Naoki Ishikawa (Japanese: 石川直生, Hepburn: Ishikawa Naoki; born April 18, 1989) is a Japanese retired kickboxer, who…Naoki Ishikawa (Japanese: 石川直生, Hepburn: Ishikawa Naoki; born April 18, 1989) is a Japanese retired kickboxer, who competed in the super featherweight division of AJKF, where he was the Super Featherweight champion, as well as in the super featherweight and lightweight divisions of Krush.
Yusuke Kamiji (上地 雄輔, Kamiji Yūsuke; born April 18, 1979 in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan as the first born) is…Yusuke Kamiji (上地 雄輔, Kamiji Yūsuke; born April 18, 1979 in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan as the first born) is a Japanese actor, singer, and tarento. In the music world, he is known simply as Yusuke (遊助, Yūsuke).
Ayako Ōnuma (大沼 綾子, Ōnuma Ayako; born (1979-04-17)17 April 1979) is a Japanese female volleyball player. She was part…Ayako Ōnuma (大沼 綾子, Ōnuma Ayako; born (1979-04-17)17 April 1979) is a Japanese female volleyball player. She was part of the Japan women's national volleyball team. She participated in the 2005 FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix. On club level she played for Hitachi Sawa Rivale in 2005.
Midori Yajima (born 17 April 1979) is a Japanese sport shooter. He competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in the Men's 10…Midori Yajima (born 17 April 1979) is a Japanese sport shooter. He competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in the Men's 10 metre air rifle, finishing in 38th place, the men's 50 m rifle 3 positions, finishing in 39th place, and the men's 50 m rifle prone, finishing in 33rd place.
Ryusuke Taguchi (田口 隆祐, Taguchi Ryūsuke; born April 15, 1979) is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is signed to New…Ryusuke Taguchi (田口 隆祐, Taguchi Ryūsuke; born April 15, 1979) is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is signed to New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW). He also makes appearances for DDT Pro Wrestling (DDT), where he is the current DDT Universal Champion in his first reign. Pursuing several sports in high school, Taguchi competed in 76 kg (168 lb) class amateur wrestling in college before entering the NJPW Dojo in March 2002 and debuting in November of that year at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, wrestling in New Japan's famous junior heavyweight division. Taguchi's best known gimmick is akin to a disco dancer, often sporting a short afro and colorful, flamboyant attire and celebrating victories with a post-match dance, encouraging his partners to join in during tag team matches. This earned Taguchi the nickname "Funky Weapon".
Tetsuya Matsunaga (松永 鉄也, Matsunaga Tetsuya; born 15 April 1979 in Kyoto) is a Japanese sailor, who specialized in…Tetsuya Matsunaga (松永 鉄也, Matsunaga Tetsuya; born 15 April 1979 in Kyoto) is a Japanese sailor, who specialized in two-person dinghy (470) class. He represented Japan, along with his partner Taro Ueno, at the 2008 Summer Olympics, and has also been training for Three Bond Sailing Team in Kyoto throughout most of his sporting career under his longtime coach and mentor Kenji Nakamura. As of September 2014, Matsunaga is ranked twenty-sixth in the world for two-person dinghy class by the International Sailing Federation, following his successes at the South American Championships, ISAF Sailing World Cup Series, and 2014 ISAF Sailing World Championships in Santander, Spain. Matsunaga qualified as a skipper for the Japanese squad in the men's 470 class at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing by placing fifteenth and receiving a berth from the World Championships in Melbourne, Australia. Teaming with crew member Taro Ueno in the eleven-race series, the Japanese duo mounted a marvelous lead in the opening leg, but came up short for the medal with a net score of 97 and a seventh-place finish in a fleet of twenty-nine boats. At the 2014 ISAF Sailing World Championships, Matsunaga and his new partner Yugo Yoshida set a career record with a sixth-place finish in the men's 470 class to secure their spot on the Japanese sailing team for the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Shota Takiya (Japanese: 瀧谷渉太, Takiya Shota; born April 15, 1989) is a retired Japanese kickboxer who competed in the…Shota Takiya (Japanese: 瀧谷渉太, Takiya Shota; born April 15, 1989) is a retired Japanese kickboxer who competed in the super bantamweight divisions of Krush, K-1, RISE and Rizin FF. A professional competitor since 2007, he is a former two-time Krush Super Bantamweight champion.
