Keiko Masuda (増田 恵子, Masuda Keiko) (born Keiko Kobayashi (小林 啓子, Kobayashi Keiko) on September 2, 1957, in Shizuoka…Keiko Masuda (増田 恵子, Masuda Keiko) (born Keiko Kobayashi (小林 啓子, Kobayashi Keiko) on September 2, 1957, in Shizuoka, Japan) is a Japanese pop singer and actress. She is better known by her nickname Kei, and is one half of Pink Lady, the top idol group in Japan in the 1970s. In the United States, they are known for their self-titled TV program. Masuda is represented by her own management firm Kei-Office (ケイ・オフィス, Kei Ofisu).
Michiharu Hayashi (Hayashi Michiharu; born August 31, 1957) is a Japanese jurist who has served as an associate Justice…Michiharu Hayashi (Hayashi Michiharu; born August 31, 1957) is a Japanese jurist who has served as an associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Japan since 2019.
Junji Ogawa (小川 淳司, Ogawa Junji; born August 30, 1957) was a Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball player. He played…Junji Ogawa (小川 淳司, Ogawa Junji; born August 30, 1957) was a Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball player. He played for the Yakult Swallows and Nippon-Ham Fighters.
Shirō Sagisu (鷺巣 詩郎, Sagisu Shirō; born August 29, 1957) is a Japanese composer, arranger and music producer. With a…Shirō Sagisu (鷺巣 詩郎, Sagisu Shirō; born August 29, 1957) is a Japanese composer, arranger and music producer. With a career spanning over 40 years (beginning in the late 1970s), he is best known for his works as a record producer for acts including various choir members Mike Wyzgowski, Misia, Satoshi Tomiie, and Ken Hirai. Sagisu has also worked as a film composer for several anime and films, being well known for his collaborations with Gainax, especially in the soundtrack of Hideaki Anno's series Neon Genesis Evangelion. Sagisu's career in music started in 1977, when he became one of the members of jazz fusion band T-Square. He made three albums with the group before becoming a full-time composer and writer in 1979. By 1997, he had composed over 2,000 songs, advertising jingles and TV and movie pieces. Sagisu won the Tokyo Anime Award for "Best Music" in 2010 for Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance. Sagisu arranged a rendition of the Japanese national anthem, "Kimigayo", performed at the 2020 Summer Olympics opening ceremony by Misia.
Kei Marimura (Japanese: 真梨邑ケイ, Hepburn: Marimura Kei) is a Japanese jazz singer, actress, author, gravure model, and AV…Kei Marimura (Japanese: 真梨邑ケイ, Hepburn: Marimura Kei) is a Japanese jazz singer, actress, author, gravure model, and AV idol.
Kōji Kobayashi (小林 光二, Kobayashi Kōji; born August 27, 1957) is a retired Japanese professional boxer who is a former…Kōji Kobayashi (小林 光二, Kobayashi Kōji; born August 27, 1957) is a retired Japanese professional boxer who is a former WBC and lineal flyweight champion.
Kenji Nagai (長井 健司, Nagai Kenji; August 27, 1957 – September 27, 2007) was a Japanese photojournalist who took many…Kenji Nagai (長井 健司, Nagai Kenji; August 27, 1957 – September 27, 2007) was a Japanese photojournalist who took many assignments to conflict zones and dangerous areas around the world. He was shot dead in Myanmar during the Saffron Revolution while filming. Nagai continued to take photographs as he lay wounded on the ground, later dying from gunshot injuries to the chest. The government of Myanmar claimed that the cause of his death was a stray bullet; this was later disproven. Despite carrying his camera during a protest in the Saffron Revolution, it later went missing, supposedly because a Myammar soldier had taken it. In 2023, the camera and footage were returned. He was the only foreign national killed in the protests.
Keiichi Nanba (難波 圭一, Nanba Keiichi; born on August 26, 1957) is a Japanese actor, voice actor, and narrator under…Keiichi Nanba (難波 圭一, Nanba Keiichi; born on August 26, 1957) is a Japanese actor, voice actor, and narrator under Fujiga Office Inc. He is married to fellow voice actress Mayumi Shō.
