Rinko; born Yuriko Kikuchi (菊地 百合子, Kikuchi Yuriko), January 6, 1981) is a Japanese actress. She was the first Japanese actress to be nominated for an Academy Award in 50 years, for her work in Babel (2006). Kikuchi's other notable films include Norwegian Wood (2010), which screened in competition at the 67th Venice Film Festival and Guillermo del Toro's science fiction action film Pacific Rim (2013). For her role in the drama film Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter (2014), Kikuchi received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Female Lead. She played a supporting role in the HBO Max crime drama series Tokyo Vice.
Hitomi Obara née Sakamoto (小原 日登美, Obara Hitomi; 4 January 1981 – 18 July 2025) was a Japanese female wrestler from…Hitomi Obara née Sakamoto (小原 日登美, Obara Hitomi; 4 January 1981 – 18 July 2025) was a Japanese female wrestler from Hachinohe, Aomori. She was Captain in the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. On 8 August 2012, Obara won the women's 48kg freestyle wrestling gold in her first Olympic Games at London's Excel Arena. She had retired from competitive wrestling after winning the gold medal at the London Olympics. Hitomi Obara died on 18 July 2025, at the age of 44. She had previously been diagnosed with depression and an eating disorder.
Kenji Ishijima (石島健至, Ishijima Kenji; born January 3, 1981) is a Japanese professional wrestler better known under the…Kenji Ishijima (石島健至, Ishijima Kenji; born January 3, 1981) is a Japanese professional wrestler better known under the ring name Guts Ishijima (ガッツ石島, Gattsu Ishijima). He is currently working as a freelancer and is best known for having founded the Japanese promotions Guts World Pro-Wrestling and Total Triumph Team Pro-Wrestling (TTT).
Yoshihiro Horigome (堀籠 佳宏, Horigome Yoshihiro; born 2 January 1981) is a retired Japanese sprinter who specializes in…Yoshihiro Horigome (堀籠 佳宏, Horigome Yoshihiro; born 2 January 1981) is a retired Japanese sprinter who specializes in the 400 metres. His personal best time is 45.77 seconds, achieved in September 2006 in Yokohama.
Yuki Hayashi (林 ゆうき, Hayashi Yūki; born 31 December 1980) is a Japanese composer and arranger best known for his work…Yuki Hayashi (林 ゆうき, Hayashi Yūki; born 31 December 1980) is a Japanese composer and arranger best known for his work on the soundtracks for anime, television series, and films. His notable works include Triangle (in collaboration with Hiroyuki Sawano), Zettai Reido, Diabolik Lovers, Asa ga Kita, Haikyū!!, and My Hero Academia.
Fumie Suguri (村主 章枝, Suguri Fumie; born December 31, 1980) is a Japanese former competitive figure skater. She is a…Fumie Suguri (村主 章枝, Suguri Fumie; born December 31, 1980) is a Japanese former competitive figure skater. She is a three-time World medalist, a three-time Four Continents champion, the 2003 Grand Prix Final champion, and a five-time Japanese national champion.
Yuki Sunaga (須長 由季, Sunaga Yuki; born 28 December 1980 in Sakado, Saitama) is a Japanese windsurfer, who specialized in…Yuki Sunaga (須長 由季, Sunaga Yuki; born 28 December 1980 in Sakado, Saitama) is a Japanese windsurfer, who specialized in Neil Pryde RS:X class. As of September 2013, Sunaga is ranked no. 53 in the world for the sailboard class by the International Sailing Federation. Sunaga competed in the women's RS:X class at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London by finishing thirty-third and receiving a berth from the ISAF World Championships in Perth, Western Australia. Struggling to attain a top position in the opening series, Sunaga accumulated a net score of 180 points for a twenty-first-place finish in a fleet of twenty-six windsurfers.
