Tatsuro Toyoda (Japanese: 豊田達郎, Hepburn: Toyoda Tatsurō; June 1, 1930 – Deсember 30, 2017) was the brother of Shoichiro…Tatsuro Toyoda (Japanese: 豊田達郎, Hepburn: Toyoda Tatsurō; June 1, 1930 – Deсember 30, 2017) was the brother of Shoichiro and the son of Toyota Motor Corporation founder, Kiichiro Toyoda.
Takeshi Katō (加藤 武, Katō Takeshi; 24 May 1929 – 31 July 2015) was a Japanese stage and film actor. He appeared in more…Takeshi Katō (加藤 武, Katō Takeshi; 24 May 1929 – 31 July 2015) was a Japanese stage and film actor. He appeared in more than 100 films.
Won Pyong-oh (May 19, 1929 – April 9, 2020) was a South Korean zoologist, known particularly for his work on Korean…Won Pyong-oh (May 19, 1929 – April 9, 2020) was a South Korean zoologist, known particularly for his work on Korean birds. He was the son of noted North Korean ornithologist Won Hong-gu (1888–1970). He published approximately 120 papers on Korean ornithology. He also published about 10 book-length studies of Korean zoology, although none have been translated into English.
Takeo Shiina (Japanese: 椎名武雄, May 11, 1929 – April 19, 2023) was a Japanese business executive who contributed to the…Takeo Shiina (Japanese: 椎名武雄, May 11, 1929 – April 19, 2023) was a Japanese business executive who contributed to the IT industry of the world as well as of Japan.
Noboru Nakaya (仲谷 昇, Nakaya Noboru; May 4, 1929 – November 16, 2006) was a Japanese actor. His career spanned over five…Noboru Nakaya (仲谷 昇, Nakaya Noboru; May 4, 1929 – November 16, 2006) was a Japanese actor. His career spanned over five decades in theater, film, and television, with more than 100 credits. Nakaya was best known internationally for his role as a ghost samurai in Kwaidan (1964), and also appeared in Hitokiri (1969) and Lady Snowblood (1973).
Tsurugamine Akio (26 April 1929 – 29 May 2006), real name Akio Fukuzono, was a sumo wrestler from Aira, Kagoshima…Tsurugamine Akio (26 April 1929 – 29 May 2006), real name Akio Fukuzono, was a sumo wrestler from Aira, Kagoshima, Japan. His highest rank was sekiwake. He was twice runner-up in a tournament and won 14 special prizes, including a record ten for Technique, and earned ten gold stars for defeating yokozuna. After his retirement he was the head of Izutsu stable and coached two of his sons, Sakahoko and Terao, to the top division.
Toshio Masuda (増田 敏男, Masuda Toshio; born 20 April 1929) is a retired Japanese politician who served as a member of the…Toshio Masuda (増田 敏男, Masuda Toshio; born 20 April 1929) is a retired Japanese politician who served as a member of the House of Representatives.
Kazumasa Nagai (Japanese: 永井 一正, Nagai Kazumasa; Ōsaka, April 20, 1929 – February 23, 2026) was a Japanese printmaker…Kazumasa Nagai (Japanese: 永井 一正, Nagai Kazumasa; Ōsaka, April 20, 1929 – February 23, 2026) was a Japanese printmaker and graphic designer. He attended the Tokyo University of the Arts to study sculpture, and withdrew due to health problems. Nagai was a founding member of the Nippon Design Center (NDC, established in 1959), and was its president. His first works were abstract, then he changed to handmade designs of animals and plants in the 1980s. Some of his works appeared on the cover of LIFE. His work is held in museums including the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco, the National Gallery of Australia, the Museum of New Zealand, the British Museum, the University of Michigan Museum of Art, the Walker Art Center, the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo, the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, and the Museum of Modern Art. Nagai died on February 23, 2026, at the age of 96.