Chikubayama Masakuni (born August 21, 1957, as Makoto Tazaki) is a former sumo wrestler from Ukiha, Fukuoka, Japan. He…Chikubayama Masakuni (born August 21, 1957, as Makoto Tazaki) is a former sumo wrestler from Ukiha, Fukuoka, Japan. He made his professional debut in 1973, breaking into the top makuuchi division thirteen years later in 1986. His highest rank was maegashira 13. After retiring in 1989 he became an elder of the Japan Sumo Association. He was the head coach of the Miyagino stable and his most successful wrestler is yokozuna Hakuhō.
Kōbōyama Daizō (born 15 August 1957 as Kōkichi Yomogida) is a former sumo wrestler from Tsukidate, Kurihara, Miyagi…Kōbōyama Daizō (born 15 August 1957 as Kōkichi Yomogida) is a former sumo wrestler from Tsukidate, Kurihara, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. He made his professional debut in 1973 and reached the top makuuchi division in 1981. His highest rank was sekiwake. He earned two special prizes for Technique and was a runner-up in one tournament. He retired in 1990. He is now a sumo coach and ran the Takashima stable from 1993 until 2011. He was elected to the Japan Sumo Association's board of directors in 2018.
Kazuaki Ichimura (市村 和昭, Ichimura Kazuaki; born 11 August 1957) is a Japanese speed skater. He competed in two events…Kazuaki Ichimura (市村 和昭, Ichimura Kazuaki; born 11 August 1957) is a Japanese speed skater. He competed in two events at the 1980 Winter Olympics.
Masayoshi Son (Japanese: 孫 正義; born Masayoshi Yasumoto, August 11, 1957) is a Japanese entrepreneur, investor, and…Masayoshi Son (Japanese: 孫 正義; born Masayoshi Yasumoto, August 11, 1957) is a Japanese entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist. A Zainichi Korean, he is the founder, chairman and chief executive of SoftBank Group (SBG), a technology-focused investment holding company, as well as chairman of UK-based Arm Holdings and US-based Stargate LLC. As an entrepreneur, he achieved notability in software distribution, computing-related book and magazine publishing, and telecommunications in Japan, starting in the 1980s and booming throughout the 1990s and 2000s. His early $20 million investment in Alibaba Group in 2000 grew substantially over the years, reaching a valuation of around $75 billion by 2014 following Alibaba's IPO, and contributing significantly to SoftBank's financial success. SoftBank's 27 percent stake in Alibaba was worth $132 billion in 2018, including additional purchases of the stock since 2000. The morphing of his own telecom company SoftBank Corp. into an investment management firm called SoftBank Group Corp. made him noted worldwide as a stock investor. He is known for his bold investment strategies, sometimes resulting in major losses, particularly with the first and second SoftBank Vision Funds. In 2013, Son was placed 45th on the Forbes magazine's list of the World's Most Powerful People. In 2017 he was named Entrepreneur of the Year at The Asian Awards. As of May 2025, Son ranks 65th on the Forbes's list of The World's Billionaires and is No. 177 on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. He had for many years the distinction of being the person who had lost the most money in history (more than $59 billion during the dot-com crash of 2000 alone, when his SoftBank shares plummeted), a feat surpassed by Elon Musk in the following decades.
Masahiro Hara (Japanese: 原 昌宏, Hepburn: Hara Masahiro, born on August 8, 1957) is a Japanese engineer and Hosei…Masahiro Hara (Japanese: 原 昌宏, Hepburn: Hara Masahiro, born on August 8, 1957) is a Japanese engineer and Hosei University graduate who is best known for inventing the QR code in 1994.
