Shigenori Soejima (副島 成記, Soejima Shigenori; born February 24, 1974) is a Japanese character artist best known for his…Shigenori Soejima (副島 成記, Soejima Shigenori; born February 24, 1974) is a Japanese character artist best known for his work in the Persona series of role-playing video games by Atlus. He initially worked in minor roles on several games after joining Atlus and took over as series art director from his mentor Kazuma Kaneko with Persona 3 in 2006.
Takuma Aoki (青木 拓磨, Aoki Takuma; born February 24, 1974 in Tokyo) is a Japanese former road racer of motorcycles at…Takuma Aoki (青木 拓磨, Aoki Takuma; born February 24, 1974 in Tokyo) is a Japanese former road racer of motorcycles at Grand Prix level. He began his Grand Prix career in 1993. From 1994 to 1996, Aoki competed in the World Superbike Championship, winning one race in that series. In 1996, he won All Japan Championship Superbike class champion. He returned to Grand Prix racing with Honda in 1997, enjoying his best season when he finished fifth in the 500cc world championship. A spinal injury in a 1998 motorcycle crash left him paralyzed below the waist. Aoki has continued to work with Honda, helping them develop cars for disabled people. He is the brother of Grand Prix racers, Nobuatsu and Haruchika Aoki. Aoki has been involved in motorsports again. Using specially-modified 4-wheel drive vehicles, he has been involved in many cross country rallies, notably the Dakar Rally, the Jaguar I-Pace eTrophy and the Asia Cross Country Rally. On July 10, 2019, Aoki took a test ride on the Team Honda Dream CBR1000 Suzuka 8 Hours machine. In 2021, Aoki competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans as part of Frédéric Sausset's SRT41 team.
Kyōko Nagatsuka (Japanese: 長塚京子, born February 22, 1974) is a Japanese former professional tennis player. She achieved…Kyōko Nagatsuka (Japanese: 長塚京子, born February 22, 1974) is a Japanese former professional tennis player. She achieved a career-high ranking of world No. 28 on 14 August 1995. In doubles, she reached as high as No. 31 in June 1995. She won the 12-and-under championships of Japan in 1986, and the under-16 in 1989. Nagatsuka reached three singles finals on the WTA Tour but failed to win the title in any of them. She did, however, win two doubles titles as well as achieving a further three runner-ups in doubles competition. She reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam tournament twice in singles: at the 1995 Australian Open, where she beat a young Martina Hingis and Amy Frazier, and that same year at the French Open. Playing for the Japan Fed Cup team, she has a win–loss record of 2–4. Since her retirement, she has briefly worked as a coach with Akiko Morigami.
Tomonori Jinnai (陣内 智則, Jinnai Tomonori; born 22 February 1974, in Kakogawa, Hyōgo, Japan) is a Japanese actor, tarento…Tomonori Jinnai (陣内 智則, Jinnai Tomonori; born 22 February 1974, in Kakogawa, Hyōgo, Japan) is a Japanese actor, tarento and presenter.