Shizuko Gō (郷静子; April 20, 1929–September 30, 2014) was a Japanese novelist. She was best known for her 1972 novel…Shizuko Gō (郷静子; April 20, 1929–September 30, 2014) was a Japanese novelist. She was best known for her 1972 novel Requiem, which won the Akutagawa Prize.
Hiroko Takenishi (竹西 寛子, Takenishi Hiroko; born 11 April 1929, Hiroshima) is a Japanese fiction writer and literary…Hiroko Takenishi (竹西 寛子, Takenishi Hiroko; born 11 April 1929, Hiroshima) is a Japanese fiction writer and literary critic. Takenishi is best known for her semi-autobiographical short story "The Rite" (1963), which tells of her experience surviving the Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima. In 2012 she was named a Person of Cultural Merit for her writing.
Eiji Kitamura (Japanese: 北村 英治; born April 8, 1929) is a Japanese jazz clarinetist and tenor saxophonist originally…Eiji Kitamura (Japanese: 北村 英治; born April 8, 1929) is a Japanese jazz clarinetist and tenor saxophonist originally from Tokyo who made his debut at the age of 22. Kitamura devoted himself to clarinet playing while still an undergraduate at Keio University in Tokyo. He first came to prominence in the U.S. at the 20th Anniversary Jam Session of the Monterey Jazz Festival in 1977. His following in Japan was built previous to this on his regular television program. He prefers to interpret traditional swing jazz rather than modern jazz, and according to Allmusic is most strongly influenced by Benny Goodman and Woody Herman.
Shōichi Ozawa (小沢 昭一, Ozawa Shōichi; April 6, 1929 – December 10, 2012) was a Japanese actor, radio host, singer, and…Shōichi Ozawa (小沢 昭一, Ozawa Shōichi; April 6, 1929 – December 10, 2012) was a Japanese actor, radio host, singer, and prominent researcher and expert on Japanese folk art. He also founded the Shabondama-za theater company. Ozawa, who was born in Tokyo, graduated from Waseda University. He began acting after college, beginning with his debut stage role in 1951. He also appeared in television and film roles, acting quite frequently in films directed by Shohei Imamura and Yūzō Kawashima. In 1971, Ozawa launched his long running radio show. A respected folk art expert, Ozawa also researched traditional Japanese performing arts. He recorded and released "Nihon no Horo Gei" ("Japan's Itinerant Arts") based on his research. In 2004, Ozawa became the "mayor" of Meiji Mura, an open-air museum in Aichi Prefecture which showcases Meiji Era architecture. The Japanese government awarded Ozawa the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette in 2001 and the Medal with Purple Ribbon in 1994 for his body of work. Shōichi Ozawa died on December 10, 2012, at the age of 83.
Masaji Tajima (田島 政次, Tajima Masaji; born 5 April 1929) is a Japanese former long jumper who competed in the 1952…Masaji Tajima (田島 政次, Tajima Masaji; born 5 April 1929) is a Japanese former long jumper who competed in the 1952 Summer Olympics and in the 1956 Summer Olympics. His original name was 田島 政次. He is 5 feet and 7 inches (171 cm) tall. He weighs 128 lbs (58 kg).
Shinichiro Sakurai (桜井 眞一郎, Sakurai Shin'ichirō; 1929–2011) was a Japanese engineer for Prince Motor Company and later…Shinichiro Sakurai (桜井 眞一郎, Sakurai Shin'ichirō; 1929–2011) was a Japanese engineer for Prince Motor Company and later Nissan. He continued to work in the automotive field up until his death. He is best known for the development of several generations of the Nissan Skyline, earning him the nickname "Father of the Skyline".
Itsuo Sonobe (Japanese: 園部逸夫 Sonobe Itsuo; 1 April 1929 – 13 September 2024) was a Japanese lawyer and politician. He…Itsuo Sonobe (Japanese: 園部逸夫 Sonobe Itsuo; 1 April 1929 – 13 September 2024) was a Japanese lawyer and politician. He served as a Justice of the Supreme Court from 1989 to 1999. Sonobe died on 13 September 2024, at the age of 95.