Chubee Kagita (鍵田 忠兵衛, Kagita Chūbee; 6 August 1957 – 16 December 2011) was a Japanese politician of the Liberal…Chubee Kagita (鍵田 忠兵衛, Kagita Chūbee; 6 August 1957 – 16 December 2011) was a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). Kagita was born in Nara, son of former House of Representative member Kagita Saburou Tadashi. Kagita graduated from Kokushikan University with a Bachelor's degree in Politics and Economics. He had served in the assembly of Nara Prefecture for three terms since 1995 and became the mayor of Nara in 2004. Resigning as mayor in 2005, he ran unsuccessfully for the mayor of Nara in the same year (defeated by current mayor Gen Nakagawa in the 2009 elections). He was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time in 2005 and resigned in 2009 to run as mayor of Nara.
Shigeru Ban (坂 茂, Ban Shigeru; born 5 August 1957) is a Japanese architect, known for his innovative work with paper…Shigeru Ban (坂 茂, Ban Shigeru; born 5 August 1957) is a Japanese architect, known for his innovative work with paper, particularly recycled cardboard tubes used to quickly and efficiently house disaster victims. Many of his notable designs are structures which are temporary, prefabricated, or incorporate inexpensive and unconventional materials in innovative ways. He was profiled by Time magazine in their projection of 21st-century innovators in the field of architecture and design. In 2014, Ban was named the 37th recipient of the Pritzker Architecture Prize, the most prestigious prize in modern architecture. The Pritzker Jury cited Ban for his innovative use of material and his dedication to humanitarian efforts around the world, calling him "a committed teacher who is not only a role model for younger generation, but also an inspiration."
Yasutoshi Moriyama (森山泰年, Moriyama Yasutoshi; born 4 August 1957) is a Japanese former wrestler who competed in the…Yasutoshi Moriyama (森山泰年, Moriyama Yasutoshi; born 4 August 1957) is a Japanese former wrestler who competed in the 1984 Summer Olympics, in the 1988 Summer Olympics, and in the 1992 Summer Olympics.
Masayoshi Nataniya (那谷屋 正義, Nataniya Masayoshi; born 3 August 1957) is a Japanese politician of the Constitutional…Masayoshi Nataniya (那谷屋 正義, Nataniya Masayoshi; born 3 August 1957) is a Japanese politician of the Constitutional Democratic Party and a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Yokohama, Kanagawa and graduate of Yokohama National University, he was elected for the first time in 2004.
Yoshio Kato (加藤 好男, Katō Yoshio; born August 1, 1957) is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan…Yoshio Kato (加藤 好男, Katō Yoshio; born August 1, 1957) is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team.
Shigeru Sugimura (杉村 繁, Sugimura Shigeru; born July 31, 1957) is a Japanese former Nippon Professional Baseball…Shigeru Sugimura (杉村 繁, Sugimura Shigeru; born July 31, 1957) is a Japanese former Nippon Professional Baseball infielder.
Keiko Tobe (戸部 けいこ, Tobe Keiko; 30 July 1957 – 28 January 2010) was a Japanese manga artist who wrote primarily josei…Keiko Tobe (戸部 けいこ, Tobe Keiko; 30 July 1957 – 28 January 2010) was a Japanese manga artist who wrote primarily josei manga. She was best known for creating With the Light, which won an Excellence Prize in the Japan Media Arts Festival Awards in 2004 from the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs and inspired a television drama.
