Tatsuya Egawa (江川 達也, Egawa Tatsuya; born March 8, 1961) is a Japanese manga artist and film director. He is probably…Tatsuya Egawa (江川 達也, Egawa Tatsuya; born March 8, 1961) is a Japanese manga artist and film director. He is probably best known for his Golden Boy manga series, which debuted in 1992. Egawa is known for his drawings of over-the-top facial expressions and for always crediting the staff of his creations, even on the covers (crediting the works to "Egawa and his assistants"). Kōsuke Fujishima, who is known as the creator of Oh My Goddess, was once one of Egawa's assistants.
Minoru Kawasaki (川崎 稔, Kawasaki Minoru; born March 7, 1961) is a former Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of…Minoru Kawasaki (川崎 稔, Kawasaki Minoru; born March 7, 1961) is a former Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of Japan, a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Saga Prefecture and graduate of Kyoto University, he worked at the Bank of Japan from 1984 until 2004 when he ran unsuccessfully for the House of Councillors. He ran again in 2007 and was elected for the first time.
Atsuko Asano (浅野 温子, Asano Atsuko; born March 4, 1961 in Adachi, Tokyo) is a Japanese actress. Upon marrying Tsutomu…Atsuko Asano (浅野 温子, Asano Atsuko; born March 4, 1961 in Adachi, Tokyo) is a Japanese actress. Upon marrying Tsutomu Uozumi, a reputed copywriter and lyricist in 1983, her "koseki" name (name in Japanese family registry) became Atsuko Uozumi. She gave birth to a son in 1984.
Mahito Ohba (大場 真人, Ōba Mahito) is a Japanese voice actor and narrator. He is a graduate of Tamagawa University and is…Mahito Ohba (大場 真人, Ōba Mahito) is a Japanese voice actor and narrator. He is a graduate of Tamagawa University and is affiliated with Aoni Production. Ohba is most known for the roles of Announcer Yoshigai in Ultimate Muscle (Kinnikuman Nisei), the narrator and Smoker (second voice) in One Piece, and Wolf O'Donnell in Star Fox: Assault and Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
Koichi Hashiratani (柱谷 幸一, Hashiratani Koichi; born 1 March 1961) is a former Japanese football player and manager. He…Koichi Hashiratani (柱谷 幸一, Hashiratani Koichi; born 1 March 1961) is a former Japanese football player and manager. He played for Japan national team. His younger brother Tetsuji Hashiratani is also a former footballer.
Hiroyasu Aizawa (born 1 March 1961) is a Japanese former ski jumper. In the World Cup his highest place was thirteenth…Hiroyasu Aizawa (born 1 March 1961) is a Japanese former ski jumper. In the World Cup his highest place was thirteenth in December 1979 in Cortina d'Ampezzo. He also won a bronze medal at the 1979 World Junior Championships and competed at the 1980 Winter Olympics.
Toshihiko Tahara (田原俊彦; born February 28, 1961) is a Japanese idol singer, and solo vocalist, affiliated with Johnny &…Toshihiko Tahara (田原俊彦; born February 28, 1961) is a Japanese idol singer, and solo vocalist, affiliated with Johnny & Associates. In the 1980s he had a number of number 1 singles in Japan. He was awarded a Japan Music Award in 1983 for the song "Saraba... Natsu" (さらば・・・夏). He was part of the Tanokin Trio.
Yasushi Kaneko (金子 恭之, Kaneko Yasushi; born 27 February 1961) is a Japanese politician who served as Minister for…Yasushi Kaneko (金子 恭之, Kaneko Yasushi; born 27 February 1961) is a Japanese politician who served as Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications from October 2021 to August 2022. He is serving in the House of Representatives as a member of the Liberal Democratic Party.