Kohichi Amano (天野 浩一, Amano Kōichi; born April 12, 1979) is a professional Japanese baseball player playing who has…Kohichi Amano (天野 浩一, Amano Kōichi; born April 12, 1979) is a professional Japanese baseball player playing who has played for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp in Nippon Professional Baseball. After his short stint in NPB, he went on to play in the Shikoku Island League and the Baseball Challenge League.
Tsuyoshi Domoto (堂本 剛, Dōmoto Tsuyoshi; born April 10, 1979) is a Japanese idol, singer, songwriter, actor, and…Tsuyoshi Domoto (堂本 剛, Dōmoto Tsuyoshi; born April 10, 1979) is a Japanese idol, singer, songwriter, actor, and television personality. Along with Koichi Domoto (with whom he has no blood-relation), he is a member of Domoto, which is a Japanese duo under the management of Starto Entertainment (formerly of Johnny & Associates) and the record holder of Guinness World Records for having the record of the most consecutive number-one singles since their debut single.
Kei Satō (born 4 July 1979) is a Japanese politician who has served as a member of the House of Councillors since 2016…Kei Satō (born 4 July 1979) is a Japanese politician who has served as a member of the House of Councillors since 2016, representing Nara Prefecture.
Keiichi Hirano (平野 恵一, born April 7, 1979) is a Japanese former professional baseball infielder and current manager for…Keiichi Hirano (平野 恵一, born April 7, 1979) is a Japanese former professional baseball infielder and current manager for the CTBC Brothers of the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL). He played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Orix Buffaloes and Hanshin Tigers from 2002 to 2015.
Kei Satō (born 4 July 1979) is a Japanese politician who has served as a member of the House of Councillors since 2016…Kei Satō (born 4 July 1979) is a Japanese politician who has served as a member of the House of Councillors since 2016, representing Nara Prefecture.
Michiyo Heike (平家みちよ, Heike Michiyo; born April 6, 1979) is a former Japanese pop singer-songwriter from Osaka…Michiyo Heike (平家みちよ, Heike Michiyo; born April 6, 1979) is a former Japanese pop singer-songwriter from Osaka Prefecture and raised in Nabari, Mie. She first become known after her appearance on the Japanese talent show Asayan in the late 1990s, becoming the first member of the future "Hello! Project". Heike currently goes by the simply Michiyo.
Mitsuo Ogasawara (小笠原 満男, Ogasawara Mitsuo; born 5 April 1979) is a Japanese former professional footballer who played…Mitsuo Ogasawara (小笠原 満男, Ogasawara Mitsuo; born 5 April 1979) is a Japanese former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He played for Japan national team.
Noriko Miyagawa (Japanese: 宮川 典子, Hepburn: Miyagawa Noriko; April 5, 1979 – September 12, 2019) was a Japanese…Noriko Miyagawa (Japanese: 宮川 典子, Hepburn: Miyagawa Noriko; April 5, 1979 – September 12, 2019) was a Japanese politician. She was a member of the House of Representatives from 2012 until her death in 2019, and the Parliamentary Vice Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in the Fourth Abe Cabinet.
Yumiko Abe (阿部 由美子, Abe Yumiko; born April 4, 1979), better known by her ring name Yumi Ohka (桜花 由美, Ōka Yumi), is a…Yumiko Abe (阿部 由美子, Abe Yumiko; born April 4, 1979), better known by her ring name Yumi Ohka (桜花 由美, Ōka Yumi), is a Japanese professional wrestler. Originally trained by the now defunct JDStar promotion, Ohka now works for Oz Academy and Pro Wrestling Wave. She is a former two-time Wave Single Champion, while also being a former Oz Academy Tag Team Champion and Wave Tag Team Champion. She is the managing director of Zabun Co., Ltd., which owns Pro Wrestling Wave.
Masato Watanabe (渡辺 正人, born April 3, 1979, in Osaka) is a Japanese former professional baseball infielder. He played…Masato Watanabe (渡辺 正人, born April 3, 1979, in Osaka) is a Japanese former professional baseball infielder. He played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Chiba Lotte Marines from 2001 to 2012.