Fumio Kishida (born 29 July 1957) is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan and President of the…Fumio Kishida (born 29 July 1957) is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan and President of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) from 2021 until his resignation in 2024. He has represented Hiroshima 1st in the House of Representatives since 1996. Before his premiership, he was the Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2012 to 2017, as acting Minister of Defense in 2017, and he also chaired the LDP Policy Research Council from 2017 to 2020. Born into a political family, Kishida spent part of his childhood in the United States, where he attended elementary school in New York City. After beginning his career in finance, Kishida entered politics and was elected to the House of Representatives at the 1993 general election as a member of the LDP. Kishida was appointed to Minister of State for Special Missions in the premiership of Shinzo Abe and Yasuo Fukuda from 2007 to 2008, and was appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs in 2012 after Abe regained the premiership following the 2012 general election, serving for five years and becoming the longest-serving Foreign Affairs Minister in Japanese history. Kishida resigned from the Abe cabinet in 2017 in order to head the LDP's Policy Research Council. Kishida also assumed leadership of the LDP's more moderate Kōchikai faction in 2012 following the retirement of faction leader Makoto Koga, a position he held until his resignation in 2023. Long considered a potential future prime minister, Kishida ran in the 2020 LDP presidential election, but lost to Yoshihide Suga. He ran again for the party leadership in 2021, this time winning in a second round run-off against opponent Taro Kono. Kishida was confirmed as prime minister by the National Diet four days later on 4 October 2021. Upon assuming office as prime minister, Kishida stated that his administration would pursue a "new model of capitalism" by implementing redistributive policies aimed at raising wages and expanding the middle class. His tenure saw a reversal of decades-long deflationary economic policies, with Japan experiencing its highest wage growth in 30 years, driven by record wage increases achieved through annual wage negotiations. He led the LDP to victory in 2021 general election and 2022 House of Councillors election, albeit at a slightly reduced majority. He oversaw the dissolution of the Unification Church (UC) in Japan following the assassination of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe in July 2022 and the disbandment of his faction Kōchikai, along with Seiwakai and Shisuikai following a party-wide slush fund corruption scandal. His tenure also oversaw the release of treated radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean in August 2023, less than 12 years since the Great East Japan earthquake in March 2011. He reshuffled his cabinet twice, in August 2022 to remove cabinet members affiliated with the UC and in September 2023 to remove cabinet members associated with the slush fund scandal. On foreign policy, Kishida continued strengthening the Quad Security Dialogue and close cooperation with NATO in pursuit of the Free and Open Indo-Pacific strategy, signed the American–Japanese–Korean trilateral pact in 2023, formed security pacts with the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Philippines, and took steps to repair ties with South Korea. In 2022 he instructed the cabinet to increase Japan's military budget by 65% by 2027, the most significant defense budget increase in decades. Kishida responded to the Russian invasion of Ukraine by becoming the first Asian country to impose sanctions on Russia and Belarus and authorizing civilian aid to Ukraine. Kishida survived an assassination attempt on 15 April 2023 while delivering a campaign speech. The end of his premiership was marked by a struggle to recover from record-low approval ratings amid fallout from the LDP slush fund scandal. On 14 August 2024, Kishida announced that he would resign from office and step down as LDP party leader, thereby not seeking re-election in September of the same year. In the LDP leadership election, Kishida initially endorsed Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, then, in the second round, whipped votes for Shigeru Ishiba, who defeated Sanae Takaichi to become the next party leader and prime minister.
Makoto Gonokami (五神 真, Gonokami Makoto; born 1957) is a Japanese professor of science and engineering at the University…Makoto Gonokami (五神 真, Gonokami Makoto; born 1957) is a Japanese professor of science and engineering at the University of Tokyo (UTokyo), mostly in the field of physics. He served as the 30th president of UTokyo, after succeeding Junichi Hamada who retired in 2015, and until March 2021. After his presidency at UTokyo, he has served as the president of Riken since 2022. He works in the graduate school of science, school of engineering in the institution before being dean in graduate school of science and vice president of the university. He holds a PhD in optical physics at University of Tokyo and most of his research based on Quantum physics and participate in Center for Quantum Materials. He served as the chair of IARU for two years (2018–2020).
Tatsuharu Mawatari (馬渡 龍治, Mawatari Tatsuharu; born July 26, 1957) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic…Tatsuharu Mawatari (馬渡 龍治, Mawatari Tatsuharu; born July 26, 1957) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Tokyo and graduate of Sophia University, he was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time in 2005. He is an assenter of "The Truth about Nanjing(movie)."