Kazuko Saegusa (三枝和子) (March 31, 1929 – April 24, 2003) was a Japanese novelist. She won the Tamura Toshiko Award and…Kazuko Saegusa (三枝和子) (March 31, 1929 – April 24, 2003) was a Japanese novelist. She won the Tamura Toshiko Award and the Izumi Kyoka Prize for Literature.
Takehiro Irokawa (色川 武大, Irokawa Takehiro; March 28, 1929 – April 10, 1989) was a noted Japanese writer who published…Takehiro Irokawa (色川 武大, Irokawa Takehiro; March 28, 1929 – April 10, 1989) was a noted Japanese writer who published both serious literature and light fiction under a variety of pseudonyms including Asada Tetsuya (阿佐田哲也) and Budai Irokawa (色川武大). Many of his works were autobiographical in nature and concerned his life as a mahjong gambler.
Hiroshi Inuzuka (犬塚 弘, Inuzuka Hiroshi; 23 March 1929 – 27 October 2023) was a Japanese actor, comedian and bassist.…Hiroshi Inuzuka (犬塚 弘, Inuzuka Hiroshi; 23 March 1929 – 27 October 2023) was a Japanese actor, comedian and bassist. Inuzuka was one of the members of the Crazy Cats. His first starring role in the film was in Suteki na Konban wa directed by Yoshitarō Nomura and played the leading roles in six films in his acting career. Inuzuka announced his retirement as an actor and made his final appearance in Labyrinth of Cinema directed by Nobuhiko Obayashi in 2019. He then retired to Atami. Hiroshi Inuzuka died on 27 October 2023, at the age of 94.
Yayoi Kusama (草間 彌生, Kusama Yayoi; 22 March 1929 – 14 August 2026) was a Japanese artist who worked primarily in…Yayoi Kusama (草間 彌生, Kusama Yayoi; 22 March 1929 – 14 August 2026) was a Japanese artist who worked primarily in sculpture and installation. She was also active in painting, performance, video art, fashion, poetry, fiction, and other arts. Her work was based in conceptual art and shows some attributes of feminism, minimalism, surrealism, art brut, pop art, and abstract expressionism, and is infused with autobiographical, psychological, and sexual content. She was acknowledged as one of the most important artists to have come out of Japan, and was one of the world's top-selling female artists and ranked #19 in Sotheby's 2023 list of the top 50 artists. Her work influenced her contemporaries, including Andy Warhol and Claes Oldenburg. Kusama was raised in Matsumoto, and trained at the Kyoto City University of Arts for a year in a Japanese painting style called nihonga. She was inspired by American abstract impressionism. She moved to New York City in 1958 and was a part of the New York avant-garde scene throughout the 1960s, especially in the pop-art movement. Embracing the rise of the hippie counterculture of the late 1960s, she came to public attention when she organized a series of happenings in which naked participants were painted with brightly colored polka dots. She experienced a period in the 1970s during which her work was largely overlooked, but a revival of interest in the 1980s brought her art back into public view. Kusama continued to create art in various museums around the world, from the 1950s onwards. She was open about her mental health and resided in a mental health facility from the 1970s until her death. She said that art had become her way to express her mental problems. "I fight pain, anxiety, and fear every day, and the only method I have found that relieved my illness is to keep creating art", she told an interviewer in 2012. "I followed the thread of art and somehow discovered a path that would allow me to live."
Tadao Ogura (Japanese: 小倉 忠夫, Ogura Tadao, born March 22, 1929) is a Japanese art critic, known primarily for his work…Tadao Ogura (Japanese: 小倉 忠夫, Ogura Tadao, born March 22, 1929) is a Japanese art critic, known primarily for his work in the fields of printmaking and Western-style painting. Active from the 1960s through the 1970s, he published numerous critiques that significantly influenced the postwar Japanese art scene. He was born in Takahashi City, Okayama Prefecture. His father was Gyoka Ogura (Japanese: 小倉 魚禾, Ogura Gyoka), a painter.