Daisuke Usami (宇佐美 大輔, Usami Daisuke; born March 29, 1979) is a retired Japanese volleyball player. He played as a…Daisuke Usami (宇佐美 大輔, Usami Daisuke; born March 29, 1979) is a retired Japanese volleyball player. He played as a setter and was one of the key players in the Japan men's national volleyball team in the 2000s. Usami was named Most Spectacular Player at the 2003 FIVB World Cup, where Japan ended in ninth place.
Tomoe Shinohara (篠原ともえ, Shinohara Tomoe; born March 29, 1979 in Higashimurayama, Tokyo) is a Japanese singer, actress…Tomoe Shinohara (篠原ともえ, Shinohara Tomoe; born March 29, 1979 in Higashimurayama, Tokyo) is a Japanese singer, actress, fashion designer, producer and artist. She is notable for her flamboyant fashion sense and bubbly (sometimes goofballish) personality, as well as her distinctive squealing speaking voice. She is also a close friend of singer Eiko Matsumoto.
Jun Hirose (廣瀬 純, Hirose Jun; born March 29, 1979) is a former professional Japanese baseball player. He played as an…Jun Hirose (廣瀬 純, Hirose Jun; born March 29, 1979) is a former professional Japanese baseball player. He played as an outfielder for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp.
Hiromi Uehara (上原 ひろみ, Uehara Hiromi) (born March 26, 1979), often known mononymously as Hiromi, is a Japanese jazz…Hiromi Uehara (上原 ひろみ, Uehara Hiromi) (born March 26, 1979), often known mononymously as Hiromi, is a Japanese jazz composer and pianist. She is known for her virtuosic technique, energetic live performances and blending of musical genres such as stride, post-bop, progressive rock, classical, nu jazz and fusion in her compositions. In 2021, she performed at the opening ceremony of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Akihiro Kitamura (北村 昭博, Kitamura Akihiro; born March 26, 1979) is a Japanese actor and director, who appeared in The…Akihiro Kitamura (北村 昭博, Kitamura Akihiro; born March 26, 1979) is a Japanese actor and director, who appeared in The Human Centipede (First Sequence) and Cobra Kai as Young Sato.
Eiji Takigawa (滝川 英治, Takigawa Eiji) is a Japanese former actor. Hailed from Osaka, Takigawa graduated from the law…Eiji Takigawa (滝川 英治, Takigawa Eiji) is a Japanese former actor. Hailed from Osaka, Takigawa graduated from the law department of Kounan Daigaku (Konan University) at Kobe, before he pursued his career in the entertainment industry. During the filming of Yowamushi Pedal 2 in 2017, Takigawa was involved in a biking accident that resulted in a spinal cord injury that left him paralyzed from the waist down. On March 9, 2020, he announced his retirement from the entertainment industry.
Hiromi Kawabata (川畑宏美, born 23 March 1979) is a Japanese former basketball player who competed in the 2004 Summer…Hiromi Kawabata (川畑宏美, born 23 March 1979) is a Japanese former basketball player who competed in the 2004 Summer Olympics.
Nobuo Kyo (姜 暢雄, Kyō Nobuo; born March 23, 1979, in Himeji, Hyōgo, Japan) is a Japanese actor who is represented by the…Nobuo Kyo (姜 暢雄, Kyō Nobuo; born March 23, 1979, in Himeji, Hyōgo, Japan) is a Japanese actor who is represented by the talent agency Cube. He graduated from Ichikawa High School.
Keiko Suenobu (Japanese: すえのぶ けいこ, Hepburn: Suenobu Keiko; March 23, 1979) is a female Japanese shōjo manga artist from…Keiko Suenobu (Japanese: すえのぶ けいこ, Hepburn: Suenobu Keiko; March 23, 1979) is a female Japanese shōjo manga artist from Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka. She graduated from the School of Art and Design at the University of Tsukuba with a major in sculpture. In 2006, Suenobu's manga series, Life won the Kodansha Manga Award for best shōjo manga. Life and her manga series Limit were adapted for broadcast as live-action television drama series. Bullying is a recurring theme in her stories.