Hitoshi Goto (後藤 斎, Gotō Hitoshi; born 22 July 1957) is a Japanese politician who served as the governor of Yamanashi…Hitoshi Goto (後藤 斎, Gotō Hitoshi; born 22 July 1957) is a Japanese politician who served as the governor of Yamanashi Prefecture. He was formerly a Democratic Party member in the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). He resigned from the Democratic Party and the Diet in November 2014 so that he could contest the January 2015 Yamanashi Gubernatorial election as an independent. A native of Kōfu and graduate of Tohoku University with a Bachelor of Economics, he worked at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries from 1980 to 1995.
Hiroshi Moriya (森屋宏, Moriya Hiroshi; born July 21, 1957) is a Japanese politician who is a former member of the House…Hiroshi Moriya (森屋宏, Moriya Hiroshi; born July 21, 1957) is a Japanese politician who is a former member of the House of Councillors of Japan.
Shinobu Otake (大竹 しのぶ, Ōtake Shinobu; born July 17, 1957) is a Japanese actress. She has won three Japanese Academy…Shinobu Otake (大竹 しのぶ, Ōtake Shinobu; born July 17, 1957) is a Japanese actress. She has won three Japanese Academy Awards: the 2000 Best Actress award for Railroad Man, and the 1979 awards for both Best Actress for The Incident, and Best Supporting Actress for Seishoku no ishibumi. She also won the award for best actress at the 12th Hochi Film Award for Eien no 1/2. At the 25th Moscow International Film Festival she won the award for Best Actress for her role in Owl. She has received a total of twelve nominations. She was the favoured lead actress of director Kaneto Shindo after his previous lead actress, Nobuko Otowa, died in 1994, and featured in four of his films from Will to Live (1999) and Postcard (2011). Otake has also acted on the stage. She performed during the last segment of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics Closing Ceremony along Tokyo’s Suginami Children Chorus, singing the song "Hoshimeguri no Uta" (Star Tour Song) composed by Kenji Miyazawa, as the Olympic flame was extinguished. Otake had a leading role of Dr. Ruth Wolff in a Japanese stage adaptation of The Doctor (2021).
Kazunori "Toshio" Shinozuka (篠塚 和典, Shinozuka Kazunori; born July 16, 1957) is a former professional Japanese baseball…Kazunori "Toshio" Shinozuka (篠塚 和典, Shinozuka Kazunori; born July 16, 1957) is a former professional Japanese baseball player. As a boy, Ichiro Suzuki learned to pattern his original swinging pendulum leg kick after Shinozuka's.
Kaizo Hayashi (林 海象, Hayashi Kaizō; born July 15, 1957) is a Japanese film director and screenwriter. He made his…Kaizo Hayashi (林 海象, Hayashi Kaizō; born July 15, 1957) is a Japanese film director and screenwriter. He made his directorial debut with To Sleep so as to Dream (1986). He is best known for his neo-noir Maiku Hama trilogy, The Most Terrible Time in My Life (1994), Stairway to the Distant Past (1995) and The Trap (1996). In addition to film, Hayashi served as creative director on the 2000 Konami video game 7 Blades for the PlayStation 2, and was director for two episodes of Power Rangers: Time Force.
