Shigeo Homma (本間茂雄, Homma Shigeo; 19 April 1904 – 3 November 1974) was a Japanese gymnast. He competed in three events…Shigeo Homma (本間茂雄, Homma Shigeo; 19 April 1904 – 3 November 1974) was a Japanese gymnast. He competed in three events at the 1932 Summer Olympics.
Iku Takenaka (竹中郁, Takenaka Iku 1904–1982) was a Japanese poet from Hyogo prefecture. He graduated from Kwansei Gakuin…Iku Takenaka (竹中郁, Takenaka Iku 1904–1982) was a Japanese poet from Hyogo prefecture. He graduated from Kwansei Gakuin University. His best-known work is a cinepoem Rugby. He met Ryunosuke Akutagawa who wrote closet screenplays, just before Akutagawa's suicide, and then, in Akutagawa's home, he also met Tatsuo Hori, whose work 'Kaze Tachinu' inspired Hayao Miyazaki's last work. He also met Man Ray in Paris, when Ray created cinepoems, to interview Ray for a magazine. His Dharma name was Shunkōin Shisen Ikudō Koji (春光院詩仙郁道居士).
General Kazushi Sugita (杉田 一次, Sugita Kazushi) was a colonel and later general of the Japanese Imperial Army and Japan…General Kazushi Sugita (杉田 一次, Sugita Kazushi) was a colonel and later general of the Japanese Imperial Army and Japan Ground Self Defense Force, respectively. He was a principal participant during the surrender of Singapore in February 1942.
Tatsuo Toki (斎 辰雄, Toki Tatsuo; 31 March 1904 – 26 October 1967) was a Japanese decathlete. He competed in the men's…Tatsuo Toki (斎 辰雄, Toki Tatsuo; 31 March 1904 – 26 October 1967) was a Japanese decathlete. He competed in the men's decathlon at the 1928 Summer Olympics.
Kōjirō Yoshikawa (吉川 幸次郎, Yoshikawa Kōjirō; 18 March 1904 – 8 April 1980) was a Japanese sinologist noted for his…Kōjirō Yoshikawa (吉川 幸次郎, Yoshikawa Kōjirō; 18 March 1904 – 8 April 1980) was a Japanese sinologist noted for his studies of Chinese history and Classical Chinese literature, especially the Book of Documents (Shujing) and Analects of Confucius. Yoshikawa was awarded many honors for his scholarship, including membership in the Japan Art Academy and he was named a Person of Cultural Merit. In 1969 he was awarded the Prix Stanislas Julien for the entire body of his work.
Vice Admiral Yasumaro Kiguchi (溪口泰麿, Yamaro Taniguchi; 10 March 1904 – 3 November 1992) was a Japanese naval officer…Vice Admiral Yasumaro Kiguchi (溪口泰麿, Yamaro Taniguchi; 10 March 1904 – 3 November 1992) was a Japanese naval officer who served as an officer of the Imperial Japanese Navy from 1920 to 1945 and became a Vice Admiral of the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF), serving from 1954 to 1960. He was the second commander of the Self Defense Fleet succeeding Hidemi Yoshida. In 1956, he was succeeded by Mitsugu Ihara.
Tatsukuma Ushijima (牛島辰熊, March 10, 1904 – May 26, 1985) was a Japanese judoka and former All-Japan judo champion. he…Tatsukuma Ushijima (牛島辰熊, March 10, 1904 – May 26, 1985) was a Japanese judoka and former All-Japan judo champion. he was also known as a teacher of Masahiko Kimura, a famous judoka. His nickname was "The Demon Ushijima".
Ōmori Sōgen (大森 曹玄; 1904–1994) was a Japanese Rinzai Rōshi, a successor in the Tenryū-ji line of Rinzai Zen, and former…Ōmori Sōgen (大森 曹玄; 1904–1994) was a Japanese Rinzai Rōshi, a successor in the Tenryū-ji line of Rinzai Zen, and former president of Hanazono University, the Rinzai university in Kyoto, Japan. He became a priest in 1945.