Hiroichi Sakai (Japanese: 坂井弘一; Sakai Hiroichi; 21 March 1929 – 22 November 2021) was a Japanese politician. A member…Hiroichi Sakai (Japanese: 坂井弘一; Sakai Hiroichi; 21 March 1929 – 22 November 2021) was a Japanese politician. A member of the Komeito party, he served in the House of Representatives from 1969 to 1993.
Gabdulla Safa, also known as a Roy James (Tatar: Габделхәннан Сафа, March 9, 1929, Tokyo – December 29, 1982), was a…Gabdulla Safa, also known as a Roy James (Tatar: Габделхәннан Сафа, March 9, 1929, Tokyo – December 29, 1982), was a Japanese actor of Tatar descent.
Giichi Nishihara (西原 儀一, Nishihara Giichi; 1929 – 16 August 2009), also known as Shirō Sekiya (関谷四郎, Sekiya Shirō), was…Giichi Nishihara (西原 儀一, Nishihara Giichi; 1929 – 16 August 2009), also known as Shirō Sekiya (関谷四郎, Sekiya Shirō), was a Japanese film director, screenwriter, producer and actor best known for his low-budget and sensationalistic pink films made for his Aoi Eiga studios in the 1960s and 1970s. He has been called both "Japan's sleaziest movie-maker," and "a cult favorite among devotees of extreme cinema."
Hideo Gosha (Japanese: 五社 英雄, Hepburn: Gosha Hideo; February 26, 1929 – August 30, 1992) was a Japanese director and…Hideo Gosha (Japanese: 五社 英雄, Hepburn: Gosha Hideo; February 26, 1929 – August 30, 1992) was a Japanese director and screenwriter. He was the first Japanese director to make the transition from television to theatrical films, and is best known for his jidaigeki and yakuza films. Beginning with Three Outlaw Samurai in 1964, Gosha directed 24 films in his career, including The Geisha (1983), which earned him the Japan Academy Film Prize for Director of the Year. His last, The Oil-Hell Murder, was released three months before his death in August 1992. His works have influenced directors such as Takashi Miike and Yoshiaki Kawajiri.
Toshiro Mayuzumi (黛 敏郎, Mayuzumi Toshirō; Japanese pronunciation: [majɯꜜzɯmi toɕiɾoː]; 20 February 1929 – 10 April…Toshiro Mayuzumi (黛 敏郎, Mayuzumi Toshirō; Japanese pronunciation: [majɯꜜzɯmi toɕiɾoː]; 20 February 1929 – 10 April 1997) was a Japanese composer. He was known for his implementation of avant-garde instrumentation alongside traditional Japanese musical techniques. His works drew inspiration from a variety of sources ranging from jazz to Balinese music, and he was considered a pioneer in the realm of musique concrète and electronic music, being the first artist in his country to explore these techniques. Over the span of his career, he wrote symphonies, ballets, operas, and film scores. Mayuzumi was the first Japanese composer to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Score, for the 1966 film The Bible: In the Beginning.... He was the recipient of an Otaka prize by the NHK Symphony Orchestra and the Purple Medal of Merit. John Huston called him a "modern Beethoven".