Hideaki Tokunaga (德永 英明, Tokunaga Hideaki; born February 27, 1961 in Yanagawa, Fukuoka) is a Japanese pop…Hideaki Tokunaga (德永 英明, Tokunaga Hideaki; born February 27, 1961 in Yanagawa, Fukuoka) is a Japanese pop singer-songwriter. Although Tokunaga failed to pass the test of Star Tanjō! in 1982, he debuted as a recording singer in 1986. After he released hit songs such as "Yume o Shinjite" (the first ending theme of the anime series Dragon Quest) and "Kowarekake no Radio" in 1990, his single "Wednesday Moon" reached No. 1 on Oricon weekly charts in 1991. He was also known for Vocalist album series, comprising his covers of female songs. Vocalist, Vocalist 2, Vocalist 3 and Vocalist 4 were released in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2010 respectively. Tokunaga is the first male artist to have at least one album to reach the number-one position on the Japanese Oricon weekly charts for four decades (1980s, 1990s, 2000s and 2010s). Tokunaga also composed other singers' songs such as KinKi Kids' "Eien Ni" (from their 2007 album Phi). Tokunaga gained high popularity in Hong Kong due to huge number of songs covered in Cantonese version by superstars such as Alan Tam, Leslie Cheung, Jackie Cheung, and Leon Lai.
Hiroyuki Nakamura (中村 ひろゆき, born 23 February 1961) is a Japanese politician who is serving in the House of…Hiroyuki Nakamura (中村 ひろゆき, born 23 February 1961) is a Japanese politician who is serving in the House of Representatives as a representative from the Hokkaido since 2012. He is a member of the Liberal Democratic Party.
Akira Takasaki (高崎 晃, Takasaki Akira; born February 22, 1961) is a Japanese musician. He is best known as the lead…Akira Takasaki (高崎 晃, Takasaki Akira; born February 22, 1961) is a Japanese musician. He is best known as the lead guitarist and sole constant member of the heavy metal band Loudness. He is also the guitarist of the band Lazy, with which he first rose to prominence in the 1970s. In 2018, readers and professional musicians voted Takasaki the best guitarist in the history of hard rock and heavy metal in We Rock magazine's "Metal General Election".
Koji Emura (江村 宏二, Emura Kōji) (born 22 February 1961) is a Japanese fencer. He competed in the individual and team…Koji Emura (江村 宏二, Emura Kōji) (born 22 February 1961) is a Japanese fencer. He competed in the individual and team foil events at the 1988 Summer Olympics.
Hironobu Kageyama (Japanese: 影山 ヒロノブ, Hepburn: Kageyama Hironobu; real name written 景山 浩宣, born February 18, 1961) is a…Hironobu Kageyama (Japanese: 影山 ヒロノブ, Hepburn: Kageyama Hironobu; real name written 景山 浩宣, born February 18, 1961) is a Japanese musician, singer and composer. He is best known for his work on anime, video game and tokusatsu soundtracks. Kageyama first rose to prominence as a teenager in the 1970s as lead singer of the rock band Lazy. Following their breakup in 1981, Kageyama began a solo career. He struggled until finding major success in the mid-1980s, when he started singing theme songs for anime and tokusatsu television shows. The music to such programs is called anison in Japan, and Kageyama became immensely popular, earning the nickname "Prince of the Anison World" (アニソン界のプリンス, Anison-kai no Purinsu). Kageyama's best known works include the title tracks for Dengeki Sentai Changeman and Hikari Sentai Maskman, "Saint Shinwa ~Soldier Dream~" for Saint Seiya, and "Cha-La Head-Cha-La" for Dragon Ball Z. Lazy reunited in 1997, and Kageyama briefly worked with Masaaki Endoh as the duo Metal Brothers before they formed the anison supergroup JAM Project in 2000 with several other vocalists.
Takashi Ikegami (born February 1961) is a professor at the University of Tokyo. He specializes in artificial life and…Takashi Ikegami (born February 1961) is a professor at the University of Tokyo. He specializes in artificial life and complexity, and has been known to engage on the border between art and science.
Akira Sasō (Japanese: さそう あきら, Hepburn: Sasō Akira; born 1961) is a Japanese manga artist and educator. He has won a…Akira Sasō (Japanese: さそう あきら, Hepburn: Sasō Akira; born 1961) is a Japanese manga artist and educator. He has won a Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize and two Japan Media Arts Awards, the latter for his manga Shindō (1997–98) and Maestro (2003–07).