Manabu Kitabeppu (北別府 学, Kitabeppu Manabu; July 12, 1957 – June 16, 2023) was a Japanese professional baseball pitcher…Manabu Kitabeppu (北別府 学, Kitabeppu Manabu; July 12, 1957 – June 16, 2023) was a Japanese professional baseball pitcher, the first-round draft pick of the Hiroshima Toyo Carp in 1975, and one of the most famous Japanese right-handed pitchers. He was known as the "Precision Machine" (精密機械, Seimitsu-Kikai) because of his perfect control pitching, and his nickname was Pei-San (ペイさん). Kitabeppu struggled his first few seasons, then went 17–11 with a 3.58 ERA to make his first All-Star team in 1979. It was the first of five consecutive All-Star picks for Kitabeppu, who helped the team to a Japan Series title in 1980. In 1982 Kitabeppu went 20–8 with a 2.43 ERA, easily his best year up to that point in his pitching career. He led the Central League with 267.3 innings, won the most games on the mound, and was fourth in ERA. He won his first Eiji Sawamura Award that season and also was named to the Best Nine. His streak of All-Star selections ended in 1984, though he continued to pitch well in '84 and '85. In 1986 Kitabeppu had his best season, going 18–4 with a 2.43 ERA. He led the circuit once again in victories, won his only ERA crown, led in complete games (17) and shutouts (4), won his only Gold Glove, and in addition to the Best Nine and Sawamura, won his only MVP award as the Carp returned to the Japan Series, but failed to win. Kitabeppu again was an All-Star in '88 but posted losing records from '87 through '89, once with an ERA of 5.48. The former star allowed the most runs in 1988 (87) and the most homers (22). The next season, he again surrendered the most home runs, also 22. In 1989 he was in the minor leagues for the first time in his career. Kitabeppu emerged resurgent from his trials and after a decent season in 1990, in 1991 he went 11–4 with a 3.38 ERA. He made his seventh All-Star team in 1992, with 14 wins in 22 decisions, and a 2.58 ERA. It was his lowest ERA and most victories since his MVP season of '86. The Carp made their third Japan Series of the Kitabeppu era, but lost to the Seibu Lions. Still just 34, Kitabeppu reached 200 career wins. It was his last good season – he would pitch 24 more games, going 9-9, with ERAs over 5 each time, before retiring. His career line with Hiroshima was 213–141 with a 3.67 ERA. Since Kitabeppu, only one pitcher in Nippon Pro Baseball (Kimiyasu Kudoh) has reached 200 victories. Kitabeppu ranks 17th all-time in wins, 20th in innings (3,113), 26th in strikeouts (1,757), 9th in hits allowed (3,225), and 4th in homers surrendered (380, the Central League record). After retiring, Kitabeppu became an announcer and then the pitching coach for the Carp. Shortly after midnight on June 16, 2023, he died in a hospital in the city of Hiroshima. He was 65. In 2020 he announced that he had been battling leukemia for a long time.
Takuro Morinaga (森永卓郎, Morinaga Takurō; 12 July 1957 – 28 January 2025) was a Japanese economist and academic at Dokkyo…Takuro Morinaga (森永卓郎, Morinaga Takurō; 12 July 1957 – 28 January 2025) was a Japanese economist and academic at Dokkyo University, Saitama, a suburb to Tokyo. He was also a television program editor. As an economist he was highly publicized, expressing his views in television and radio on an array of subjects, from politics to manga to video games. His ideas elicited a large number of reactions on the internet and in media.
Tsutomu Okabori (岡堀 勉, Okabori Tsutomu; born 10 July 1957) is a Japanese former cyclist. He competed in the team…Tsutomu Okabori (岡堀 勉, Okabori Tsutomu; born 10 July 1957) is a Japanese former cyclist. He competed in the team pursuit event at the 1976 Summer Olympics and 1978 Asian Games. He was also a professional keirin cyclist.
Ikue Mori is a Japanese scientist. She is known for her work on molecular, cellular and neural circuit analyses of…Ikue Mori is a Japanese scientist. She is known for her work on molecular, cellular and neural circuit analyses of thermotaxis behavior in C. elegans. She is Director of Neuroscience Institute and Professor of Molecular Neurobiology of the Graduate School of Science in Nagoya University, Japan. In 2013, she became the first woman to receive Tokizane Award, the most prestigious neuroscience award in Japan, and in 2017, was awarded Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon.
Kazuyo Matsui (松居 一代, Matsui Kazuyo; born 25 June 1957 in Ōmihachiman, Shiga Prefecture) is a Japanese actress…Kazuyo Matsui (松居 一代, Matsui Kazuyo; born 25 June 1957 in Ōmihachiman, Shiga Prefecture) is a Japanese actress, investor, businesswoman, essayist, university professor (special appointment), and lifestyle (household chores) adviser. Her married name was Kazuyo Funakoshi (船越 一代, Funakoshi Kazuyo). She divorced her husband Eiichiro Funakoshi in December 2017. She is represented by the Kazuyo Matsui Jimusho agency.