Kiyoshi Awazu (Japanese: 粟津 潔, romanized: Awazu Kiyoshi, February 19, 1929 – April 28, 2009) was a Japanese graphic…Kiyoshi Awazu (Japanese: 粟津 潔, romanized: Awazu Kiyoshi, February 19, 1929 – April 28, 2009) was a Japanese graphic designer, active in the post-WWII era in the fields of poster design, architecture design, set design, filmmaking, and illustration. A self-taught artist, Awazu possessed an eclectic and variegated graphic style that employed vibrant color palettes, appropriated and subverted motifs from both traditional Japanese art and design as well as contemporary pop culture, and incorporated supergraphics and expressive typography across a range of scales and spatial contexts. Believing that design was a basic function of human life, and that it was the social role of the designer "to extend the rural into the city, foreground the folklore, reawaken the past, summon back the outdated," Awazu worked with collaborators across genres and culled references from a vast array of sources to produce works that were intensely transdisciplinary and expressive, all while resisting the essentializing and universalizing tendencies of the modernist tradition. Beginning with his award-winning 1955 poster Umi o kaese [Give Back Our Oceans], an expression of solidarity with disenfranchised fishermen who were banned from conducting their activities by American Occupation forces, Awazu's work also displays a keen engagement with political activism and an emphasis on the capacity of visual communications to reveal injustices and expand awareness through affective means. Awazu worked with diverse collaborators across the fields of film, performance, and the visual arts to produce promotional posters, book designs, illustrations, and other graphic materials. Awazu also worked with numerous modern architects—notably as a member of the Metabolism movement—to integrate structural design with other applied arts and foreground the role of design as a conduit for promoting civic engagement in urban contexts. Within the field of architecture, he is best known for producing the bold supergraphics on the exterior of the Nibankan building, which was famously featured on the cover of Charles Jencks' The Language of Modern Architecture (1977).
Takeyoshi Tanuma (田沼 武能, Tanuma Takeyoshi; February 18, 1929 – June 1, 2022) was a Japanese photographer. In 2019, the…Takeyoshi Tanuma (田沼 武能, Tanuma Takeyoshi; February 18, 1929 – June 1, 2022) was a Japanese photographer. In 2019, the Japanese government honoured him with the Order of Culture, making him the first photographer to receive the order.
Masami Fukushima (福島 正実, Fukushima Masami; February 18, 1929, Sakhalin - April 9, 1976) was a Japanese science fiction…Masami Fukushima (福島 正実, Fukushima Masami; February 18, 1929, Sakhalin - April 9, 1976) was a Japanese science fiction editor, author, critic, and translator. As the first chief editor of SF Magazine, he helped popularize science fiction in Japan and became known as the "Demon of SF". His real name is Masami Katō (加藤 正実, Katō Masami). He also used the pen name: Kyō Katō (加藤 喬, Katō Kyō).
Tachikawa Sumito (立川清登; February 15, 1929 – December 31, 1985) was a Japanese baritone singer and radio host. At first…Tachikawa Sumito (立川清登; February 15, 1929 – December 31, 1985) was a Japanese baritone singer and radio host. At first a singer of opera and lieder, his repertoire later included musicals and popular music. In addition to being a performing musician, he was also a radio host and television personality.
Masamoto Yashiro (八城 政基; born February 14, 1929 in Shinagawa, Tokyo) is a Japanese businessman who is chairman and CEO…Masamoto Yashiro (八城 政基; born February 14, 1929 in Shinagawa, Tokyo) is a Japanese businessman who is chairman and CEO of Shinsei Bank and a director of China Construction Bank. He attended Kyoto University, graduating with a degree in law, and graduate school at the University of Tokyo. He joined Standard Vacuum Oil Company in 1958 and became a director of Esso Petroleum in 1964. He was appointed Japan chairman of Citibank in 1989. In 1999, he left Citibank to head the Ripplewood-backed effort to acquire the Long-Term Credit Bank of Japan. In 2000, he was appointed chairman and CEO of the newly acquired and renamed Shinsei Bank. In 2004 he was also appointed as a director of China Construction Bank. He resigned as CEO of Shinsei in 2005 and as chairman in 2006, but returned as chairman and CEO in 2008.
Taiji Kase (加瀬 泰治, Kase Taiji; 9 February 1929 – 24 November 2004) was a Japanese master of Shotokan karate who was one…Taiji Kase (加瀬 泰治, Kase Taiji; 9 February 1929 – 24 November 2004) was a Japanese master of Shotokan karate who was one of the earliest masters responsible for introducing this martial art into Europe. He taught his style of karate, Shotokan Ryu Kase Ha, in France from the late 1960s to the mid-1980s. In his later years, he travelled across the world teaching karate, but Paris remained his home. Kase held the rank of 9th dan in karate.