SMAP (Japanese: スマップ, Hepburn: Sumappu) was a Japanese boy band, composed of Masahiro Nakai, Takuya Kimura, Goro…SMAP (Japanese: スマップ, Hepburn: Sumappu) was a Japanese boy band, composed of Masahiro Nakai, Takuya Kimura, Goro Inagaki, Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, and Shingo Katori. The group was created in 1988 by music producer Johnny Kitagawa, founder of Johnny & Associates, originally as a six-piece with Katsuyuki Mori, until his departure from the band in 1996. The name stands for "Sports Music Assemble People". After making their debut in 1991, the group took the Japanese entertainment industry by storm, becoming one of the most successful boy bands in Asia. The group is often referred to as a "national treasure" and a "fortune and property of the country" in Japan. SMAP was regarded as an iconic group in Japan, after achieving an unprecedented level of success in numerous genres in the entertainment industry, including music, television, film, radio, and theater, as a group and individually. SMAP was credited for changing the Japanese entertainment and music industry, in terms of prolonging longevity of boy bands and broadening careers by creating new opportunities for bands that followed. After starting out as a typical boy band, with a fan base predominantly of female teens, they gradually transformed into a band with a wider audience, expanding their fan base to preteens, male adults, and even the elderly, after their success as actors and television personalities. SMAP released 55 singles, all of which reached the top 10 in the charts, 22 consecutive number-one singles, and 33 number-one singles in total. The band has had 24 top-10 albums and 14 number-one albums. "Sekai ni Hitotsu Dake no Hana", released in 2003, is the best selling single in the 21st century and the third best selling single in Japanese history and has become the most recognized song in Japan, as it appears in text books used in school and children are taught to learn the song at a young age. Other best selling singles by the group include, "Beyond the Night Sky", "Lion Heart", "Shake", "Aoi Inazuma", which also have become some of the most popular songs in Japan. Throughout their career, the band has sold over 38.5 million records in Japan alone. In April 1996, the group launched their weekly variety show, SMAP×SMAP, which quickly gained high ratings and became one of the most famous television shows in Japan. The distinct format of the program has received widespread critical praise. The show ranked No. 1 in the annual household share ratings in 1996, 1997, 1999–2002, 2006, and 2016, making it the most watched television show in Japan. The episode that aired in January 2002 is currently ranked No. 7 for the most watched Japanese variety show in history, with 34.2 million viewers. It is the eighth longest-running prime-time television program in Japan, as of 2016. SMAP officially disbanded on December 31, 2016.
Keiji Yamaguchi (山口圭司 Yamaguchi Keiji, born February 17, 1974) is a former professional boxer from Hakodate, Hokkaido…Keiji Yamaguchi (山口圭司 Yamaguchi Keiji, born February 17, 1974) is a former professional boxer from Hakodate, Hokkaido, Japan. Yamaguchi held the WBA light flyweight championship of the world, defeating Panamanian champion Carlos Murillo in 1996 via a 12th-round split decision. He became Japan's 37th world champion. After winning the world championship, he defended the title only once, defeating his old rival Carlos Murillo in mid-1996 by unanimous decision after twelve rounds. Later that year, in a surprising upset, he lost the title by TKO in just the second round to Thai challenger Pichit Chor Siriwat (formerly known as Pichitnoi Sitbangprachan) in a bout at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium. During the fight, he ducked to avoid a left punch, but as he raised his head, he was caught cleanly by a devastating right hook from Chor Siriwat. He went down hard, and although he managed to get back on his feet, he was clearly unfit to continue. The referee then stepped in and stopped the fight. Yamaguchi is known as a Japanese boxer who had multiple opportunities to fight for world titles. His first world title shot came in 1995 against South Korea's Choi Hi-yong, but he was defeated via a 12th-round split decision. He went on to challenge for two more world titles: the WBA flyweight title against Venezuela's José Bonilla in 1997, and the WBC super flyweight title against South Korea's In-Joo Cho in 1999. He was unsuccessful in both. He also fought for the WBC super flyweight international title against former Filipino world champion Gerry Peñalosa in 2001 in the Philippines, but lost by first-round TKO. He was nicknamed "Prince" because his idol was Naseem Hamed, the British-Yemeni superstar in the featherweight division. Yamaguchi adopted Hamed's flashy fighting style and even imitated his trunks design.
Yasushi Hosaka (穂坂泰, Hosaka Yasushi; born 17 February 1974) is a Japanese politician serving as a member of the House…Yasushi Hosaka (穂坂泰, Hosaka Yasushi; born 17 February 1974) is a Japanese politician serving as a member of the House of Representatives since 2017. From 2016 to 2017, he was a city councillor of Shiki.