Shuichi Murata (村田 修一, Murata Shūichi; born December 28, 1980) is a Japanese former professional baseball third…Shuichi Murata (村田 修一, Murata Shūichi; born December 28, 1980) is a Japanese former professional baseball third baseman. He played 15 seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) from 2003 to 2017 for the Yokohama BayStars and Yomiuri Giants. Murata led the Central League in home runs in both 2007 and 2008 and is one of the few pure home run hitters in Japanese professional baseball today. He played in the 2008 Beijing Olympics as well as the 2009 World Baseball Classic as a member of the Japanese national team and hit cleanup for much of the latter tournament.
Kenichiro Suehiro (末廣 健一郎, Suehiro Kenichirō; born December 27, 1980) is a Japanese composer and arranger, known for…Kenichiro Suehiro (末廣 健一郎, Suehiro Kenichirō; born December 27, 1980) is a Japanese composer and arranger, known for his work on many television dramas, anime series, and films. He is currently represented by ONE MUSIC, a music production company.
Fumitake Fujita (藤田 文武, Fujita Fumitake; born 27 December 1980) is a Japanese businessman and politician. A member of…Fumitake Fujita (藤田 文武, Fujita Fumitake; born 27 December 1980) is a Japanese businessman and politician. A member of Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party), he has served as a member of the House of Representatives since 2019 and co-leader of Ishin since August 2025, serving alongside Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura. He previously served as the party’s Secretary-General from 2021 to 2024.
Ken'ichirō Saitō (born 25 December 1980) is a Japanese businessman, politician and YouTuber. He is a member of the…Ken'ichirō Saitō (born 25 December 1980) is a Japanese businessman, politician and YouTuber. He is a member of the House of Councillors since 2022, formerly of the political organization NHK Party. He is also the former accounting officer of the Horiemon New Party.
Motoko Fujimoto (藤本索子; born December 25, 1980 in Dazaifu, Fukuoka) is a Japanese softball player who won the gold medal…Motoko Fujimoto (藤本索子; born December 25, 1980 in Dazaifu, Fukuoka) is a Japanese softball player who won the gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Reika Hashimoto (橋本麗香, Hashimoto Reika; born December 25, 1980 in Tokyo) is a Japanese model and actress. She is of…Reika Hashimoto (橋本麗香, Hashimoto Reika; born December 25, 1980 in Tokyo) is a Japanese model and actress. She is of Japanese-Spanish heritage. Her father is an American citizen of Spanish descent. She has been working as a model since she was 10, and her acting debut was in the 1999 movie Hakuchi (directed by Makoto Tezuka, opposite Tadanobu Asano), and has performed in several movies. On television, she had a participation on TV Asahi's Profile and has performed in Chinese soap operas.
Naoya Tabara (田原 直哉, Tabara Naoya; born 24 December 1980) is a Japanese male artistic gymnast and freestyle skier. He…Naoya Tabara (田原 直哉, Tabara Naoya; born 24 December 1980) is a Japanese male artistic gymnast and freestyle skier. He has formerly competed as a gymnast and has participated at the gymnastic competitions until 2005 before switching on to take the sport of freestyle skiing in 2006. Naoya Tabara sustained a shoulder injury in 2005 when he was professional artistic gymnast which caused him to choose aerials freestyle skiing. He participated at the 2018 Winter Olympics and competed in the freestyle skiing men's aerials event. Naoya most notably took part in the 2005 Gymnastics World Cup finishing sixth in the floor excise event. Naoya Tabara has competed in FIS World Championships and has represented Japan during the 2011 Asian Winter Games before being selected to represent Japan at the 2018 Winter Olympics. He is also the first Japanese male freestyle skier to secure a podium finish in aerials at a Skiing World Cup.
Kōhei Yamamoto (山本 康平, Yamamoto Kōhei; born December 23, 1980, in Okayama Prefecture) is a Japanese actor who is…Kōhei Yamamoto (山本 康平, Yamamoto Kōhei; born December 23, 1980, in Okayama Prefecture) is a Japanese actor who is affiliated with Ohta Production. He graduated from Komazawa University. He played the role of Kouta Bitou (Hurricane Yellow) in the 2002 Super Sentai TV series Ninpu Sentai Hurricanger.