Hirokazu Hamamura (浜村 弘一, Hamamura Hirokazu; born February 8, 1961), former Weekly Famitsu chief editor, now is…Hirokazu Hamamura (浜村 弘一, Hamamura Hirokazu; born February 8, 1961), former Weekly Famitsu chief editor, now is president of Enterbrain. He is also the director of Kadokawa Group Holdings, Kadokawa Group Publishing, Kadokawa Games and Walker Books. His pen name is Hamamura Tsūshin (浜村通信).
Jun Rekimoto (暦本 純一) is a Professor of Interfaculty Initiative in Information Studies at The University of Tokyo. He is…Jun Rekimoto (暦本 純一) is a Professor of Interfaculty Initiative in Information Studies at The University of Tokyo. He is also a co-founder of Koozyt Inc., and a Deputy Director of the Interaction Laboratory at Sony Computer Sciences Laboratories. Rekimoto has published more than 100 research articles in the field of Human-Computer Interaction. His work spans human-computer interactions, augmented reality, virtual reality, human augmentation, telepresence, smart environments and hybrid intelligence.
Mako Ishino (石野真子/眞子; born January 31, 1961), is a Japanese singer and actress. After being discovered by the…Mako Ishino (石野真子/眞子; born January 31, 1961), is a Japanese singer and actress. After being discovered by the talent-search show Star Tanjō!, she received a newcomer award at the 20th Japan Record Awards (1978). She has been selected to compete twice on the NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen. Born in Ashiya, Hyogo Prefecture, she is the elder sister of actresses Yōko Ishino and Atsuko Ishino. Ishino is affiliated with From First Production Co., Ltd.
Tsuyoshi Fujita (藤田剛, Fujita Tsuyoshi), (born Osaka Prefecture, January 27, 1961) is a former Japanese rugby union…Tsuyoshi Fujita (藤田剛, Fujita Tsuyoshi), (born Osaka Prefecture, January 27, 1961) is a former Japanese rugby union player. He played as hooker.
Ishinriki Kōji (born 24 January 1961 as Kōji Iibashi) is a former sumo wrestler from Suginami, Tokyo, Japan. His…Ishinriki Kōji (born 24 January 1961 as Kōji Iibashi) is a former sumo wrestler from Suginami, Tokyo, Japan. His highest rank was jūryō 1. He was one of the smallest sekitori ever at 175 cm (5 ft 9 in) and 85 kg (187 lb). After his retirement in 1990 he became a professional wrestler for a number of organizations including Super World of Sports, WAR, Pro Wrestling Crusaders and IWA Japan.
Ryūhei Ueshima (Japanese: 上島 竜兵, Hepburn: Ueshima Ryūhei; 20 January 1961 – 11 May 2022) was a Japanese comedian and…Ryūhei Ueshima (Japanese: 上島 竜兵, Hepburn: Ueshima Ryūhei; 20 January 1961 – 11 May 2022) was a Japanese comedian and actor. He was a member of the comedy trio Dachō Club.
Yoshimasa Hayashi (林 芳正, Hayashi Yoshimasa; born 19 January 1961) is a Japanese politician who has been serving as…Yoshimasa Hayashi (林 芳正, Hayashi Yoshimasa; born 19 January 1961) is a Japanese politician who has been serving as Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications since October 2025. Hayashi previously held six cabinet positions: Minister of Defence (August–September 2008), Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy (July–September 2009), Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (December 2012 – September 2014, February–October 2015), Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (August 2017 – October 2018), and Minister of Foreign Affairs (November 2021 – September 2023), and Chief Cabinet Secretary (December 2023 – October 2025). A member of the Liberal Democratic Party, Hayashi was first elected to the House of Councillors in 1995, where he served for five terms until 2021. He resigned from the House to stand in the 2021 general election and has been serving as a member of the House of Representatives, representing the Yamaguchi 3rd district, since October 2021.