Rando Ayamine (綾峰欄人, Ayamine Rando; born 1974) is a Japanese manga artist known for illustrating the GetBackers series.…Rando Ayamine (綾峰欄人, Ayamine Rando; born 1974) is a Japanese manga artist known for illustrating the GetBackers series. Since the completion of Get Backers, he has been working on a new manga series called Holy Talker.
Kosuke Yamashita (山下 康介, Yamashita Kōsuke; born February 17, 1974) is a Japanese composer and arranger from Hamamatsu…Kosuke Yamashita (山下 康介, Yamashita Kōsuke; born February 17, 1974) is a Japanese composer and arranger from Hamamatsu, Shizuoka. Yamashita is best known for his work on Digimon Xros Wars, Xenosaga: The Animation, and the tokusatsu television series Mahou Sentai Magiranger, Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger, and Kamen Rider Gaim. He is a member of Project.R. Yamashita often collaborates with Nobuhiko Obayashi, as Yamashita met him soon after Yamashita graduated from the Tokyo College of Music. He is a board member of the Japanese Composer Arranger Association. Since April 2011, Yamashita has been a guest lecturer at the Senzoku Gakuen College of Music. In 2013, released the album A Classical in collaboration with J-pop singer Ayumi Hamasaki. It was the first classical music album to top the Oricon album chart.
Hiroyuki Miura (三浦 弘行, Miura Hiroyuki; born February 13, 1974) is a Japanese professional shogi player, ranked 9-dan.…Hiroyuki Miura (三浦 弘行, Miura Hiroyuki; born February 13, 1974) is a Japanese professional shogi player, ranked 9-dan. He is a former Kisei title holder and became the first active Class A professional to lose to a computer when he lost to the GPS Shogi program in April 2013. In October 2016, he was falsely accused of cheating in the 29th Ryūō challenger controversy, which resulted in him losing the chance to play for the Ryūō title. A third-party investigative panel was convened and eventually cleared Miura of all charges. The panel's findings led to the resignation of the Japan Shogi Association's president as well as the dismissal of several board members.
Hollywood Zakoshisyoh (ハリウッドザコシショウ, Hariuddo Zakoshishō; born 13 February 1974) is a Japanese comedian from Shimizu-shi…Hollywood Zakoshisyoh (ハリウッドザコシショウ, Hariuddo Zakoshishō; born 13 February 1974) is a Japanese comedian from Shimizu-shi (now Shimizu-ku, Shizuoka), Shizuoka Prefecture who has appeared in many television variety shows, as well as television dramas, radio and web series. His real name is Shigeki Nakazawa (中澤 滋紀, Nakazawa Shigeki). After going through Yoshimoto Kogyo and Watanabe Entertainment, he currently belongs to the SMA NEET Project. His stage name during his kombi years was Zakoshisyoh (ザコシショウ, Zakoshishō; There was also the notation "Zako Shishō" (ザコ師匠; Zako Master)). He is nicknamed "Zakoshi," (ザコシ) "Zakoshisyoh". Martial artist Shinya Aoki is his cousin. His stage name was derived from the fact that Hulk Hogan was identifying himself as Hollywood Hulk Hogan at the time when nWo was formed.
Hiroshi Nakamura (born 1974) is a Japanese architect, who designed the Kamikatsu Zero Waste Center, receiving the…Hiroshi Nakamura (born 1974) is a Japanese architect, who designed the Kamikatsu Zero Waste Center, receiving the Dezeen, Architectural Institute of Japan and Japan Institute of Architects awards for it.
Toranosuke "Tora" Takagi (高木 虎之介; born 12 February 1974) is a Japanese former racing driver, having notably competed in…Toranosuke "Tora" Takagi (高木 虎之介; born 12 February 1974) is a Japanese former racing driver, having notably competed in Formula One from 1998 to 1999 for Tyrrell and Arrows, having served as test driver for the former in 1997. Outside of Formula One, Takagi won the 2005 Super GT series in the GT500 class alongside Yuji Tachikawa, and the 2000 Formula Nippon Championship.
