Issey Miyake (Japanese: 三宅 一生, Hepburn: Miyake Issei; [mijake iꜜsseː] 22 April 1938 – 5 August 2022) was a Japanese…Issey Miyake (Japanese: 三宅 一生, Hepburn: Miyake Issei; [mijake iꜜsseː] 22 April 1938 – 5 August 2022) was a Japanese fashion designer. He was known for his technology-driven clothing designs, notably the Pleats, Please line, exhibitions and fragrances such as L'eau d'Issey.
Yoshito Kajiya (加治屋 義人, Kajiya Yoshito; April 22, 1938 – November 12, 2018) was a Japanese politician of the Liberal…Yoshito Kajiya (加治屋 義人, Kajiya Yoshito; April 22, 1938 – November 12, 2018) was a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Kagoshima, Kagoshima and high school graduate, he had served in the city assembly of Kagoshima for four terms since 1976. He was elected to the House of Councillors for the first time in 2001.
Katsuhito Asano (浅野 勝人, Asano Katsuhito; born April 19, 1938) is a retired Japanese politician of the Liberal…Katsuhito Asano (浅野 勝人, Asano Katsuhito; born April 19, 1938) is a retired Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, who served as a member of the House of Councillors and the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). He represented the 14th district of Aichi Prefecture, which includes the cities of Toyokawa, Gamagori, and Shinshiro. A native of Toyohashi, Aichi and graduate of Waseda University, he was elected for the first time in 1990 after working at the public broadcaster NHK.
Sōju Nosaka II (二代目 野坂 操壽, Nidaime Nosaka Sōju; May 6, 1938 – August 27, 2019) was a prominent Japanese koto player…Sōju Nosaka II (二代目 野坂 操壽, Nidaime Nosaka Sōju; May 6, 1938 – August 27, 2019) was a prominent Japanese koto player, specializing in contemporary music. Her real name was Keiko Nosaka (野坂 恵子, Nosaka Keiko).
Masatoshi Naitō (内藤 正敏, Naitō Masatoshi; 18 April 1938 – 9 July 2025) was a Japanese photographer. His work is held in…Masatoshi Naitō (内藤 正敏, Naitō Masatoshi; 18 April 1938 – 9 July 2025) was a Japanese photographer. His work is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Yoshiko Takamatsu (高松 好子, Takamatsu Yoshiko; born 16 April 1938) is a retired Japanese breaststroke swimmer who won the…Yoshiko Takamatsu (高松 好子, Takamatsu Yoshiko; born 16 April 1938) is a retired Japanese breaststroke swimmer who won the 100 m and 200 m events at the 1958 Asian Games in Tokyo. She competed in the 200 m breaststroke at the 1960 Summer Olympics, but failed to reach the final, while her 4×100 metres medley relay team finished seventh.
Kazuko Hosoki (細木 数子, Hosoki Kazuko; 4 April 1938 – 8 November 2021) was a Japanese fortune teller and writer. She was…Kazuko Hosoki (細木 数子, Hosoki Kazuko; 4 April 1938 – 8 November 2021) was a Japanese fortune teller and writer. She was an author of over 100 books. In addition to her regular celebrity appearances on Japanese television, she was known for her belief that ancestor worship is central to Japanese identity. Hosoki was associated with Six-Star Divination, known in Japanese as Rokusei Senjutsu. Religious studies scholar Yoshihide Sakurai wrote that Hosoki published on the system in the early 1980s and "quickly set off a fortune-telling boom". Guinness World Records lists Hosoki as having written 81 fortune-telling books totaling 34 million copies sold. Netflix's media materials for the 2026 drama Straight to Hell also describe Hosoki as famous for Six-Star Divination.
Masahiko Aoki (April 1, 1938 – July 15, 2015) was a Japanese economist, Tomoye and Henri Takahashi Professor Emeritus…Masahiko Aoki (April 1, 1938 – July 15, 2015) was a Japanese economist, Tomoye and Henri Takahashi Professor Emeritus of Japanese Studies in the Economics Department, and Senior Fellow of the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research and Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University. Aoki was known for his work in comparative institutional analysis, corporate governance, the theory of the firm, and comparative East Asian development.