Kenji Tamamura (玉村 健次, Tamamura Kenji; born 16 January 1961) is a Japanese former handball player who competed in the…Kenji Tamamura (玉村 健次, Tamamura Kenji; born 16 January 1961) is a Japanese former handball player who competed in the 1988 Summer Olympics.
Takuya Muguruma (六車 卓也, Muguruma Takuya; born January 16, 1961) is a retired Japanese boxer who is a former WBA…Takuya Muguruma (六車 卓也, Muguruma Takuya; born January 16, 1961) is a retired Japanese boxer who is a former WBA bantamweight champion. He is an alumnus of the Kinki University. Muguruma became interested in boxing at the age of a junior high school student. In high school, he belonged to the rugby club. As Muguruma was a slow runner, he was a substitute player there. He began boxing at Osaka Teiken Boxing Gym after entering the University.
General Kōji Yamazaki (山崎 幸二, Yamazaki Kōji) is a Japanese retired general who served as the Chief of Staff, Joint…General Kōji Yamazaki (山崎 幸二, Yamazaki Kōji) is a Japanese retired general who served as the Chief of Staff, Joint Staff of the Japan Self-Defense Forces from April 2019 to March 2023. He previously served as the Chief of the Ground Staff at the JGSDF from August 2017 to March 2019.
Reiko Ogawa (小川れい子, Ogawa Reiko; born January 15, 1961), née Reiko Kobayashi (小林れい子), is a Japanese figure skating…Reiko Ogawa (小川れい子, Ogawa Reiko; born January 15, 1961), née Reiko Kobayashi (小林れい子), is a Japanese figure skating coach and former competitor. She won gold medals at the 1977 Nebelhorn Trophy, 1977 Grand Prix International St. Gervais, and 1980–81 Japan Championships. Kobayashi has coached Mao Asada, Risa Shoji, and Haruna Suzuki.
Satoko Okazaki (岡崎 聡子, Okazaki Satoko; born 13 January 1961) is a Japanese gymnast. She competed in six events at the…Satoko Okazaki (岡崎 聡子, Okazaki Satoko; born 13 January 1961) is a Japanese gymnast. She competed in six events at the 1976 Summer Olympics.
Masatoshi Ichikawa (市川 雅敏, Ichikawa Masatoshi; born 11 January 1961) was a pioneering Japanese professional racing…Masatoshi Ichikawa (市川 雅敏, Ichikawa Masatoshi; born 11 January 1961) was a pioneering Japanese professional racing cyclist. He was the first Japanese to ride professionally in Europe, riding for such teams as the Belgian team Hitachi and the Swiss team Bleiker in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He was also the first to complete a Grand Tour event, finishing 50th in the 1990 Giro d'Italia.
Masaki Izumi (泉 正樹, Izumi Masaki; January 11, 1961) is a Japanese retired professional shogi player who achieved the…Masaki Izumi (泉 正樹, Izumi Masaki; January 11, 1961) is a Japanese retired professional shogi player who achieved the rank of 8-dan.
Kazuhiko Ishimine (石嶺 和彦, Ishimine Kazuhiko; born January 10, 1961) is a Japanese former Nippon Professional Baseball…Kazuhiko Ishimine (石嶺 和彦, Ishimine Kazuhiko; born January 10, 1961) is a Japanese former Nippon Professional Baseball outfielder.
Kyoshi Miura (三浦 恭資, Miura Kyōshi; born 9 January 1961) is a Japanese former cyclist. He was eight times national road…Kyoshi Miura (三浦 恭資, Miura Kyōshi; born 9 January 1961) is a Japanese former cyclist. He was eight times national road race champion, raced professionally in Europe, represented Japan at world track championships, and even became national champion in mountain biking. He competed at the 1988 Summer Olympics and the 1996 Summer Olympics, the first in the men's individual road race, the second in men's cross-country mountain biking. He won the second edition of the Tour de Okinawa in 1990. After retirement, he began coaching and served as a coach for the national team at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Tatsuya Yoshida (吉田達也, Yoshida Tatsuya) (born 9 January 1961) is a Japanese musician, drummer and composer who is the…Tatsuya Yoshida (吉田達也, Yoshida Tatsuya) (born 9 January 1961) is a Japanese musician, drummer and composer who is the only consistent member of the renowned progressive rock duo Ruins, as well as of Koenji Hyakkei. He is also a member of the progressive rock trios Korekyojinn and Daimonji. Outside his own groups, Yoshida is renowned for his tenure as drummer in the indie progressive group YBO2, a band also featuring guitarist KK Null, whom he also joins in the current line-up of Zeni Geva and he has played drums in a late edition of Samla Mammas Manna. Since 2001, he and bass guitarist Takeharu Hayakawa have worked with jazz pianist Satoko Fujii and trumpeter Natsuki Tamura in the Satoko Fujii Quartet. He has been cited as "[the] indisputable master drummer of the Japanese underground". Along with his participation in bands, he has also released several solo recordings.