Takenori Daita (代田 建紀, Daita Takenori; born February 4, 1974) is a former baseball player from Japan. He played for the…Takenori Daita (代田 建紀, Daita Takenori; born February 4, 1974) is a former baseball player from Japan. He played for the Chiba Lotte Marines, Yakult Swallows, Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes and many other teams of the Japan Pacific League.
Gaku Hashimoto (橋本 岳, Hashimoto Gaku; born 5 February 1974) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party…Gaku Hashimoto (橋本 岳, Hashimoto Gaku; born 5 February 1974) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party and a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet. He represents the 4th District of Okayama prefecture.
Eri Miyajima (宮島 依里, Miyajima Eri; born February 3, 1974) is a Japanese voice actress from Tokyo, Japan. She voices…Eri Miyajima (宮島 依里, Miyajima Eri; born February 3, 1974) is a Japanese voice actress from Tokyo, Japan. She voices Guren in Naruto: Shippuden and Kana in Haibane Renmei.
Junko Omote (Japanese: 表 純子, Hepburn: Omote Junko; born 2 February 1974)) is a Japanese professional golfer. She is a…Junko Omote (Japanese: 表 純子, Hepburn: Omote Junko; born 2 February 1974)) is a Japanese professional golfer. She is a member of the Ladies Professional Golfers' Association of Japan (LPGA of Japan) and is affiliated with the Chubu Health Inspection Center. She was born in Asaminami Ward, Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture, and graduated from Hiroshima Municipal Hiroshima Commercial High School. Omote began playing golf at the age of 18. She passed the professional exam on 22 August 1996 and joined the 68nd class of the LPGA of Japan on 1 September of that year. In 2005, she won her first tournament title at the Meiji Cup. Although she did not win again until 2005, Omote won two tournament titles that year, the second being the Stanley Ladies' Golf Tournament. After this victory she did not win again until the 2013 Yonex Ladies Tournament. In 2019, she won her first Legends Tour tournament, the LPGA Legends Championship. On 8 April 2025, Omote won the Okamoto Ayako Cup, a tournament named for her mentor. Omote is a noted Hiroshima Toyo Carp fan and has dressed in the team's colors during tournaments. Having been a fan of the team since childhood, Omote has said that she considers herself the original "carp girl," a moniker used to describe female fans of the team.
Akira Shoji (小路晃) (born January 31, 1974) is a retired Japanese mixed martial artist and professional wrestler. He is…Akira Shoji (小路晃) (born January 31, 1974) is a retired Japanese mixed martial artist and professional wrestler. He is most known as being a regular in almost all the beginning Pride Fighting Championship Shoji was in Pride 1 to Pride 7, and was part of the first Pride open weight Grand Prix in 2000. Shoji was consistently a regular in Pride, and moved from Heavyweight to Light Heavyweight (Middleweight in Pride) due to his smaller stature. Despite his losing record, Shoji was a constant favourite of the audience, and was nicknamed "Mr. Pride" for his popularity and adherence to the mixed martial arts promotion. He was known for his mic performance, die hard spirit, stellar submission escapes, razor sharp armbar and a fighting spirit demonstrated by his willingness to take on all comers. According to fight commentator Stephen Quadros and John Hyams, director of the documentary "The Smashing Machine", Shoji cleaned his house and prepared his will before every competition in case he is killed during the fight. He also worked as a judge for the Dream organization.
Rio Yamase (山瀬 理桜, Yamase Rio) is a Japanese violinist, arranger, and composer. She directed the music for the 2006…Rio Yamase (山瀬 理桜, Yamase Rio) is a Japanese violinist, arranger, and composer. She directed the music for the 2006 Studio Ghibli animation short film Mizugumo Monmon.
Noriko Munekata (宗像 記子, Munekata Noriko; born 30 January 1974) is a Japanese speed skater. She competed in the women's…Noriko Munekata (宗像 記子, Munekata Noriko; born 30 January 1974) is a Japanese speed skater. She competed in the women's 3000 metres at the 1998 Winter Olympics.