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.
Yoshimi Seki (Japanese: 関よしみ, Hepburn: Seki Yoshimi; born June 21, 1957) is a Japanese manga artist from Shimonoseki…Yoshimi Seki (Japanese: 関よしみ, Hepburn: Seki Yoshimi; born June 21, 1957) is a Japanese manga artist from Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture. She is specialized in psychological horror. She won the 18th Nakayoshi and Shōjo Friend newcomer award in the April 1980 of Nakayoshi Deluxe with the short story Otome Tsubaki no Hana no Shita (乙女椿の花の下) with the pen name Itou Kayoko (いとうかよこ).
Makiko Futaki (二木真希子 Futaki Makiko; June 19, 1958 – May 13, 2016) was a Japanese animator best known for her…Makiko Futaki (二木真希子 Futaki Makiko; June 19, 1958 – May 13, 2016) was a Japanese animator best known for her contributions to Studio Ghibli on films such as My Neighbor Totoro (1988), Princess Mononoke (1997), and Spirited Away (2001). She is also known for her role as a key animator on the cult classic film, Akira (1988), and her early work with studio Gainax on Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise (1987). Hayao Miyazaki, the founder of Studio Ghibli, praised her talents as an artist calling her both a valuable asset and someone he can trust to execute his vision. She died on May 13, 2016, due to an unpublished illness at a Tokyo hospital.
Sasshūnada Yasutaka (born 7 June 1957 as Katsuyuki Yoshizaki) is a former sumo wrestler from Ibusuki, Kagoshima, Japan.…Sasshūnada Yasutaka (born 7 June 1957 as Katsuyuki Yoshizaki) is a former sumo wrestler from Ibusuki, Kagoshima, Japan. He made his professional debut in January 1976, and reached the top division in September 1986. His highest rank was maegashira 1. He retired in September 1992. As of 2023 he is an elder in the Japan Sumo Association under the name Tatsutayama.
Shinya Adachi (足立 信也, Adachi Shin'ya; born June 5, 1957) is a Japanese politician of the Democratic Party for the…Shinya Adachi (足立 信也, Adachi Shin'ya; born June 5, 1957) is a Japanese politician of the Democratic Party for the People, and a former member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature).
Yasuhiro Yamashita (山下 泰裕, Yamashita Yasuhiro; born 1 June 1957) is a Japanese judoka. He currently works as an…Yasuhiro Yamashita (山下 泰裕, Yamashita Yasuhiro; born 1 June 1957) is a Japanese judoka. He currently works as an instructor or advisor for numerous organizations, including Tokai University, the International Judo Federation, and the All Japan Judo Federation. He retired from competitive judo on 17 June 1985 after a remarkable career where he won five gold medals in international competitions and marked 203 consecutive victories (with 7 draws in-between) until his retirement where he went undefeated his entire career against non-Japanese wrestlers. He received the Japanese National Prize of Honor on 9 October 1984. He is considered by many to be the greatest judoka ever.
Nobuyuki Uenoyama (上野山 信行, Uenoyama Nobuyuki; born 26 May 1957) is a Japanese former footballer and manager. He managed…Nobuyuki Uenoyama (上野山 信行, Uenoyama Nobuyuki; born 26 May 1957) is a Japanese former footballer and manager. He managed Kamatamare Sanuki at the start of the 2021 season before resigning just two months into the season. His son, Jin Uenoyama, played for FC Osaka before retiring at the end of 2020.
Shinji Morisue (森末 慎二, Morisue Shinji; born May 22, 1957) is a Japanese gymnast and Olympic champion. The parallel bar…Shinji Morisue (森末 慎二, Morisue Shinji; born May 22, 1957) is a Japanese gymnast and Olympic champion. The parallel bar skill Morisue is named after him.