Eri Sugai (菅井えり, Sugai Eri; 1961 – December 21, 2016) was a Japanese vocalist, composer and arranger. She has been…Eri Sugai (菅井えり, Sugai Eri; 1961 – December 21, 2016) was a Japanese vocalist, composer and arranger. She has been compared to Enya in that she "multitracked her voice into angelic choruses, soaring over spare but emotional arrangements", She lent her talents to more than 1,000 television commercials, and produced five solo albums, in addition to one under the name of Stella Mirus and two with her husband, Itaru Watanabe, from 2000 until her death. In 2017, Universal Japan released her album, Skip!, recorded in 1986, a 10-track album of 'Light Mellow' music. There is also an edition called Skip! +4 which contains four bonus tracks.
Kiyotaka Matsui (松井 清隆, Matsui Kiyotaka; born January 4, 1961) is a former Japanese football player. He played for…Kiyotaka Matsui (松井 清隆, Matsui Kiyotaka; born January 4, 1961) is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team.
Yuji Yaku (born 3 January 1961) is a Japanese bobsledder. He competed at the 1984 Winter Olympics and the 1988 Winter…Yuji Yaku (born 3 January 1961) is a Japanese bobsledder. He competed at the 1984 Winter Olympics and the 1988 Winter Olympics.
Hitoshi Saito (斉藤 仁, Saitō Hitoshi; January 2, 1961 – January 20, 2015) was a Japanese judoka who won two consecutive…Hitoshi Saito (斉藤 仁, Saitō Hitoshi; January 2, 1961 – January 20, 2015) was a Japanese judoka who won two consecutive gold medals at the Olympic games.
Fumihiko Imamura (今村文彦, Imamura Fumihiko; born September 24, 1961) is a Japanese academic, civil engineer, and Director…Fumihiko Imamura (今村文彦, Imamura Fumihiko; born September 24, 1961) is a Japanese academic, civil engineer, and Director of the International Research Institute of Disaster Science at Tohoku University in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture. After the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, Imamura was prominent amongst those who proposed that December 26 should be an international day of commemoration. He argued that the simple idea could be effective in preparing people for the giant waves.
Mika Toba (鳥羽 美花, Toba Mika; 1961) is a Japanese katazome dye artist. Her art mainly incorporates motifs and landscapes…Mika Toba (鳥羽 美花, Toba Mika; 1961) is a Japanese katazome dye artist. Her art mainly incorporates motifs and landscapes from Vietnam - a country she has visited over 50 times since the 1990s. Her art has been displayed at the Kennin-ji temple in Kyoto and at the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts, among other places. She is a graduate of the Kyoto City University of Arts (M.A.). Toba was awarded the Cultural Testimonial Award by the Vietnamese Government in 2005 and the Japanese Foreign Minister's Commendation in 2012 (gaimu daijin hyōei (外務大臣表彰)). She was the subject of a NHK World documentary first broadcast in January 2015.
Franz Waldenberger is professor for Japanese economy at LMU Munich and the director of the German Institute for…Franz Waldenberger is professor for Japanese economy at LMU Munich and the director of the German Institute for Japanese Studies (DIJ).