Uzi (pronounced as "Uji") is a popular Japanese hip-hop artist. He has released four major albums, most recently his…Uzi (pronounced as "Uji") is a popular Japanese hip-hop artist. He has released four major albums, most recently his “Natural 9” album released in March 2008. Uzi is one of the rappers to incorporate more overt elements of Japanese culture into his music and videos, specifically aspects referring to the samurai (to which he claims direct ancestry). He is a great example of an artist who maintains the localization of hip-hop music through his dependence on the incorporation of Japanese themes into his work. Such non-Americanization of his hip-hop music has been met with varying opinions; some view this as disrespectful of the origins of hip-hop culture, while there are those who appreciate Uzi’s apparent embracing of Japanese culture.
Tsuyoshi Nakasako (Japanese: 中迫剛; born January 29, 1974) is a Japanese retired heavyweight kickboxer who competed in…Tsuyoshi Nakasako (Japanese: 中迫剛; born January 29, 1974) is a Japanese retired heavyweight kickboxer who competed in K-1. During his ten-year career from 1998 until 2008, he fought a variety of K-1 champions including Ernesto Hoost, Peter Aerts, Remy Bonjasky, Mark Hunt, and Andy Hug.
Kōji Wada (和田 光司, Wada Kōji; January 29, 1974 – April 3, 2016) was a Japanese pop singer. He was best known for…Kōji Wada (和田 光司, Wada Kōji; January 29, 1974 – April 3, 2016) was a Japanese pop singer. He was best known for performing theme songs for several installments of the Digimon anime television series, including his recording debut in 1999 with his first and most famous single, "Butter-Fly", the theme song of the anime Digimon Adventure. He was signed with the Lantis recording label. His nickname is "Immortal Butterfly Anisong Singer" (不死蝶のアニソンシンガー).
Yasunori Nomura (born 21 January 1974 - ) is a theoretical physicist working on particle physics, quantum gravity, and…Yasunori Nomura (born 21 January 1974 - ) is a theoretical physicist working on particle physics, quantum gravity, and cosmology. He is a professor of physics at University of California, Berkeley, a senior faculty scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, a senior research scientist at Riken, and an affiliate member at Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe. Since 2015, he has been the director of the Berkeley Center for Theoretical Physics.
Fuyuko Matsui (松井冬子, Matsui Fuyuko; born January 20, 1974) is a contemporary Japanese artist, specialized in Nihonga…Fuyuko Matsui (松井冬子, Matsui Fuyuko; born January 20, 1974) is a contemporary Japanese artist, specialized in Nihonga paintings. She is known for her "new Kusozu" series. Matsui has been making her works based on her psychoanalysis results, putting heavy weight on her feelings and interests in violence, experience of loss, repression, stress, and trauma. Through the process of self-investigation, she found her works common to all living beings—life and death, sex, self-love, self-mutilation, self and the other, this world and the next, desire and passions.
Makoto Kawamoto (川本真琴, Kawamoto Makoto; born January 19, 1974), is a Japanese pop singer, songwriter and…Makoto Kawamoto (川本真琴, Kawamoto Makoto; born January 19, 1974), is a Japanese pop singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Fukui, Japan. She currently sings under the pseudonym Tiger Fake Fur.
Yoshiyoshi Arakawa (荒川 良々, Arakawa Yoshiyoshi; born January 18, 1974, in Ogi, Saga) is a Japanese actor. His real name…Yoshiyoshi Arakawa (荒川 良々, Arakawa Yoshiyoshi; born January 18, 1974, in Ogi, Saga) is a Japanese actor. His real name is Yoshitomo Arakawa (荒川 良友, Arakawa Yoshitomo). He is represented with Otona Keikaku. He graduated from Ryukoku High School.