Eiichi Nishimura (Japanese: 西村 栄一, Nishimura Eiichi; 8 March 1904 – 27 April 1971) was a Japanese politician who served…Eiichi Nishimura (Japanese: 西村 栄一, Nishimura Eiichi; 8 March 1904 – 27 April 1971) was a Japanese politician who served as the second chairman of the Democratic Socialist Party from 1967 to his death in 1971.
Setsuya Beppu (Japanese: 別府 節弥 or Japanese: 別府 節彌, 4 March 1904 - 17 May 1992), also known as Kiyoshi Beppu (Japanese…Setsuya Beppu (Japanese: 別府 節弥 or Japanese: 別府 節彌, 4 March 1904 - 17 May 1992), also known as Kiyoshi Beppu (Japanese: 別府清), was a Japanese diplomat who served as the first Japanese Consul in Dublin during the World War II. He also served as the first Japanese Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to both Laos and Vatican City.
Taikichiro Mori (森 泰吉郎, Mori Taikichirō, 1 March 1904 – 30 January 1993) was a Japanese businessman who founded Mori…Taikichiro Mori (森 泰吉郎, Mori Taikichirō, 1 March 1904 – 30 January 1993) was a Japanese businessman who founded Mori Building Company. Forbes ranked him as the richest man in the world during 1991-92, with a net worth of $15 billion in 1991 (approximately equivalent to $30.7 billion in today's value as of 2024). His sons, Minoru and Akira, headed Mori Building and the Mori Trust, respectively, and his granddaughter Miwako Date now runs the Mori Trust in her father's place.
Keizo Miura (三浦 敬三, Miura Keizō; February 15, 1904 – January 5, 2006) was a Japanese skier who was born in Aomori. He…Keizo Miura (三浦 敬三, Miura Keizō; February 15, 1904 – January 5, 2006) was a Japanese skier who was born in Aomori. He was a skiing teacher and photographer of mountain landscapes. He was notable for his fitness and outdoor-sport undertakings at advanced age; at 77 he was the oldest person to climb Kilimanjaro and at 99 descended a Gletscher of Mont Blanc together with his oldest son Yūichirō and grandson Gota. Yūichirō Miura was also the oldest person to climb Mount Everest and the Himalayas, at age 70, at age 75 and later at age 80. Keizo Miura wrote two books on his health routine, one of them co-written with his physician. The Miura family has a strong connection to Utah. On February 15, 2004, Keizo Miura celebrated his 100th birthday with a ski descent together with more than 120 friends and family members, including four generations of his family, at Snowbird ski resort, Keizo's favorite ski resort, near Salt Lake City, Utah. All three of Yūichirō's children attended Rowmark Ski Academy in Salt Lake City. Gota graduated from Rowland Hall in Salt Lake City. Yuta and Gota both graduated from the University of Utah, also in Salt Lake City. Keizo died in 2006 at the age 101.
Tatsuyoshi 'Ryuki' Miki (三木龍喜, Miki Tatsuyoshi; 11 February 1904 – 9 January 1967) was a Japanese amateur tennis…Tatsuyoshi 'Ryuki' Miki (三木龍喜, Miki Tatsuyoshi; 11 February 1904 – 9 January 1967) was a Japanese amateur tennis player. His main success was winning the 1934 Wimbledon Championships in mixed doubles (with Dorothy Round).
Ryokichi Minobe (美濃部 亮吉, Minobe Ryōkichi; 5 February 1904 – 24 December 1984) was a Japanese economist, educator, and…Ryokichi Minobe (美濃部 亮吉, Minobe Ryōkichi; 5 February 1904 – 24 December 1984) was a Japanese economist, educator, and socialist politician who served as Governor of Tokyo from 1967 to 1979.
Kyoko Asanuma (浅沼 享子, Asanuma Kyōko; 1 February 1904 – 10 March 1981) was a Japanese politician of the Shōwa era. She…Kyoko Asanuma (浅沼 享子, Asanuma Kyōko; 1 February 1904 – 10 March 1981) was a Japanese politician of the Shōwa era. She served one term as a member of the House of Representatives for the Japan Socialist Party (JSP) and played a prominent public role following the assassination of her husband, Inejirō Asanuma, then chairman of the JSP, by 17-year-old far-right ultranationalist Otoya Yamaguchi, and after Yamaguchi’s suicide in custody shortly thereafter, she publicly expressed pity for him while condemning the forces that had incited his actions. Beyond her brief political career, she was known for her efforts in women's activism and fostering diplomatic and cultural ties between Japan and China.