Akihito Kondo (近藤 昭仁, Kondo Akihito; 1 April 1938 – 27 March 2019) was a Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher.…Akihito Kondo (近藤 昭仁, Kondo Akihito; 1 April 1938 – 27 March 2019) was a Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher. He played for the Taiyō Whales from 1960 to 1973. Kondo was named the Japan Series Most Valuable Player in 1960. He later managed the Yokohama BayStars from 1993 to 1995 and the Chiba Lotte Marines in 1997 and 1998. He died on 27 March 2019, at age 80.
Chiyoko Shimakura (島倉 千代子, Shimakura Chiyoko) (30 March 1938 – 8 November 2013) was an Enka singer and TV presenter in…Chiyoko Shimakura (島倉 千代子, Shimakura Chiyoko) (30 March 1938 – 8 November 2013) was an Enka singer and TV presenter in Japan. She was considered "the Goddess of Enka".
Yoshiko Sato (佐藤 喜子, Satō Yoshiko; born March 30, 1938) is a retired Japanese freestyle swimmer who won seven gold…Yoshiko Sato (佐藤 喜子, Satō Yoshiko; born March 30, 1938) is a retired Japanese freestyle swimmer who won seven gold medals at the Asian Games in 1958–1962. She competed at the 1956 and 1960 Olympics in five sprint events in total with the best result of seventh place in the 4×100 m medley relay. Nationally Sato won four consecutive titles in the 100 m (1958–1961) and seven consecutive titles in the 200 m (1955–1961). From 1954 to 1962 she set 97 national records in freestyle events ranging from 50 to 1500 m, which remains an all-time record on its own. In 1963, Sato retired from competitions and next year married Yoshihiko Osaki, a fellow swimmer who also competed at the 1960 Olympics. She took his last name and since then is known as Yoshiko Osaki. She resumed competing in 1984, in the masters category. Since 1985 she took part in all World and Pan Pacific championships, winning 20 world and 17 Pan Pacific titles and setting 93 world records in the freestyle, butterfly and medley events. She also set 104 national masters records and won 123 national titles. In 2005, she was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame, in the masters category. Her late husband was also an avid masters swimmer and chairman of the Japanese Masters Swimming Association. The couple had a son and two daughters.
Fumitaka Sato (23 March 1938 – 14 September 2025) was a Japanese astrophysicist and theoretical physicist. He died from…Fumitaka Sato (23 March 1938 – 14 September 2025) was a Japanese astrophysicist and theoretical physicist. He died from bacterial pneumonia at a hospital in Kyoto, on 14 September 2025, at the age of 87.
Nichiko Niwano (庭野日鑛, Niwano Nichiko; born 1938) is the eldest son of Risshō Kōsei Kai founder Nikkyō Niwano, and the…Nichiko Niwano (庭野日鑛, Niwano Nichiko; born 1938) is the eldest son of Risshō Kōsei Kai founder Nikkyō Niwano, and the current President of Risshō Kōsei Kai.
Machiko Soga (曽我 町子, Soga Machiko; March 18, 1938 – May 7, 2006) was a Japanese actress and voice actress. She also…Machiko Soga (曽我 町子, Soga Machiko; March 18, 1938 – May 7, 2006) was a Japanese actress and voice actress. She also performed by the stage name Stella Soga. She is best known globally for providing the physical performance of supervillain Rita Repulsa in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers through footage adapted from her role as Bandora the Witch in Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger.