Noriko Koiso (née Hamaguchi, 小磯典子、旧姓濱口、born 15 January 1974) is a Japanese former basketball player who competed in the…Noriko Koiso (née Hamaguchi, 小磯典子、旧姓濱口、born 15 January 1974) is a Japanese former basketball player who competed in the 1996 Summer Olympics and in the 2004 Summer Olympics.
Atsuko Nagai (長井 淳子, Nagai Atsuko; born 14 January 1974) is a Japanese judoka. She was born in Ageo, Saitama, and began…Atsuko Nagai (長井 淳子, Nagai Atsuko; born 14 January 1974) is a Japanese judoka. She was born in Ageo, Saitama, and began judo at the age of a second grader. She entered Komatsu Limited after graduating from Saitama University in 1998. She was known as a rival of Ryoko Tamura. She fought with Tamura 10 times and was defeated 10 times, but never by Ippon. In 2000, after Tamura won gold medal at Olympic Games, Nagai retired. As of 2008, Nagai coaches judo at Komatsu Limited, and Ayumi Tanimoto, one of her pupil, inherits the skill of Uchimata that Nagai was good at.
Akari Kaida (海田 明里, Kaida Akari; born January 10, 1974) is a Japanese video game music composer. She composed various…Akari Kaida (海田 明里, Kaida Akari; born January 10, 1974) is a Japanese video game music composer. She composed various soundtracks for Capcom games, including multiple in the Mega Man series. She has occasionally been credited as Akari Groves, taking the surname of her husband.
Toyoki Takeda (武田 豊樹, Takeda Toyoki; born 9 January 1974) is a Japanese speed skater. He competed in two events at the…Toyoki Takeda (武田 豊樹, Takeda Toyoki; born 9 January 1974) is a Japanese speed skater. He competed in two events at the 2002 Winter Olympics.
Kenta Shinohara (篠原 健太, Shinohara Kenta; born 9 January 1974) is a Japanese manga artist. He is best known for his…Kenta Shinohara (篠原 健太, Shinohara Kenta; born 9 January 1974) is a Japanese manga artist. He is best known for his manga series Sket Dance, which was serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 2007 to 2013 and won the Shogakukan Manga Award in 2010. His next series, Astra Lost in Space, serialized on Shonen Jump+ from 2016 to 2017 and won the 2019 Manga Taishō. Shinohara began serializing his currently ongoing series Witch Watch in Weekly Shōnen Jump in 2021.
Mayo Okamoto (岡本 真夜, Okamoto Mayo; born January 9, 1974, in Nakamura, Kōchi) is a Japanese pop singer and songwriter.…Mayo Okamoto (岡本 真夜, Okamoto Mayo; born January 9, 1974, in Nakamura, Kōchi) is a Japanese pop singer and songwriter. Her 1995 debut single "Tomorrow" peaked at number 1 on the Oricon weekly single charts. This was the theme song for TBS drama "Second Chance" in 1995, and covered for rhythm game Donkey Konga 3 in 2005. She released her greatest hits album Rise 1 in 2000. The album topped the Oricon weekly album charts. Her song "Itsuka Kitto" is the Japanese theme song for the dub of Chicken Little.
Yumiko Takahashi (高橋 由美子, Takahashi Yumiko; born 7 January 1974, in Ōmiya-ku (formerly Ōmiya), Saitama, Saitama) is a…Yumiko Takahashi (高橋 由美子, Takahashi Yumiko; born 7 January 1974, in Ōmiya-ku (formerly Ōmiya), Saitama, Saitama) is a Japanese actress and singer. She is nicknamed "Good-P" short for Good Personality. She has had prominent roles in a number of television series, feature films and stage productions. As a singer she has released ten albums. Following the prominence of idols such as Momoe Yamaguchi in the 1970s, and Seiko Matsuda, Akina Nakamori, Kyoko Koizumi, and Yoko Minamino in the 1980s, the 1990s was characterized as the "Idol Winter" due to a decline in the genre's popularity. During this period, the media referred to Takahashi as "the last orthodox idol of the 20th century." She has been represented with several agencies, including Big Apple, Hirata Office, Toho Entertainment, and Konni.