Shosaku Numa, ForMemRS (沼 正作, Numa Shousaku; February 7, 1929 – February 15, 1992) was a Japanese neuroscientist known…Shosaku Numa, ForMemRS (沼 正作, Numa Shousaku; February 7, 1929 – February 15, 1992) was a Japanese neuroscientist known for his pioneering research on neurotransmitters and ion channels, and for his contributions to the understanding of molecular mechanisms of neural signalling.
Masaharu Nagashima (長島 正治, Nagashima Masaharu; February 1929 – May 2010) was a Japanese dermatologist, the first…Masaharu Nagashima (長島 正治, Nagashima Masaharu; February 1929 – May 2010) was a Japanese dermatologist, the first professor of dermatology at Kyorin University, who proposed the designation of prurigo pigmentosa. He was born in Tokyo in February 1929. After qualification of a dentist, he graduated from Keio University and entered the Department of Dermatology and Urology in 1955. In 1961, he became assistant professor of Keio University. In 1974, he became the first professor of dermatology at Kyorin University. In 1994, he retired and died in 2010. In 1971, Nagashima reported a peculiar pruritic dermatosis he designated prurigo pigmentosa. In 1978, he made a report of 14 cases in English. It has come to be recognized as a clinical entity. Although it is mostly reported from Japan, it is reported also from other countries. It is characterized by itchy red papules over the trunk and neck, which fade and leave reticular pigmentation. This disorder has been more common in adult females. About one third improve with dapsone. The cause is not known.
Jinzō Toriumi (鳥海 尽三, Toriumi Jinzō; February 1, 1929 – January 17, 2008) was a Japanese screenwriter who first began…Jinzō Toriumi (鳥海 尽三, Toriumi Jinzō; February 1, 1929 – January 17, 2008) was a Japanese screenwriter who first began his career during the "revolutionary era" of Japanese animation on Mach GoGoGo (Speed Racer), Science Ninja Team Gatchaman (Battle of the Planets/G-Force), and Yatterman. Toriumi was born in the northern Japanese prefecture of Hokkaidō. After trying his hand at live-action at Nikkatsu, he began writing animation scripts at Mushi Productions for Mighty Atom (Astro Boy) in 1964. He went on to devote himself full-time to television at Tatsunoko Production in 1965. He contributed to Casshern, Tekkaman and Time Bokan. He later began writing for such Sunrise works as Armored Trooper VOTOMS, Yoroiden Samurai Troopers (Ronin Warriors), Mister Ajikko. He also wrote the novel versions of Gatchaman, Shin Heiyōden and Dororo, as well as the Anime Scenario Nyūmon (The Introduction to Anime Scriptwriting). He used the Anime Scenario Nyūmon book when he became a vocational school teacher for future generations of scriptwriters. He also chaired Ohtori Koubou, a support organization for scriptwriters. He received the (Scenario) Scriptwriting Award from the Japan Writers Guild on May 26, 2000.
Jiun Aoki (青木 慈雲, Aoki Jiun; February 1929 – April 11, 1998) was a Japanese Buddhist monk and artist. He served as head…Jiun Aoki (青木 慈雲, Aoki Jiun; February 1929 – April 11, 1998) was a Japanese Buddhist monk and artist. He served as head priest at Daihon-zan Myōson-ji (大本山妙尊寺) in Mie Prefecture, Sōhon-zan Ryūkaku-ji (総本山龍覚寺) in Yamanashi Prefecture, and Myōkai-ji (妙海寺) in Yamaguchi Prefecture.