Junya Koizumi (小泉 純也, Koizumi Jun'ya; né Samejima (鮫島), January 24, 1904 – August 10, 1969) was a Japanese politician…Junya Koizumi (小泉 純也, Koizumi Jun'ya; né Samejima (鮫島), January 24, 1904 – August 10, 1969) was a Japanese politician who served as Director General of the Japan Defense Agency during the 1960s. He is the father of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and the grandfather of Japan Defense Minister incumbent Shinjirou Koizumi.
Noboru Niida (仁井田陞, Niida Noboru; January 1, 1904 - June 22, 1966) was a Japanese academic, historian of Chinese legal…Noboru Niida (仁井田陞, Niida Noboru; January 1, 1904 - June 22, 1966) was a Japanese academic, historian of Chinese legal history and Professor Emeritus of Oriental Laws at the University of Tokyo (Todai).
Isao Obata (小畑 功, Obata Isao; 1904–1976) was a pioneering Japanese master of Shotokan karate. He was a senior student…Isao Obata (小畑 功, Obata Isao; 1904–1976) was a pioneering Japanese master of Shotokan karate. He was a senior student of Gichin Funakoshi, who is widely recognized as the founder of modern karate, and was a key figure in the establishment of the Japan Karate Association (JKA) under Funakoshi in 1949. Obata also helped introduce karate to the United States of America through his demonstrations of the art to United States Air Force personnel, and through his students, most notably Tsutomu Ohshima.
Yoshio Miki (三木 義雄, Miki Yoshio; born 6 June 1905, date of death unknown) was a Japanese hurdler. He competed in the…Yoshio Miki (三木 義雄, Miki Yoshio; born 6 June 1905, date of death unknown) was a Japanese hurdler. He competed in the men's 110 metres hurdles at the 1928 Summer Olympics.
Nami Matsuda (松田 ナミ, Matsuda Nami; 1904 – November 14, 1995) was a Christian Japanese female physician who worked at…Nami Matsuda (松田 ナミ, Matsuda Nami; 1904 – November 14, 1995) was a Christian Japanese female physician who worked at Kikuchi Keifuen Sanatorium, Okinawa Airakuen Sanatorium and Hoshizuka Keiaien Sanatorium. In 1945, she was the head doctor under the director and survived extreme hardships with 7 nurses including chief nurse Chiyo Mikami at Okinawa Airakuen Sanatorium.
Fumiko Hayashi (林芙美子, Hayashi Fumiko; December 31, 1903 – June 28, 1951) was a Japanese writer of novels, short stories…Fumiko Hayashi (林芙美子, Hayashi Fumiko; December 31, 1903 – June 28, 1951) was a Japanese writer of novels, short stories and poetry, who has repeatedly been included in the feminist literature canon. Among her best-known works are Diary of a Vagabond, Late Chrysanthemum and Floating Clouds.
Shunichi Amachi (天知 俊一, Amachi Shunichi) (December 20, 1903 in Nishinomiya – March 12, 1976) was a Japanese baseball…Shunichi Amachi (天知 俊一, Amachi Shunichi) (December 20, 1903 in Nishinomiya – March 12, 1976) was a Japanese baseball manager with the Chunichi Dragons and Nishitetsu Lions. He was inducted as a member of the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1970.
Takeshi Usami (Japanese: 宇佐美毅, romanized: Usami Takeshi) (December 19, 1903 – January 19, 1991) was a Japanese official…Takeshi Usami (Japanese: 宇佐美毅, romanized: Usami Takeshi) (December 19, 1903 – January 19, 1991) was a Japanese official who served as Grand Steward of the Imperial Household Agency (December 16, 1953 – May 26, 1978). He graduated from the University of Tokyo. He was a recipient of the Order of the Rising Sun.