Yoshihiko Noda (Japanese: 野田 佳彦, Hepburn: Noda Yoshihiko; born 20 May 1957) is a Japanese politician who served as the…Yoshihiko Noda (Japanese: 野田 佳彦, Hepburn: Noda Yoshihiko; born 20 May 1957) is a Japanese politician who served as the Prime Minister of Japan from 2011 to 2012. He has been a member of the House of Representatives since 2000. Noda entered politics in 1993 as a member of the now-defunct Japan New Party. In 1996, he joined the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ). After the DPJ won control of the Diet in 2009 general election, Noda was named a senior vice minister of finance in the cabinet of Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, and in 2010, was named minister of finance in the cabinet of Prime Minister Naoto Kan. Following Kan's resignation as prime minister, Noda won the ensuing leadership election and was appointed prime minister on 2 September 2011. Following a severe loss for the DPJ in the December 2012 general election, Noda announced his resignation as party leader, triggering a leadership election that was won by Banri Kaieda. Noda was succeeded as Prime Minister by Shinzo Abe, President of the Liberal Democratic Party, on 26 December 2012. As the DPJ underwent mergers and reorganizations, Noda left to sit as an independent politician. In 2021, Noda joined the CDP, the primary successor to the DPJ. In 2024, Noda successfully stood for the CDP's party presidential election, defeating incumbent leader Kenta Izumi and former leader Yukio Edano. Weeks after assuming the presidency of the party, the 2024 general election was announced, with the CDP achieving its best result in party history, and the ruling LDP coalition being limited to a minority. After a rout in the 2026 general election, Noda resigned as co-president of the newly-formed Centrist Reform Alliance.
Hatsuko Yamasaki (山崎 初子; born May 18, 1957), known professionally as Hako Yamasaki (山崎ハコ, Yamasaki Hako), is a Japanese…Hatsuko Yamasaki (山崎 初子; born May 18, 1957), known professionally as Hako Yamasaki (山崎ハコ, Yamasaki Hako), is a Japanese folk singer-songwriter, actress, and writer. She recorded her first album Tobimasu in 1975. In 1991, she made her acting debut.
Kenta Satoi (佐戸井けん太, Satoi Kenta), born May 14, 1957, in the Chiba Prefecture, Japan, is a Japanese theatre and film…Kenta Satoi (佐戸井けん太, Satoi Kenta), born May 14, 1957, in the Chiba Prefecture, Japan, is a Japanese theatre and film actor. His roles most often consist of either father-type roles, or conversely, villain roles in police dramas and action movies. In the sho-gekijo theatre realm he is known for playing a wide variety of character roles. Satoi is 183 cm tall, and his hobbies are basketball and rakugo "sit-down" comedy.
Koji Suzuki (鈴木 光司, Suzuki Kōji; May 13, 1957 – May 8, 2026) was a Japanese writer, who was born in Hamamatsu and lived…Koji Suzuki (鈴木 光司, Suzuki Kōji; May 13, 1957 – May 8, 2026) was a Japanese writer, who was born in Hamamatsu and lived in Tokyo. Suzuki was the author of the Ring novels, which have been adapted into other formats, including films, manga, television series, and video games. He wrote several books on the subject of fatherhood. His hobbies included traveling, motorcycling, as well as sailing. He graduated from Keio University before debuting as a novelist. Koji Suzuki died in Tokyo on May 8, 2026, at the age of 68.
Yōko Kondō (Japanese: 近藤 ようこ, Hepburn: Kondō Yōko; born May 11, 1957) is a Japanese manga artist. Beginning her career…Yōko Kondō (Japanese: 近藤 ようこ, Hepburn: Kondō Yōko; born May 11, 1957) is a Japanese manga artist. Beginning her career in 1979 in the alternative manga magazine Garo, she is known for her historical and folklore-inspired works as well as for adaptations of classic Japanese literature.
Rino Katase (かたせ梨乃, Katase Rino; born 8 May 1957) is a Japanese actress. She won the Award for Best Supporting Actress…Rino Katase (かたせ梨乃, Katase Rino; born 8 May 1957) is a Japanese actress. She won the Award for Best Supporting Actress at the 11th Japan Academy Prize for Yakuza Wives II and Yoshiwara Enjō.