Shinnosuke Abe (阿部 慎之助, Abe Shinnosuke; born March 20, 1979) is a Japanese former professional baseball player and…Shinnosuke Abe (阿部 慎之助, Abe Shinnosuke; born March 20, 1979) is a Japanese former professional baseball player and manager. He spent his entire 19-year career with Nippon Professional Baseball's Yomiuri Giants, serving as the team's captain from 2007 to 2014. He has twice been named the MVP of the Nippon Professional Baseball All-Star Series, in 2007 (Game 1) and 2010 (Game 1). Currently, he serves as the manager for the Giants.
Ayano Kunimitsu (国光文乃, Kunimitsu Ayano; born 20 March 1979) is a Japanese politician serving as deputy minister of…Ayano Kunimitsu (国光文乃, Kunimitsu Ayano; born 20 March 1979) is a Japanese politician serving as deputy minister of foreign affairs since 2025. She has been a member of the House of Representatives since 2017.
Mineko Nomachi (能町みね子, Nōmachi Mineko; born March 17, 1979) is a Japanese essayist, columnist, illustrator, and radio…Mineko Nomachi (能町みね子, Nōmachi Mineko; born March 17, 1979) is a Japanese essayist, columnist, illustrator, and radio and television personality. She is best known for her blog I'm Queer but I'm an Office Lady (オカマだけどOLやってます。, O-kama dakedo OL yattemasu), which was published as a book by Bungeishunjū in 2006, and for multiple radio and television programs co-hosted with writer Mitsurou Kubo. Her name is a pen name derived from a combination of the names of her paternal and maternal grandmothers.
Yoko Shibui (渋井 陽子, Shibui Yōko; born March 14, 1979 in Kuroiso, now Nasushiobara, Tochigi) is a long-distance runner…Yoko Shibui (渋井 陽子, Shibui Yōko; born March 14, 1979 in Kuroiso, now Nasushiobara, Tochigi) is a long-distance runner from Japan, who is competing in the 5000 and 10,000 metres as well as the marathon race. She holds the Japanese record over 10,000 m with her best time of 30:48.89 minutes. Shibui is one of only a handful of women to have completed the marathon under two hours and twenty minutes – her personal best of 2:19.41 ranks her within the top ten fastest ever. She made a winning debut in the marathon in 2001, when she triumphed at the Osaka Ladies Marathon in 2:23:11 hours. She finished fourth at the 2001 World Championships in Edmonton. At the next global championships, the 2003 World Championships in Paris, she finished fourteenth in the 10,000 metres. One year later Shibui won the Berlin Marathon, clocking a personal best of 2:19:41. In 2008, she finished seventeenth in the 10,000 metres at the Olympic Games. Shibui won both the Osaka Ladies Marathon and the San Francisco Marathon in 2009. At the 2011 Tokyo Marathon she was in a leading position with only two kilometres to go but slowed to relinquish her lead, ending up in fourth place. She tried to gain a place on the 2012 Olympic marathon team, but her fourth-place finish at the 2012 Nagoya Women's Marathon was not enough for selection.
Yuichi Hisamoto (久本 祐一, Hisamoto Yūichi; born April 3, 1979 in Daitō, Osaka) is a Japanese former professional baseball…Yuichi Hisamoto (久本 祐一, Hisamoto Yūichi; born April 3, 1979 in Daitō, Osaka) is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball. He played for the Chunichi Dragons from 2002 to 2007 and from 2010 to 2012 and with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp in 2013, 2014, and 2016.
Eriko Seo (妹尾 栄里子, Seo Eriko; born 12 March 1979) is a Japanese speed skater. She competed at the 2002 Winter Olympics…Eriko Seo (妹尾 栄里子, Seo Eriko; born 12 March 1979) is a Japanese speed skater. She competed at the 2002 Winter Olympics and the 2006 Winter Olympics.
Masato Kobayashi (小林 雅人, Kobayashi Masato; born March 10, 1979), known as Masato (魔裟斗) is a Japanese retired…Masato Kobayashi (小林 雅人, Kobayashi Masato; born March 10, 1979), known as Masato (魔裟斗) is a Japanese retired welterweight kickboxer. He was the ISKA World Welterweight Oriental Rules champion, as well as the winner of the K-1 WORLD MAX World tournament in 2003 and 2008. In addition, he was also the runner-up of the K-1 World MAX World tournament in 2004 and 2007. Prior to the K-1 Rising event in Madrid in May 2012, it was announced that Masato will be working as an executive producer for K-1.