Ayako Ito (伊藤 綾子, Itō Ayako; born 23 December 1980, in Akita, Akita, Japan) is a former Japanese television and radio…Ayako Ito (伊藤 綾子, Itō Ayako; born 23 December 1980, in Akita, Akita, Japan) is a former Japanese television and radio announcer who was represented with Cent Force.
Kenichi Takahashi (高橋 憲一, Takahashi Ken'ichi; born December 22, 1980), nicknamed Shocho, is a former Japanese…Kenichi Takahashi (高橋 憲一, Takahashi Ken'ichi; born December 22, 1980), nicknamed Shocho, is a former Japanese professional basketball player and served for Akita Northern Happinets of the B.League as the ambassador. Takahashi is currently the instructor for Toreiku Katagami. He was selected by the Sendai 89ers with the third overall pick in the 2006 bj League draft. He has played for the four Tohoku clubs of the bj league. In October 2015 he became a one-day honorary police chief at the Akita Higashi Police Station. Since then a police officer salute has become popular among Akita's boosters. Takahashi studies NBA to improve his game, and he is an Air Jordan collector. His retirement memorial game was held at Akita Prefectural Gymnasium on October 29, 2017.
Junko Nishimuro (西室淳子, Nishimuro Junko; born December 21, 1980 as Junko Sonobe) is a Japanese curler from Otsuki…Junko Nishimuro (西室淳子, Nishimuro Junko; born December 21, 1980 as Junko Sonobe) is a Japanese curler from Otsuki, Yamanashi. She is the second on the SC Karuizawa Club curling team, which is skipped by Miyu Ueno. At the international level, she represented Japan at the 2005 Pacific Curling Championships and the 2006 World Women's Curling Championship as a result of winning the 2005 Japan Curling Championships.
Mai Nakachi (中地 舞, Nakachi Mai; born 16 December 1980) is a former Japanese football player. She played for Japan…Mai Nakachi (中地 舞, Nakachi Mai; born 16 December 1980) is a former Japanese football player. She played for Japan national team.
Hozumi Hasegawa (長谷川 穂積, Hasegawa Hozumi; born 16 December 1980) is a Japanese former professional boxer who competed…Hozumi Hasegawa (長谷川 穂積, Hasegawa Hozumi; born 16 December 1980) is a Japanese former professional boxer who competed from 1999 to 2016. He won world titles in three weight classes, including the World Boxing Council (WBC) bantamweight title from 2005 to 2010, the WBC featherweight title from 2010 to 2011, and the WBC super bantamweight title in 2016. Hasegawa received MVP awards from the Japan Boxing Commission in 2005, 2006, 2008, and 2009 for his title defenses, and is the first Japanese boxer to have defended a bantamweight world title more than four times.
Chisato Amate (天手 千聖, Amate Chisato; born 16 December 1980, in Fukuoka Prefecture) is a Japanese actress. She played…Chisato Amate (天手 千聖, Amate Chisato; born 16 December 1980, in Fukuoka Prefecture) is a Japanese actress. She played the lead actress role in 1-Ichi, a prequel to Ichi the Killer. In 2004, she played a supporting role in Izo. With Azuma Mami she is part of a CM duo called G☆cups, a reference to their large busts (Chisato's, at 86 cm, is large for a Japanese woman).
Daito Takahashi (高橋 大斗, Takahashi Daito) (born December 16, 1980) is a Japanese Nordic combined skier who has competed…Daito Takahashi (高橋 大斗, Takahashi Daito) (born December 16, 1980) is a Japanese Nordic combined skier who has competed since 2000. Competing in three Winter Olympics, he earned his best finish of sixth twice (7.5 km sprint event: 2002, 4 x 5 km team: 2006). Takahashi's best finish at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships was tenth twice (2003: 15 km individual, 2005: 7.5 km sprint). At the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2007 in Sapporo, Takahashi was involved in a serious crash during the ski jumping part of the 7.5 km sprint that resulted in him being sent to the hospital and not competing for the rest of the championships. He has two individual victories in his career, both earned the same weekend in Finland in 2004 (7.5 km sprint, 15 km individual).