Sang-il Lee (Japanese: 李 相日, Hepburn: Ri San'iru; Korean: 이상일, born January 6, 1974) is a film director based in Japan.…Sang-il Lee (Japanese: 李 相日, Hepburn: Ri San'iru; Korean: 이상일, born January 6, 1974) is a film director based in Japan. He is a third-generation Zainichi Korean born in Niigata and raised in Yokohama, Japan. His films often explore human conflict and societal issues. He has received multiple awards at the Japan Academy Film Prize, including Picture of the Year and Director of the Year. Lee began his career with his graduation project from the Japan Institute of the Moving Image, Blue – Chong (1999). The coming-of-age film, featuring a main character who attends a North Korean-affiliated high school mirroring Lee's own background, won four awards including the Grand Prize at the 2000 Pia Film Festival (PFF). His 2006 film Hula Girls, which depicts coal miners' daughters saving their declining town through hula dancing, won Best Picture and Best Director at the Japan Academy Film Prize, and was selected as Japan's official entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the 79th Academy Awards. He subsequently directed adaptations of Shuichi Yoshida's novels. Villain (2010), which depicts the aftermath of a murder, and Rage (2016), an ensemble drama exploring suspicion and trust, both received numerous Japan Academy nominations and acting awards. In addition to directing a Japanese remake of Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven (2013) and the kidnapping drama The Wandering Moon (2022), Lee directed his third Yoshida adaptation, Kokuho (2025). The film, which depicts the lives of kabuki actors, grossed over 20.34 billion yen, surpassing Bayside Shakedown 2 to become the highest-grossing live-action Japanese film in history. It won 10 categories at the 49th Japan Academy Film Prize and earned a nomination for Best Makeup and Hairstyling at the 98th Academy Awards. In 2025, Lee received the Akira Kurosawa Award at the 38th Tokyo International Film Festival. The following year, he was awarded the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's Art Encouragement Prize from the Agency for Cultural Affairs, as well as the Japan Art Academy Prize.
Yutaka Yoshie (Japanese: 吉江 豊, Hepburn: Yoshie Yutaka; January 5, 1974 – March 10, 2024) was a Japanese professional…Yutaka Yoshie (Japanese: 吉江 豊, Hepburn: Yoshie Yutaka; January 5, 1974 – March 10, 2024) was a Japanese professional wrestler, who worked as a freelancer in Japan, performing most notably for All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), where he was a former World Tag Team Champion. He had previously worked for promotions such as New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was a former IWGP Tag Team Champion, Pro Wrestling Noah and Pro Wrestling Zero1.
Kengo Hanazawa (花沢 健吾, Hanazawa Kengo; born January 5, 1974) is a Japanese manga artist, known for his seinen works. He…Kengo Hanazawa (花沢 健吾, Hanazawa Kengo; born January 5, 1974) is a Japanese manga artist, known for his seinen works. He won the Topic Award of the 2005 Sense of Gender Awards for Ressentiment and was nominated for the 3rd, 4th and 5th Manga Taisho for I Am a Hero. In 2013, I Am a Hero won the 58th Shogakukan Manga Award in the General category. I Am a Hero has received a live-action film adaptation, directed by Shinsuke Sato. His series Boys on the Run was also adapted into a live-action film in 2010. He formerly worked as Osamu Uoto's assistant.
Hiroko Kurumizawa (胡桃沢 ひろこ, Kurumizawa Hiroko) is a Japanese singer. In 1991, she became a member of Sakurakko Club…Hiroko Kurumizawa (胡桃沢 ひろこ, Kurumizawa Hiroko) is a Japanese singer. In 1991, she became a member of Sakurakko Club, together with Anza Oyama, Miki Nakatani, Miho Kanno, and Noriko Katō. Her real name is Hiroko Yamazaki (山崎 裕子, Yamazaki Hiroko).