Isamu Akasaki (赤崎 勇, Akasaki Isamu; January 30, 1929 – April 1, 2021) was a Japanese materials scientist specializing…Isamu Akasaki (赤崎 勇, Akasaki Isamu; January 30, 1929 – April 1, 2021) was a Japanese materials scientist specializing in the field of semiconductor technology. He is best known for co-inventing the bright gallium nitride (GaN) p–n junction blue LED in 1989 and subsequently the high-brightness GaN blue LED as well. Akasaki was awarded the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics, along with Hiroshi Amano and Shuji Nakamura, "for the invention of efficient blue light-emitting diodes which has enabled bright and energy-saving white light sources."
Munefusa Tokugawa (徳川宗英, Tokugawa Munefusa; born January 30, 1929) is the 11th-generation head of the Tokugawa clan. He…Munefusa Tokugawa (徳川宗英, Tokugawa Munefusa; born January 30, 1929) is the 11th-generation head of the Tokugawa clan. He is also the present head of the Tayasu branch of the Gosankyō.
Kenji Suzuki (鈴木 健二, Suzuki Kenji; 23 January 1929 – 29 March 2024) was a Japanese freelancer moderator and former…Kenji Suzuki (鈴木 健二, Suzuki Kenji; 23 January 1929 – 29 March 2024) was a Japanese freelancer moderator and former television announcer of NHK General TV. He is best known for as an executive announcer for NHK (with director status) from 1952 until his retirement 1988. He is also best known for hosting programs, such as History Invitation and Interesting Quiz Seminar, which he achieved high ratings, and also, he written many books, including The Recommendation of Consideration, which became a bestseller in Japan. Recently, Suzuki became as a director of Kumamoto Prefectural Theater, where he worked on restoring traditional performing arts with among others. In 1998, Suzuki also became as a director of Aomori Prefectural Library and Aomori Prefecture Museum of Modern Literature. He is the younger brother of Japanese film director Seijun Suzuki (1923–2017). Suzuki died of natural causes at the hospital in Fukuoka on 29 March 2024, at the age of 95.
Yoshihiro Nitta (にった よしひろ, Yoshihiro Nitta; legal name 新田義弘; 21 January 1929 – 15 March 2020) was a Japanese university…Yoshihiro Nitta (にった よしひろ, Yoshihiro Nitta; legal name 新田義弘; 21 January 1929 – 15 March 2020) was a Japanese university professor and philosopher. He is reputed as one of the greatest people to have influenced the Japanese philosophy.
Kanji Higuchi (樋口 寛治, Higuchi Kanji; January 19, 1929 – November 8, 2010), better known as Joe Higuchi (ジョー樋口, Jō…Kanji Higuchi (樋口 寛治, Higuchi Kanji; January 19, 1929 – November 8, 2010), better known as Joe Higuchi (ジョー樋口, Jō Higuchi) was a Japanese professional wrestler, road agent, on-air personality and referee best known for his tenures with the Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance (JWA) and All Japan Pro-Wrestling. The first official Japanese referee in the NWA, he was known as one of the best referees in the business and the most popular referee in Japanese Puroresu history. He was inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum as a member of the Class of 2018.
Hideo Murata (村田英雄, Murata Hideo; January 17, 1929 – June 13, 2002) was a Japanese rōkyoku and enka singer. He took…Hideo Murata (村田英雄, Murata Hideo; January 17, 1929 – June 13, 2002) was a Japanese rōkyoku and enka singer. He took part in the Kōhaku Uta Gassen 27 times. Murata was born as a son of rōkyoku singer Senyu Hirosawa (広沢仙遊, Hirosawa Senyū) and Tsutako Yano (矢野ツタ子, Yano Tsutako). However, he was immediately adopted by Sumiko Deriba (出利葉スミ子, Deriba Sumiko) and Haruo Kajiyama (梶山春雄, Kajiyama Haruo) became his stepfather. His real name was Isamu Kajiyama (梶山勇, Kajiyama Isamu). He studied rōkyoku under one of Kumoemon Tochuken's disciples, Kumo Sakai. Murata was scouted by Masao Koga, debuting with "Muhōmatsu no Isshō" (無法松の一生, lit. "Life of Outlaw Pine") in 1958. His 1961 single "Ōshō" sold over one million copies. Along with Hachiro Kasuga and Michiya Mihashi, he became a famous enka singer and Haruo Minami was regarded as his rival. He died on June 13, 2002.