Takeshi Usami (Japanese: 宇佐美毅, romanized: Usami Takeshi) (December 19, 1903 – January 19, 1991) was a Japanese official…Takeshi Usami (Japanese: 宇佐美毅, romanized: Usami Takeshi) (December 19, 1903 – January 19, 1991) was a Japanese official who served as Grand Steward of the Imperial Household Agency (December 16, 1953 – May 26, 1978). He graduated from the University of Tokyo. He was a recipient of the Order of the Rising Sun.
Shūzō Takiguchi (瀧口 修造, Takiguchi Shūzō; December 7, 1903 – July 1, 1979) was a Japanese poet, art critic, and artist.…Shūzō Takiguchi (瀧口 修造, Takiguchi Shūzō; December 7, 1903 – July 1, 1979) was a Japanese poet, art critic, and artist. He was a central figure in prewar and postwar Japanese Surrealism, helping introduce the movement through his 1930 translation of André Breton's Surrealism and Painting and through direct correspondence with Breton. He also published a 1940 monograph on Joan Miró that museum sources describe as the world's earliest monograph on the artist. He was also a key figure in the history of wartime repression directed at Japanese Surrealism: in 1941, he was arrested on suspicion of violating the Peace Preservation Law, and museum accounts note that he remained under police surveillance until the end of the war. Starting in the 1950s, he also supported younger postwar avant-garde artists through his work at Takemiya Gallery in Tokyo, where he was responsible for selecting artists and coordinating exhibitions from 1951 to 1957. In 1958, he served as commissioner for the Japan Pavilion at the 29th Venice Biennale and as a member of the international jury. Around 1960, he increasingly turned to his own visual practice, producing drawings, watercolors, decalcomanias, and other experimental works. He was also recognized in international Surrealist circles: according to the Dalí Foundation, Takiguchi and Chirū Yamanaka were named in the 1938 Dictionnaire abrégé du surréalisme as "promoters of the surrealist movement in Japan". His writings, artist books, and works have since entered the holdings of major international institutions including the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the British Museum, and the Art Institute of Chicago. His posthumous reception has also included presentation in major international exhibition contexts, including Surrealism Beyond Borders, organized by The Met and Tate Modern, and a 1986–1987 programme at the Centre Pompidou in Paris.
Takiji Kobayashi (小林 多喜二, Kobayashi Takiji; October 13, 1903 – February 20, 1933) was a Japanese writer of proletarian…Takiji Kobayashi (小林 多喜二, Kobayashi Takiji; October 13, 1903 – February 20, 1933) was a Japanese writer of proletarian literature. He is best known for his short novel Kani Kōsen, or Crab Cannery Ship, published in 1929. It tells the story of the hard life of cannery workers, fishermen and seamen on board a cannery ship and the beginning of their revolt against the company and its managers. Kobayashi died due to violent torture after being arrested by the Special Higher Police two years later, at the age of 29.
Yōko Ōta (大田 洋子, Ōta Yōko; 20 February 1903 or 18 November 1906 – 10 December 1963) was a Japanese writer. Many of her…Yōko Ōta (大田 洋子, Ōta Yōko; 20 February 1903 or 18 November 1906 – 10 December 1963) was a Japanese writer. Many of her works are associated with the Atomic bomb literature genre.