Katsuhiro Nagakawa (永川 勝浩, Nagakawa Katsuhiro; born December 14, 1980) is a former Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher…Katsuhiro Nagakawa (永川 勝浩, Nagakawa Katsuhiro; born December 14, 1980) is a former Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp in Japan's Central League.
Satoshi Tsumabuki (妻夫木聡, Tsumabuki Satoshi; born December 13, 1980) is a Japanese actor. His breakthrough film was…Satoshi Tsumabuki (妻夫木聡, Tsumabuki Satoshi; born December 13, 1980) is a Japanese actor. His breakthrough film was Waterboys for which he was nominated for the "Best Actor" award at the Japanese Academy Awards, and won the "Newcomer of the Year" prize. He is also the bassist and lead singer of the Japanese band Basking Lite.
Kohei Aoki (born December 13, 1980), nicknamed Cohey, is a Japanese former professional basketball player who last…Kohei Aoki (born December 13, 1980), nicknamed Cohey, is a Japanese former professional basketball player who last played for Rizing Fukuoka of the bj League in Japan. He played college basketball for Senshu University.
Yuki Shoujou (正城ユウキ, Shōjō Yūki; born December 12, 1980, birthname pronounced same by written 正城悠樹) is a Japanese…Yuki Shoujou (正城ユウキ, Shōjō Yūki; born December 12, 1980, birthname pronounced same by written 正城悠樹) is a Japanese professional mixed martial artist. He is currently fighting in Shooto's bantamweight division, equivalent to North America's flyweight division which is 125.0 pounds (56.7 kg).
Yuya Sato (佐藤友哉, Satō Yūya; born 1980) is a Japanese novelist from Hokkaido Prefecture. He won the 21st Mephisto Prize…Yuya Sato (佐藤友哉, Satō Yūya; born 1980) is a Japanese novelist from Hokkaido Prefecture. He won the 21st Mephisto Prize for Flicker Style, and the 20th Yukio Mishima Prize for 1000 Novels and Backbeard. His works have been translated into English, Chinese and Korean. Sato's short story "Same As Always" was translated for The Penguin Book of Japanese Short Stories (2018), and has been described as "an acerbic meditation on the complex interplay of gender and nurturing in post-Fukushima Japan." Kenzaburō Ōe, Kenji Nakagami and especially J. D. Salinger affected Sato's style.
Kei Yasuda (保田 圭, Yasuda Kei; born on December 6, 1980) is a Japanese singer, musician and actress under the Hello!…Kei Yasuda (保田 圭, Yasuda Kei; born on December 6, 1980) is a Japanese singer, musician and actress under the Hello! Project. She was a member and co-leader of the Japanese girl group Morning Musume. Yasuda, along with Mari Yaguchi and Sayaka Ichii, were the second generation of singers to be recruited into Morning Musume. Morning Musume had only released one official single, Morning Coffee, prior to their joining. Yasuda was also a member of Japanese pop group Dream Morning Musume.
Shoji Ito (伊藤 鐘史, Itō Shōji; born 2 December 1980) is a coach and former Japanese rugby union player. He was named in…Shoji Ito (伊藤 鐘史, Itō Shōji; born 2 December 1980) is a coach and former Japanese rugby union player. He was named in Japan's squad for the 2015 Rugby World Cup. He is currently the assist coach of the Japan national team.
Jobu Morita (森田 丈武, Morita Jōbu; born November 29, 1980) is a former baseball utility player who played for the Tohoku…Jobu Morita (森田 丈武, Morita Jōbu; born November 29, 1980) is a former baseball utility player who played for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of Nippon Professional Baseball from 2009 to 2011. Morita attended Yamanashi Gakuindai Fuzoku High School. Before playing professionally in Japan, Morita played for the Elmira Pioneers of the independent Northeast League in 2004, hitting .271 with 55 hits in 68 games. He returned to Elmira - now of the Can-Am Association - for 2005, and hit .263 with 65 hits in 71 games. During his time with Elmira, he played all over the diamond, but spent considerable time at second base and in the outfield. Overall, he hit .267 with 120 hits in 139 games. He joined the Kagawa Olive Guyners of the independent Shikoku-Kyūshū Island League in 2006, where he remained through 2008. The Golden Eagles took him as their first pick in the 2008 developmental draft. He made his NPB debut in 2009, hitting .300 with 6 hits (including 4 doubles) in 9 games. He played a total of four games with the Golden Eagles in 2010 and 2011 and went hitless in 7 at-bats. Overall, he hit .222 with 6 hits in 13 games.