Takayoshi Kano (加納 隆至, Kanō Takayoshi) is a Japanese primatologist, known for his pioneering work on the bonobo (Pan…Takayoshi Kano (加納 隆至, Kanō Takayoshi) is a Japanese primatologist, known for his pioneering work on the bonobo (Pan paniscus). He highlighted their peaceful communal lifestyle and the high frequency of sexual interactions. A student of Junichiro Itani, he was a professor at Ryukyu University and at the Primate Research Institute of Kyoto University. In 1973, he founded the first bonobo study center, at Wamba, Luo Reserve. It is the oldest bonobo research area and has survived a number of political upheavals in the region. Initially in his career, he assisted Toshisada Nishida in his work on the chimpanzees of the Mahale mountains in Tanzania. In 1971, Nishida conducted a brief survey looking for the bonobo (or the "pygmy chimpanzee"), and encountered several abandoned chimpanzee nests. In the conclusion of his report, he suggests that: "Before we can begin to make an intensive study, we must first make an extensive preliminary survey covering the vast area of the Central Congo Basin". In 1973, Takayoshi Kano conducted this survey, covering a large area of several hundred kilometers on bicycle, when he visited a number of remote villages unaccustomed to non-Africans, some of which were hostile. He eventually came upon the village of Wamba, where the villagers were more welcoming, and he could hear bonobo calls from the forest. Unlike the area near Lake Tumba visited by Nishida, there was no tradition of hunting chimpanzees for bushmeat here. It took over a year of effort by Kano and his assistant, Suehisa Kuroda, before they could habituate the first group of bonobos in the area, provisioning them via a sugarcane patch. The chimpanzees in the area have little fear of humans, because of a local legend, that humans and bonobos were cousins. "According to this belief, an older brother in a family of bonobos held to their traditional lifestyle and his descendants thus remained in the forest as bonobos. However, his younger brother was tired of eating raw foods. Once upon a time, he was roaming in the forest, crying, a spirit of the forest taught him to make fire, after which he left the forest and began eating cooked food. His descendants became humans. Therefore, the village people consider the bonobos akin to distant brothers and do not kill or eat them". In the local language of the Bongando, one of the words for the bonobo is elia, or "missed" - the bonobos are thought to have "missed" becoming human, or have been "blocked" on this path. Kano was among the first to comment extensively on the sexual practices among the bonobo, particularly the use of sex as a mechanism for reducing tensions within the group. Kano's work motivated a large group of researchers to work at Wamba, many of them from Kyoto and other institutions in Japan. He was among the movers in the founding of the Luo Scientific Reserve in 1990. The group was forced to pause its work several times - during the anti-Mobutu outbreak in 1991-92, and a major disruption after the Tutsi rebellion and war from 1996 to 2002. Kano's main work, The Last Ape: Pygmy Chimpanzee Behavior and Ecology, was translated from Japanese into English in 1992.
Hirotaka Sugawara (菅原 寛孝, Sugawara Hirotaka; born March 15, 1938) is a Japanese physicist, specializing in the…Hirotaka Sugawara (菅原 寛孝, Sugawara Hirotaka; born March 15, 1938) is a Japanese physicist, specializing in the theoretical study of particle physics. He is known for the "Lee-Sugawara relation" and "A Field Theory of Currents" aka "Sugawara Construction" of the energy-momentum tensor.
Yoshio Nakagawa (中川 義雄, Nakagawa Yoshio; born 14 March 1938) is a Japanese politician of the Sunrise Party of Japan…Yoshio Nakagawa (中川 義雄, Nakagawa Yoshio; born 14 March 1938) is a Japanese politician of the Sunrise Party of Japan, and a previous member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature).
Tochinoumi Teruyoshi (Japanese: 栃ノ海 晃嘉; born Shigehiro Hanada (花田 茂廣, Hanada Shigehiro); 13 March 1938 – 29 January…Tochinoumi Teruyoshi (Japanese: 栃ノ海 晃嘉; born Shigehiro Hanada (花田 茂廣, Hanada Shigehiro); 13 March 1938 – 29 January 2021) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Aomori. He was the sport's 49th yokozuna, earning promotion in 1964. He was somewhat overshadowed by his yokozuna contemporaries Taihō and Kashiwado, but he was a noted technician and earlier in his career won six special prizes for Technique. He was one of the lightest yokozuna ever at just 110 kg. After his retirement from active competition in 1966 he was a coach at Kasugano stable, and was head coach from 1990 until his retirement in 2003.
Tatsuo Umemiya (梅宮 辰夫, Umemiya Tatsuo; 11 March 1938 – 12 December 2019) was a Japanese actor, tarento, and…Tatsuo Umemiya (梅宮 辰夫, Umemiya Tatsuo; 11 March 1938 – 12 December 2019) was a Japanese actor, tarento, and businessman. He was represented by the agency Pickles. His daughter is model and tarento Anna Umemiya. The son of a doctor, Umemiya gave up a medical career to debut as a Toei New Face at the Toei Studios. As an actor, he appeared in films and television dramas and also in restaurant variety shows. Umemiya died of kidney failure on 12 December 2019. He was 81 years old.