Akiyoshi Kitaoka (北岡 明佳, Kitaoka Akiyoshi; born August 19, 1961) is a professor of psychology at the College of…Akiyoshi Kitaoka (北岡 明佳, Kitaoka Akiyoshi; born August 19, 1961) is a professor of psychology at the College of Letters, Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto, Japan, who has been referred to as "a master of optical art". In 1984, he received a BSc from the Department of Biology, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan, where he studied animal psychology (burrowing behavior in rats) and (at the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Neuroscience) neuronal activity of the inferotemporal cortex in macaque monkeys. After his 1991 PhD from the Institute of Psychology, University of Tsukuba, he specialized in visual perception and visual illusions of geometrical shape, brightness, color, in motion illusions and other visual phenomena like Gestalt completion and perceptual transparency, based on a modern conception of Gestalt psychology. The authors of a review of the last 25 years of motion psychophysics wrote: At about the same time that the Pinna illusion was published, Akiyoshi Kitaoka started to produce seemingly unending variants of images that contain illusory motion. Perhaps the most famous of these, entitled "Rotating snakes", involves several components, as, perhaps, all good illusions do... The Rotating Snakes peripheral drift illusion has been widely circulated, as have many of his other images. Backus and Oruc wrote that Kitaoka created these images by a kind of "evolutionary process": "Patterns that gave rise to the maximum illusory motion were selected, and new patterns were made by varying them in an iterative cycle." In 2008, his designs were the inspiration for the experimental pop band Animal Collective's critically acclaimed album Merriweather Post Pavilion, which features a leaf-covered optical illusion. He was asked by Jeff Koons to provide illusions for the interior packaging of Lady Gaga's 2013 album Artpop, and a version of his "Hatpin urchin" image appears on the CD itself.
Ryo Terakado (寺神戸 亮, Terakado Ryō; born 1961 in Santa Cruz, Bolivia) is a Japanese violinist and conductor who…Ryo Terakado (寺神戸 亮, Terakado Ryō; born 1961 in Santa Cruz, Bolivia) is a Japanese violinist and conductor who specializes in historically informed performance. He also plays the viola, viola d'amore and violoncello da spalla. He has been teaching at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague and the Toho Gakuen School of Music.
Tsuyoshi Nagano (長野 剛, Nagano Tsuyoshi) (born 1961) is a Japanese illustrator most famous for doing the cover artwork…Tsuyoshi Nagano (長野 剛, Nagano Tsuyoshi) (born 1961) is a Japanese illustrator most famous for doing the cover artwork for the Romance of the Three Kingdoms games by Koei since the 1980s. His art style is realism and surrealism. He also has done the Japanese editions of novels such as the New Jedi Order, Jedi Quest, Last of the Jedi, Dark Nest, and Shatterpoint, as well as illustrations for Nobunaga's Ambition and Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack.
Miho Imada (Japanese: 今田 美穂; born 1962) is a sake brewmaster at Imada Shuzō in Akitsu, Hiroshima. Imada has a…Miho Imada (Japanese: 今田 美穂; born 1962) is a sake brewmaster at Imada Shuzō in Akitsu, Hiroshima. Imada has a reputation for making some of the finest sake in the world.
Junya Watanabe (born 1961) is a Japanese fashion designer. He was mentored by Comme des Garçons designer Rei Kawakubo.…Junya Watanabe (born 1961) is a Japanese fashion designer. He was mentored by Comme des Garçons designer Rei Kawakubo. He continues to work for Comme des Garçons; his atelier is located on the second floor of its Tokyo headquarters, and he produces four shows a year in Paris.
Hiroaki Kitano (北野 宏明; born 1961 in Tokyo) is a Japanese scientist, head of the Systems Biology Institute, Senior…Hiroaki Kitano (北野 宏明; born 1961 in Tokyo) is a Japanese scientist, head of the Systems Biology Institute, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of the Sony Group Corporation, Chief Executive Officer of Sony Research Inc. and Sony Computer Science Laboratories, Inc.; a Group Director of the Laboratory for Disease Systems Modeling at and RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences; and a professor at Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST). Kitano is known for developing AIBO, and the robotic world cup tournament known as Robocup.