Satoshi Ohno (大野 智, Ōno Satoshi; born November 26, 1980) is a former Japanese idol, singer, actor, radio host, artist…Satoshi Ohno (大野 智, Ōno Satoshi; born November 26, 1980) is a former Japanese idol, singer, actor, radio host, artist, dancer, and choreographer, registered under Johnny & Associates and later under Starto Entertainment. He was the lead vocalist and leader of the boy band Arashi, hence his nickname Leader (リーダー, Rīdā). Ohno began his career in the entertainment industry when he joined the Japanese talent agency Johnny & Associates in 1994 at the age of 13. He started an acting career in 1997 when he was cast to be part of the stage play Kyo to Kyo. In 2008, Ohno became the first and the only artist from Johnny's to hold his own art exhibition, titled "Freestyle", and also received his first starring role in a Japanese television drama, Maō, for which he earned a handful of Best Actor awards. Since then, he continued to star in numerous dramas and movies, receiving a number of awards and nominations for his roles. For his work as an artist, a singer, and an actor in Kaibutsu-kun the Movie, Ohno became one of the recipients of GQ Japan's Men of the Year Award in 2011. In February 2026, it was announced that, together with the end of activities of the group, Ohno would be leaving the agency on May 31, 2026. In July 2026, Ohno appeared on a video reporting the opening of his official website and SNS.
Kohei Kono (河野公平, Kōno Kōhei) (born November 23, 1980) is a Japanese professional boxer. He is a two-time world…Kohei Kono (河野公平, Kōno Kōhei) (born November 23, 1980) is a Japanese professional boxer. He is a two-time world champion, having held the WBA super-flyweight title twice between 2012 and 2016 with three successful defenses.
Hiroyuki Tomita (Japanese: 冨田洋之; born November 21, 1980) is a Japanese gymnast. Tomita won three Olympic medals at the…Hiroyuki Tomita (Japanese: 冨田洋之; born November 21, 1980) is a Japanese gymnast. Tomita won three Olympic medals at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics.
Shachihoko Boy (しゃちほこBOY, Shachihoko Bōi) is a Japanese professional wrestler currently working for the Japanese…Shachihoko Boy (しゃちほこBOY, Shachihoko Bōi) is a Japanese professional wrestler currently working for the Japanese promotion Dragon Gate where he is a former Open the Twin Gate Champion and Open the Triangle Gate Champion. Shachihoko Boy's real name is not a matter of public record, as is often the case with masked wrestlers in the Lucha Libre where their private lives are kept a secret from the wrestling fans.
Keiji Oyama (小山 桂司; born November 19, 1980) is a Japanese former professional baseball catcher in Japan's Nippon…Keiji Oyama (小山 桂司; born November 19, 1980) is a Japanese former professional baseball catcher in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball. He played for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in 2008, the Chunichi Dragons from 2009 to 2011, and for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles from 2012 to 2015.
Akiko Yazawa (矢澤 亜希子, Yazawa Akiko) (née Abe, born 1980) is a professional backgammon player from Tokyo. She became…Akiko Yazawa (矢澤 亜希子, Yazawa Akiko) (née Abe, born 1980) is a professional backgammon player from Tokyo. She became World Backgammon champion in 2014 and 2018. Akiko is ranked 3rd on Giants of Backgammon in 2015, becoming the first female Backgammon Giant.
Junichi Okada (岡田 准一, Okada Jun'ichi; born November 18, 1980) is an actor, fight choreographer and a former member of…Junichi Okada (岡田 准一, Okada Jun'ichi; born November 18, 1980) is an actor, fight choreographer and a former member of Japanese boy band V6.