Akira Iwasaki (岩崎昶, Iwasaki Akira) (18 November 1903 – 16 September 1981) was a prominent left-wing Japanese film…Akira Iwasaki (岩崎昶, Iwasaki Akira) (18 November 1903 – 16 September 1981) was a prominent left-wing Japanese film critic, historian, and producer. Born in Tokyo, he became interested in film from his student days at Tokyo University. Early on, he helped introduce German experimental film in Japan, and was instrumental in getting Teinosuke Kinugasa's masterpiece A Page of Madness screened in Tokyo. Afterward, he became involved in Marxist politics and established a career promoting progressive cinema and criticism. He wrote or edited over thirty books of film criticism, history, theory and biography during his career. He was also involved in film production, first serving from the late 1920s as a central member of the Proletarian Film League of Japan (Prokino), where he acted as not only the theoretical brain of the movement alongside Genjū Sasa, but also as a filmmaker. When Prokino was effectively eliminated by police oppression under the Peace Preservation Law, Iwasaki continued his critical activities, becoming involved in the Yuibutsuron Kenkyūkai with such thinkers as Jun Tosaka, but was eventually arrested in 1940, in part for his opposition to the Film Law, which authorized increased government control of the film industry. He was the only film critic arrested by the ideological police during the war. After his release, he worked for a time at the Tokyo office of the Manchukuo Film Association thanks to the help of Kan'ichi Negishi. After Japan's defeat in World War II, Iwasaki was active in criticizing those who participated in the war effort. He joined Nihon Eigasha (Nichiei), primarily a documentary film company, and helped produce two important, but ill-fated documentaries: The Effects of the Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which was confiscated by Occupation authorities, and The Japanese Tragedy, directed by Fumio Kamei, which was banned for its critical depiction of Emperor Hirohito. While continuing to work as a film critic from the 1950s on, including pursuing a vigorous debate on the nature of cinematic realism with Taihei Imamura, Iwasaki helped produce some of the independent films made by Tadashi Imai and Satsuo Yamamoto after many left-wingers were expelled from the major studios in the Red Purge. In 1974, he was a member of the jury at the 24th Berlin International Film Festival.
Kiyoshi Jinzai (神西 清, Jinzai Kiyoshi; 15 November 1903 – 11 March 1957) was a Japanese novelist, Russian translator and…Kiyoshi Jinzai (神西 清, Jinzai Kiyoshi; 15 November 1903 – 11 March 1957) was a Japanese novelist, Russian translator and literary critic active during the Shōwa period of Japan.
Tatsuko Hoshino (星野 立子, Hoshino Tatsuko; 15 November 1903 – 3 March 1984) was a Japanese haiku poet active in Shōwa…Tatsuko Hoshino (星野 立子, Hoshino Tatsuko; 15 November 1903 – 3 March 1984) was a Japanese haiku poet active in Shōwa period Japan.
Sensui Shoji (Japanese: 庄司 浅水, Hepburn: Shōji Sensui; 10 November 1903 – 7 September 1991) was a Japanese bibliophile…Sensui Shoji (Japanese: 庄司 浅水, Hepburn: Shōji Sensui; 10 November 1903 – 7 September 1991) was a Japanese bibliophile and author. He wrote and translated over 100 books and articles, mainly on the history of Japanese and Western literature, but also in the area of the supernatural.
Ichiro Yoshizawa (吉沢 一郎, Yoshizawa Ichirō; 1903–1998) was a Japanese mountaineer and expedition leader. He graduated…Ichiro Yoshizawa (吉沢 一郎, Yoshizawa Ichirō; 1903–1998) was a Japanese mountaineer and expedition leader. He graduated from Hitotsubashi University. Among other expeditions, in 1977 he led the second successful attempt to reach the summit of K2, which saw six Japanese climbers and one Pakistani summiting on August 8-9. Yoshizawa became a member of the Japanese Alpine Club in 1925 and became vice president in 1972; he was also a member of foreign clubs like The Alpine Club.
Hidemi Kon (今 日出海, Kon Hidemi; 6 November 1903 – 30 July 1984) was a literary critic and essayist active in Japan…Hidemi Kon (今 日出海, Kon Hidemi; 6 November 1903 – 30 July 1984) was a literary critic and essayist active in Japan during the Shōwa period.
Shirō Nonaka (野中 四郎, Nonaka Shirō; 27 October 1903 – 29 February 1936) was an Imperial Japanese Army officer who was a…Shirō Nonaka (野中 四郎, Nonaka Shirō; 27 October 1903 – 29 February 1936) was an Imperial Japanese Army officer who was a central conspirator in the 26 February Incident in 1936. His final rank was Captain.
Marquess Michiaki Koga (久我 通顕; 23 October 1903 – 10 November 1982) was a Japanese politician who served in the House of…Marquess Michiaki Koga (久我 通顕; 23 October 1903 – 10 November 1982) was a Japanese politician who served in the House of Peers. He was the father of actress Yoshiko Kuga.
Yôko Umemura (梅村蓉子; October 21, 1903 – March 8, 1944), born Suzuki Hanako, was a Japanese film actress who appeared in…Yôko Umemura (梅村蓉子; October 21, 1903 – March 8, 1944), born Suzuki Hanako, was a Japanese film actress who appeared in over a hundred films from 1922 to 1944. She is especially associated with the work of directors Yasujiro Shimazu and Kenji Mizoguchi.