Joh Mizuki (水木 襄, Mizuki Jō; 11 March 1938 – 1991) was a Japanese actor. His birth name was Ishikawa Yoshiaki. He was…Joh Mizuki (水木 襄, Mizuki Jō; 11 March 1938 – 1991) was a Japanese actor. His birth name was Ishikawa Yoshiaki. He was born in Tokyo. Mizuki made his acting debut in 1958, in Futeki naru hanko which was directed by Makino Masahiro. He played a number of juvenile delinquent-type roles in TV series in the late fifties and early sixties. In 1964, he appeared in the internationally released Fuji TV action television series Ninja butai gekkô, known as Phantom Agents in the English language release. Joh Mizuki played the lead role of Phantar, who was the leader of a band of ninja-skilled government agents. Phantom Agents was shown in Australia, Venezuela, Brazil and other countries, including a limited airing in America in the New York area.
Masashi Omiya (大宮 政志, Ōmiya Masashi; born 10 March 1938) is a former Japanese cyclist. He competed at the 1960 Summer…Masashi Omiya (大宮 政志, Ōmiya Masashi; born 10 March 1938) is a former Japanese cyclist. He competed at the 1960 Summer Olympics and the 1964 Summer Olympics.
Bun'yō Ishikawa (石川 文洋, Ishikawa Bun'yō; March 10, 1938 – August 23, 2026) was a Japanese photographer. Ishikawa was…Bun'yō Ishikawa (石川 文洋, Ishikawa Bun'yō; March 10, 1938 – August 23, 2026) was a Japanese photographer. Ishikawa was stationed in Saigon and covered the Vietnam War as a photojournalist from 1964 to 1968. He worked as a staff photographer for Asahi Shimbun from 1969 to 1984. After 1984 he worked as a freelance photographer. After 1984, Ishikawa continued to photograph in conflict zones around the world but also is known for photographs of daily life, portraits, and Ryukyu Dance. In 1998, Ishikawa donated about 250 photographs with a focus on the Vietnam War to become part of a permanent exhibition at the Vietnam War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City. Ishikawa donated about 270 photographs to the Okinawa City "Material Culture after World War II" exhibition room to become a permanent exhibition. Ishikawa died from lymphoma in Nagano Prefecture on August 23, 2026, at the age of 88.
Takanori Hayashi (Japanese: 林 孝矩 Hayashi Takanori; 8 March 1938 – 3 September 2022) was a Japanese politician. A member…Takanori Hayashi (Japanese: 林 孝矩 Hayashi Takanori; 8 March 1938 – 3 September 2022) was a Japanese politician. A member of Kōmeitō, he served in the House of Representatives from 1969 to 1980. Hayashi died of heart failure in Ikoma, on 3 September 2022, at the age of 84.
Ito Ken'ichi (伊藤 憲一, Itō Ken'ichi; 7 March 1938 – 14 March 2022) was a Japanese diplomat and political scientist who…Ito Ken'ichi (伊藤 憲一, Itō Ken'ichi; 7 March 1938 – 14 March 2022) was a Japanese diplomat and political scientist who was engaged in international politics and strategic studies. He was president and CEO of the Japan Forum on International Relations (JFIR) since it was founded in 1987, and served as chairman of the Global Forum of Japan (GFJ), chairman of the Council on East Asian Community (CEAC), and vice president of the Worldwide Support for Development (WSD). He was professor emeritus of Aoyama Gakuin University and held an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Cambodia.
Hidenori Hasegawa (Japanese: 長谷川英憲 Hasegawa Hidenori; March 6, 1938 – May 8, 2022) was a Japanese politician. An…Hidenori Hasegawa (Japanese: 長谷川英憲 Hasegawa Hidenori; March 6, 1938 – May 8, 2022) was a Japanese politician. An independent, he served in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly from 1989 to 1993. He died on 8 May 2022 at the age of 84.