Teizo Matsumura (松村 禎三 Matsumura Teizō; 15 January 1929 – 6 August 2007) was a Japanese composer and poet. Orphaned and…Teizo Matsumura (松村 禎三 Matsumura Teizō; 15 January 1929 – 6 August 2007) was a Japanese composer and poet. Orphaned and suffering from tuberculosis, during his recovery in the early 1950s he began to write both haiku and music. He studied with Tomojiro Ikenouchi and Akira Ifukube. He was influenced by Ravel and Stravinsky, but also Asian traditions. He was Professor Emeritus of the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. Matsumura is best known for his opera Chinmoku (in English Silence) based on the novel of the same name by Shusaku Endo. This has been recorded. Matsumura is the recipient of the 1974 UNESCO International Rostrum of Composers and of the 1978 Suntory Music Award.
Wataru Kubo (久保 亘, Kubo Wataru; 15 January 1929 – 24 June 2003) was a Japanese politician from the Japan Socialist…Wataru Kubo (久保 亘, Kubo Wataru; 15 January 1929 – 24 June 2003) was a Japanese politician from the Japan Socialist Party, and then from the Democratic Party of Japan. He served as deputy prime minister and finance minister of Japan from 11 January 1996 to 7 November 1996.
Sueaki Takaoka (高丘 季昭, Takaoka Sueaki, January 14, 1929 – March 13, 1996) was a Japanese businessman and nobleman. He…Sueaki Takaoka (高丘 季昭, Takaoka Sueaki, January 14, 1929 – March 13, 1996) was a Japanese businessman and nobleman. He was chairman at FamilyMart, Seiyu Group and Seibu Saison Group, and Vice Chairman at Japan Business Federation.
Takako Saito (斉藤 陽子, Saitō Takako; 16 January 1929 – 30 September 2025) was a Japanese visual artist closely associated…Takako Saito (斉藤 陽子, Saitō Takako; 16 January 1929 – 30 September 2025) was a Japanese visual artist closely associated with Fluxus, the international collective of avant-garde artists that was active primarily in the 1960s and 1970s. Saito contributed a number of performances and artworks to the movement, which continue to be exhibited in Fluxus exhibitions to the present day. She was also deeply involved in the production of Fluxus edition works during the height of their output, and worked closely with George Maciunas. Saito is best known for her special chess sets, which include Spice Chess, but her larger body of work focuses on crafting a variety of objects to be used in open-ended situations that create unexpected social relations. More recent exhibitions, such as the Museum für Gegenwartskunst Siegen's 2017-18 exhibition Takako Saito: You + Me, have focused on the way Saito uses a playful process-based approach focused on the making of objects to blend her artistic practice with the activities and chores of daily life. Despite the fact that this blended approach often results in ambiguous objects that sit between the experimental sentiments of fine art and the practical concerns of design, her works have been collected by major museums and public collections across Europe, the United States, and Japan. The majority of her exhibitions have been held in Europe, where she traveled to and lived from 1968 on, including during the later period of her life when she resided in Düsseldorf, Germany.
Eriko Kishida (岸田 衿子, Kishida Eriko, January 5, 1929 – April 7, 2011) was a Japanese poet, children's author, lyricist…Eriko Kishida (岸田 衿子, Kishida Eriko, January 5, 1929 – April 7, 2011) was a Japanese poet, children's author, lyricist, and translator. She is known for writing the lyrics to popular animated children's television shows like Anne of Green Gables and Heidi, Girl of the Alps, as well as her children's picture books. Kishida was a member of the Kai group and published poetry in the "Kai" literary magazine founded by Noriko Ibaragi.