Yukie Nakayama (中山 由起枝, Nakayama Yukie; born March 7, 1979 in Yūki, Ibaraki) is a Japanese trap shooter, who competed…Yukie Nakayama (中山 由起枝, Nakayama Yukie; born March 7, 1979 in Yūki, Ibaraki) is a Japanese trap shooter, who competed at three Olympic games and won the silver medal at the 2013 ISSF World Championships. Nakayama made her official Olympic debut at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, where she finished thirteenth in the women's double trap, with a score of 94 points, tying her position with Finland's Pia Julin. At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Nakayama competed in trap shooting, where she scored a total of 67 points in the qualifying round. She added nineteen more shots to obtain a total of 86 points in the final, but missed out of the bronze medal triumph to United States' Corey Cogdell, after competing in a four-person shoot-out At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Nakayama, however, failed to qualify for the final, after hitting a total of sixty-five targets in women's trap shooting, finishing in fifteenth place, behind her former opponent and Olympic silver medalist Daina Gudzinevičiūtė of Lithuania Nakayama currently lives in Utsunomiya, Tochigi, with her daughter.
Aki Tonoike (外ノ池 亜希, Tonoike Aki; born 3 March 1979) is a Japanese speed skater. She competed at the 1998, 2002 and the…Aki Tonoike (外ノ池 亜希, Tonoike Aki; born 3 March 1979) is a Japanese speed skater. She competed at the 1998, 2002 and the 2006 Winter Olympics.
Bingo Morihashi (森橋 ビンゴ) is a Japanese novelist. He also contributed to writing the video game franchise Devil May Cry…Bingo Morihashi (森橋 ビンゴ) is a Japanese novelist. He also contributed to writing the video game franchise Devil May Cry, its television anime series, as well as two light novels based on it.
Myco (born February 27, 1979, in Shinjuku, Tokyo) is a Japanese singer, voice actress, and radio personality. She was…Myco (born February 27, 1979, in Shinjuku, Tokyo) is a Japanese singer, voice actress, and radio personality. She was the vocalist for the band Changin' My Life, which was formed in 2001 and disbanded in 2003. She was the voice actor for the main character of the hit anime Full Moon o Sagashite, Mitsuki Kouyama, and the band did the music for the show. She has released one full solo album. She was on a hiatus between 2004 and 2007. On January 12, 2008, she joined a rock band called Quintillion Quiz with Ju-ken (bass) and Masanori Mine (guitar).
Takahiro Ueda (上田 岳弘, Ueda Takahiro) is a Japanese novelist. He won the 2019 Akutagawa Prize for his science-fiction…Takahiro Ueda (上田 岳弘, Ueda Takahiro) is a Japanese novelist. He won the 2019 Akutagawa Prize for his science-fiction novel Nimuroddo (Nimrod), which "depicts relations between the advancement of science and humanism with a focus on cryptocurrency". He also won the 2015 Mishima Prize for My One True Love. In 2016, he was named by Granta magazine as one of the best young Japanese novelists.
Kazuya Narita (成田 和也, born (1979-02-25)25 February 1979) is a Japanese male track cyclist, and part of the national…Kazuya Narita (成田 和也, born (1979-02-25)25 February 1979) is a Japanese male track cyclist, and part of the national team. He competed in the 2007 and 2009 UCI Track Cycling World Championships. He is also a professional keirin cyclist.
Kazuhiro Nakamura (Japanese: 中村和裕 , born July 16, 1979) is a Japanese retired mixed martial artist who competed as a…Kazuhiro Nakamura (Japanese: 中村和裕 , born July 16, 1979) is a Japanese retired mixed martial artist who competed as a middleweight in DREAM, and is a former DEEP middleweight champion. He fought out of the Yoshida Dojo and also competed in the Pride Fighting Championships, the Ultimate Fighting Championship and the Sengoku Raiden Championship. His primary style was judo, in which he holds a third dan black belt under Hidehiko Yoshida.