Keishu Tanaka (田中 慶秋, Tanaka Keishū; 6 March 1938 – 4 January 2022) was a Japanese politician, who served in the House…Keishu Tanaka (田中 慶秋, Tanaka Keishū; 6 March 1938 – 4 January 2022) was a Japanese politician, who served in the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature) as a member of the Democratic Party. He was Minister of Justice under Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda from 1 to 23 October 2012 before resigning due to scandals over financial donations and links to organized crime.
Tetsuya Yoneda (Japanese: 米田 哲也, born March 3, 1938) is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher who spent most…Tetsuya Yoneda (Japanese: 米田 哲也, born March 3, 1938) is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher who spent most of his career with the Hankyu Braves in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball. He was so tough that he was known as Gasoline Tank and also Human Tank. Yoneda was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 2000.
Huisheng (26 February 1938 – 4 December 1957), or Eisei, was a Manchu-Japanese noblewoman. She was born in the Aisin…Huisheng (26 February 1938 – 4 December 1957), or Eisei, was a Manchu-Japanese noblewoman. She was born in the Aisin Gioro clan, the imperial clan of the Qing dynasty. She was the elder daughter of Pujie, the younger brother of Puyi, the last emperor of China. Her mother was Hiro Saga, a Japanese noblewoman who married Pujie in 1937.
Ryuji Matsumura (松村 龍二, Matsumura Ryūji; February 25, 1938 – September 19, 2025) was a Japanese politician of the…Ryuji Matsumura (松村 龍二, Matsumura Ryūji; February 25, 1938 – September 19, 2025) was a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature).
Ginko Abukawa-Chiba (虻川-千葉 吟子, born Abukawa; February 25, 1938) is a retired Japanese gymnast. She competed in all…Ginko Abukawa-Chiba (虻川-千葉 吟子, born Abukawa; February 25, 1938) is a retired Japanese gymnast. She competed in all artistic gymnastics events at the 1960 and 1964 Olympics and won a team bronze medal in 1964. Her best individual achievement was tenth place on the vault in 1964.
Sadanoyama Shinmatsu (Japanese: 佐田の山 晋松; born Shinmatsu Sasada (佐々田 晋松), February 18, 1938 – April 27, 2017) was a…Sadanoyama Shinmatsu (Japanese: 佐田の山 晋松; born Shinmatsu Sasada (佐々田 晋松), February 18, 1938 – April 27, 2017) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Nagasaki Prefecture. He was the sport's 50th yokozuna. After his retirement he was the head coach of Dewanoumi stable and served as head of the Japan Sumo Association.
Torao Tokuda (Japanese: 徳田虎雄 Tokuda Torao; 17 February 1938 – 10 July 2024) was a Japanese politician. A member of the…Torao Tokuda (Japanese: 徳田虎雄 Tokuda Torao; 17 February 1938 – 10 July 2024) was a Japanese politician. A member of the Liberal Democratic Party and later the Liberal League, he served in the House of Representatives from 1990 to 1996 and again from 2000 to 2005.
Yoshimitsu Yamada (山田嘉光, Yamada Yoshimitsu; February 17, 1938 – January 15, 2023) was a Japanese-American aikido…Yoshimitsu Yamada (山田嘉光, Yamada Yoshimitsu; February 17, 1938 – January 15, 2023) was a Japanese-American aikido teacher. He was ranked eighth dan in the Aikikai. He was chief instructor at the New York Aikikai, and president of the United States Aikido Federation (USAF).
Kojiro Hongo (本郷功次郎, Hongō Kōjirō; 15 February 1938 – 14 February 2013) was a Japanese actor. Hongo won an Elan d'or…Kojiro Hongo (本郷功次郎, Hongō Kōjirō; 15 February 1938 – 14 February 2013) was a Japanese actor. Hongo won an Elan d'or Award for Newcomer of the Year in 1959. His notable international performances were in the Daiei Studios Gamera films.
Miho Nakayama (中山 美保, Nakayama Miho; 13 February 1938 – 7 February 2017) was a Japanese comedian. Her real name was…Miho Nakayama (中山 美保, Nakayama Miho; 13 February 1938 – 7 February 2017) was a Japanese comedian. Her real name was Mihoko Ishida (石田 美保子, Ishida Mihoko). Nakayama was born in Tokushima, Tokushima. She was represented with Yoshimoto Creative Agency in Osaka.