Takeo Akuta (芥田 武夫, Akuta Takeo; October 20, 1903 – September 5, 1987) was a Japanese baseball player and manager who…Takeo Akuta (芥田 武夫, Akuta Takeo; October 20, 1903 – September 5, 1987) was a Japanese baseball player and manager who was a member of the Japanese Baseball League. Akuta was born October 20, 1903 in Himeji, Japan. On September 24, 1952 Akuta took over as the manager of the Kintetsu Pearls, of the Japan Pacific League. In 1988 he was posthumously elected to the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame.
Takagi Kyozo (Japanese: 高木恭造; October 12, 1903 – October 23, 1987) was a Japanese poet who wrote in the Tsugaru dialect…Takagi Kyozo (Japanese: 高木恭造; October 12, 1903 – October 23, 1987) was a Japanese poet who wrote in the Tsugaru dialect and an ophthalmologist. His nephew is crime fiction writer Akimitsu Takagi. He was born in Aomori, Aomori Prefecture, Japan. He worked briefly as a substitute teacher and later news reporter. He eventually became an ophthalmologist and opened his own clinic in Hirosaki. October 23 is celebrated in Japan as "Tsugaru dialect day" (Japanese: 津軽弁の日) in honor of the anniversary of his death. There is also a monument dedicated to him with an except from a Marmelo poem in Hirosaki.
Shinbashi Kiyozō (新橋 喜代三, Shinbashi Kiyozō; 12 October 1903 – 23 March 1963) was a Japanese geisha and singer who also…Shinbashi Kiyozō (新橋 喜代三, Shinbashi Kiyozō; 12 October 1903 – 23 March 1963) was a Japanese geisha and singer who also performed in a few films before World War II. Her most famous film was The Million Ryo Pot, which records not only her remarkable natural acting skill, but numerous songs she sang accompanied by a shamisen.
Yao Kitabatake (北畠 八穂, Kitabatake Yao; 5 October 1903 – 18 March 1982) was a poet and children's literature writer in…Yao Kitabatake (北畠 八穂, Kitabatake Yao; 5 October 1903 – 18 March 1982) was a poet and children's literature writer in Shōwa period Japan.
Vice Admiral Mitsugu Ihara (庵原貢, Iohara Mitsugu; 3 October 1903 – 31 March 1979) was a Japanese naval officer who…Vice Admiral Mitsugu Ihara (庵原貢, Iohara Mitsugu; 3 October 1903 – 31 March 1979) was a Japanese naval officer who served in both the Imperial Japanese Navy from 1920 to 1945 and the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) from 1954 to 1960. He was the third Chief of Staff of the JMSDF succeeding Yasumaro Kiguchi. In 1961, he was succeeded by Nobuo Fukuchi.
Takaji Muranaka (村中 孝次, Muranaka Takaji; 3 October 1903 – 19 August 1937) was an Imperial Japanese Army officer who was…Takaji Muranaka (村中 孝次, Muranaka Takaji; 3 October 1903 – 19 August 1937) was an Imperial Japanese Army officer who was a conspirator in the February 26 Incident in 1936 and was subsequently arrested and executed by the Japanese authorities for the attempted coup.
Yoshiyuki Tsuruta (鶴田 義行, Tsuruta Yoshiyuki) (October 1, 1903 – July 24, 1986) was a Japanese swimmer. He won a gold…Yoshiyuki Tsuruta (鶴田 義行, Tsuruta Yoshiyuki) (October 1, 1903 – July 24, 1986) was a Japanese swimmer. He won a gold medal in the Amsterdam Olympics and the Los Angeles Olympics.
Tateo Katō (加藤 建夫, Katō Tateo; September 28, 1903 – May 22, 1942) was a Japanese ace army aviator, credited with at…Tateo Katō (加藤 建夫, Katō Tateo; September 28, 1903 – May 22, 1942) was a Japanese ace army aviator, credited with at least 18 aerial victories and who was honored posthumously by an award of the Order of the Golden Kite.