Hiroko Tamoto (田本 博子, Tamoto Hiroko) (born January 3, 1974) is a Japanese softball player who played as a Center Field.…Hiroko Tamoto (田本 博子, Tamoto Hiroko) (born January 3, 1974) is a Japanese softball player who played as a Center Field. She won the silver medal in the 2000 Summer Olympics.
Narutaka Ozawa (小沢登高, Ozawa Narutaka) (born 1974) is a Japanese mathematician, known for his work in operator algebras…Narutaka Ozawa (小沢登高, Ozawa Narutaka) (born 1974) is a Japanese mathematician, known for his work in operator algebras and discrete groups. He has been a professor at Kyoto University since 2013. He earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics in 1997 from the University of Tokyo and a Ph.D. in mathematics in 2000 from the same institution. One year later he received a Ph.D. in mathematics from Texas A&M University. He was selected for one of the prestigious Sloan Research Fellowships in 2005 and was an invited speaker at the 2006 ICM in Madrid where he gave a talk on "Amenable actions and Applications". He has won numerous prizes including the Mathematical Society of Japan (MSJ) Spring Prize and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Prize. Before becoming a full professor at Kyoto University in 2013, he was an associate professor at the University of Tokyo and at University of California, Los Angeles.
Hiroshi Nishio (Japanese: 西尾 孔志, Hepburn: Nishio Hiroshi) is a Japanese film director, animator, and writer born in…Hiroshi Nishio (Japanese: 西尾 孔志, Hepburn: Nishio Hiroshi) is a Japanese film director, animator, and writer born in 1974 in Osaka, where he is currently based. Nishio started his career as an animator on anime including "Moldiver" and the TV series Sosei kishi Gaiasu. As a teenager, he started working on sets of movies by Japanese director Kinji Fukasaku. He moved on from animation, starting off with short films, before making his first feature film National Anthem—a horror film—in 2003. His next movie was the surreal Ochon-chan: Pussy's Adventures in Love and Revolution (Ochonchan no ai to bōken to kakumei おちょんちゃんの愛と冒険と革命) in 2005. Ochon-chan was picked for Osaka's CO2 Film Festival, and then was one of two movies selected from that to feature at the 2005 Raindance Film Festival in London. His most recent film Hakodate Coffee was shot in Hokkaido, Japan, and was based on the manga of the same name. His recent movies are often generally quirky dramas, with a touch of comedy, set in rural Japan. Nishio won the Osaka Film Festival New Director's Award in 2013, for Souru furawâ torein. His most recent movie is the human comedy drama, Shining Star Kuzu.
Aiko Miyanaga (born 1974) is a contemporary Japanese artist known for sculpture and installation works that give visual…Aiko Miyanaga (born 1974) is a contemporary Japanese artist known for sculpture and installation works that give visual form to time by revealing the evidential traces of its passing. Miyanaga has made many works using naphthalene which leads to the disintegration of the work over time.
Takashi Okazaki (岡崎 能士, Okazaki Takashi) (born March 18, 1974) is a Japanese manga artist, visual designer and graphic…Takashi Okazaki (岡崎 能士, Okazaki Takashi) (born March 18, 1974) is a Japanese manga artist, visual designer and graphic designer, most notable for writing and illustrating the manga series Afro Samurai.
Shimoku Kio (木尾 士目, Kio Shimoku; born 1974) is a Japanese manga artist best known for his manga Genshiken, which was…Shimoku Kio (木尾 士目, Kio Shimoku; born 1974) is a Japanese manga artist best known for his manga Genshiken, which was originally serialized in Kodansha's Monthly Afternoon. Kodansha later published its volumes in Japan, and by Del Rey in the United States. Genshiken is an anime, manga, and light novel series about a college otaku club and its members.