Masayuki Tanemo (種茂 雅之, Tanemo Masayuki; born February 13, 1938) is a former Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball…Masayuki Tanemo (種茂 雅之, Tanemo Masayuki; born February 13, 1938) is a former Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball catcher. He played for the Toei Flyers from 1961 to 1971 and the Hankyu Braves from 1972 to 1974. He and teammate Masayuki Dobashi split the Japan Series Most Valuable Player Award in 1962.
Tarō Kimura (木村 太郎, Kimura Tarō; born 12 February 1938 in Berkeley, California, USA) is a Japanese veteran journalist…Tarō Kimura (木村 太郎, Kimura Tarō; born 12 February 1938 in Berkeley, California, USA) is a Japanese veteran journalist who provides commentary and analysis with Yūko Andō on Japan's Fuji Television Super News. He is also the managing director of Shonan Beach FM, a community radio station.
Shiro Suzuki (鈴木 史朗, 鈴木 史郎, Suzuki Shirō; born 10 February 1938 in Kita-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture) is a Japanese…Shiro Suzuki (鈴木 史朗, 鈴木 史郎, Suzuki Shirō; born 10 February 1938 in Kita-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture) is a Japanese announcer and tarento. He was born in Kamigamo Shrine of the Shinto shrine of bushi samurais. After being a Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) announcer he later became a free announcer. Suzuki is nicknamed Shiro-san (史朗さん, Shirō-san).
Takamitsu Muraoka (村岡 崇光, Muraoka Takamitsu; 9 February 1938 – 10 February 2026) was a Japanese Semitist. He was Chair…Takamitsu Muraoka (村岡 崇光, Muraoka Takamitsu; 9 February 1938 – 10 February 2026) was a Japanese Semitist. He was Chair of Hebrew, Israelite Antiquities, and Ugaritic at Leiden University in the Netherlands from 1991 to 2003 and is most notable for his studies of Hebrew and Aramaic linguistics and the ancient translations of the Bible, notably of the Septuagint.
Yoshiya Kakimoto is a Japanese politician. An independent, he served as the governor of Nara Prefecture from 1991 to…Yoshiya Kakimoto is a Japanese politician. An independent, he served as the governor of Nara Prefecture from 1991 to 2007. Prior to his career in electoral politics, Kakimoto was employed as director of the administrative affairs bureau in the Ministry of Home Affairs. In April 1990, he became the Vice Governor of Nara Prefecture, and would ascend to the governorship in 1991, when Shigeki Ueda resigned from the office. In 2009, he was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun.
Gō Katō (加藤剛, Katō Gō; 4 February 1938 – 18 June 2018) was a Japanese entertainer and actor. Katō starred in the…Gō Katō (加藤剛, Katō Gō; 4 February 1938 – 18 June 2018) was a Japanese entertainer and actor. Katō starred in the long-running TV series Ōoka Echizen (1970~2006).
Isao Inokuma (猪熊 功, Inokuma Isao; February 4, 1938 – September 28, 2001) was a Japanese judoka. He won a gold medal in…Isao Inokuma (猪熊 功, Inokuma Isao; February 4, 1938 – September 28, 2001) was a Japanese judoka. He won a gold medal in the heavyweight division (above 80 kg) at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo and a world title in 1965.
Tomoharu Katsumata (勝間田 具治, Katsumata Tomoharu; born in February 4, 1938 in Shimoda, Shizuoka, Japan) is a Japanese…Tomoharu Katsumata (勝間田 具治, Katsumata Tomoharu; born in February 4, 1938 in Shimoda, Shizuoka, Japan) is a Japanese film director best known for his work on various anime works. A leading director at the Toei Animation studio during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, Katsumata worked as a director on several of Toei's anime television adaptations of manga by Go Nagai, including Devilman (1972), Mazinger Z (1972), Cutey Honey (1973), Great Mazinger (1974), UFO Robo Grendizer (1975) and Gaiking (1976) (both Grendizer and Gaiking became later part of Jim Terry's Force Five package on U.S. television). Katsumata also directed a TV adaptation of Silver Fang -The Shooting Star Gin- in 1986.
