Kei Nakazawa (中沢 けい, Nakazawa Kei; born 1959) is the professional name of Emiko Honda (本田 恵美子, Honda Emiko), a Japanese…Kei Nakazawa (中沢 けい, Nakazawa Kei; born 1959) is the professional name of Emiko Honda (本田 恵美子, Honda Emiko), a Japanese writer and professor. Nakazawa has won the Gunzo Prize for New Writers and the Noma Literary New Face Prize, and two of her novels have been adapted for film. Since 2005 she has been a professor of literature at Hosei University.
Kohei Otsuka (大塚 耕平, Ōtsuka Kōhei; 5 October 1959 – 2 March 2026) was a Japanese politician. He was a leader of the…Kohei Otsuka (大塚 耕平, Ōtsuka Kōhei; 5 October 1959 – 2 March 2026) was a Japanese politician. He was a leader of the Democratic Party for the People (DPP) and the Democratic Party (DP). A native of Nagoya, Aichi, he attended Waseda University and received a Ph.D. in fiscal and monetary policies and reforms. Afterwards, he worked at the Bank of Japan from 1983 to 2000 before being elected to the House of Councillors for the first time in 2001.
Miki Watanabe (渡邉 美樹, Watanabe Miki; born October 5, 1959) is a Japanese entrepreneur and politician. He founded the…Miki Watanabe (渡邉 美樹, Watanabe Miki; born October 5, 1959) is a Japanese entrepreneur and politician. He founded the Watami chain of izakaya restaurants and headed the company until 2011, when he resigned to run in the 2011 Tokyo gubernatorial election. Watanabe's run for the governorship of Tokyo was inspired by Michael Bloomberg's mayorship of New York City. Watanabe came in third with 16.8%, losing to incumbent governor Shintaro Ishihara.
Yu Tokui (徳井 優, Tokui Yū; born September 28, 1959) is a Japanese actor. He has appeared in more than 90 films since…Yu Tokui (徳井 優, Tokui Yū; born September 28, 1959) is a Japanese actor. He has appeared in more than 90 films since 1987.
Hiroyuki Kakudō (角銅博之, Kakudō Hiroyuki; born September 28, 1959) is a Japanese anime director from Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka…Hiroyuki Kakudō (角銅博之, Kakudō Hiroyuki; born September 28, 1959) is a Japanese anime director from Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka Prefecture. He graduated from Toyo University's Faculty of Letters. In 1978, while in college, he was a founding member of Group Ebisen, an independent animation production and screening group. He began working for Toei Animation in 1983, where he trained under Yugo Serikawa. He is best known for directing the first two Digimon series.
Masashi Adachi (阿達 雅志 Adachi Masashi, b. September 27, 1959) is a Japanese politician who serves as a member of the…Masashi Adachi (阿達 雅志 Adachi Masashi, b. September 27, 1959) is a Japanese politician who serves as a member of the Senate and as a State Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications.
Kimikazu Suzuki (鈴木貴美一, Suzuki Kimikazu) is a former Japanese basketball coach and player. He was most recently the…Kimikazu Suzuki (鈴木貴美一, Suzuki Kimikazu) is a former Japanese basketball coach and player. He was most recently the head coach of SeaHorses Mikawa. Suzuki served as head coach of the Japan national basketball team two times. His first term was from 2006 to 2007, while his second one was from May 2012 until 2014. After Mikawa finished fifth in their division with a 27–33 record, Suzuki announced in May 2023 that he would be stepping down as the team's head coach.
Kimie Shingyoji (真行寺 君枝, Shingyōji Kimie; born September 24, 1959 in Tokyo, Japan) is an actress and model in Japan.…Kimie Shingyoji (真行寺 君枝, Shingyōji Kimie; born September 24, 1959 in Tokyo, Japan) is an actress and model in Japan. She has appeared in films Eureka, Station To Heaven, Natsumeke No Shokutaku, and Shark Skin Man and Peach Hip Girl. In the 1980s she married Hiroshi Oguchi, a Tokyo scene celebrity, and drummer of bands The Tempters and Vodka Collins. Oguchi made a photographic essay of his wife in the book Made in Love in 1989.
Kamui Fujiwara (藤原 カムイ, Fujiwara Kamui; born September 23, 1959 in Arakawa, Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese character…Kamui Fujiwara (藤原 カムイ, Fujiwara Kamui; born September 23, 1959 in Arakawa, Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese character designer and manga artist. Fujiwara's father was a soldier in the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. He graduated from the Kuwasawa Design School. Fujiwara won an honorable mention in 1979 for his debut manga titled Itsu mo no Asa ni in the 18th Tezuka Award along with Toshio Nobe (also an honorable mention) and Tsukasa Hojo, who won the top prize awarded. He was heavily influenced by Katsuhiro Otomo, and a defining feature of his work is the fine attention to detail. His pen name "Kamui" has its origins in the name of the Ainu god of creation, Kamuy, and he has used it since high school. He has had stories published in the manga anthology series Petit Apple Pie.
Tatsuya Ishii (石井竜也, Ishii Tatsuya), also known as Tatuya Ishii (born September 22, 1959) is a Japanese…Tatsuya Ishii (石井竜也, Ishii Tatsuya), also known as Tatuya Ishii (born September 22, 1959) is a Japanese singer-songwriter, artist, and industrial designer from Ibaraki Prefecture.
Noriko Hayami (速水 典子, Hayami Noriko) is a Japanese actress most known for played the lead role in the 1985 film Love…Noriko Hayami (速水 典子, Hayami Noriko) is a Japanese actress most known for played the lead role in the 1985 film Love Hotel. She was also the supporting actress in many additional films. On television, Noriko was the lead actress in Sora o Tonda Kome Sōba (空を飛んだ米相場), Episode #29 of Abarenbō Shōgun V.
Chizuko Takahashi (高橋 千鶴子, Takahashi Chizuko; born 16 September 1959) is a Japanese politician and a former member of…Chizuko Takahashi (高橋 千鶴子, Takahashi Chizuko; born 16 September 1959) is a Japanese politician and a former member of House of Representatives. She is a member of the Japanese Communist Party.
Hisashi Kaneko (金子 久, Kaneko Hisashi; born September 12, 1959) is a former Japanese football player. He played for…Hisashi Kaneko (金子 久, Kaneko Hisashi; born September 12, 1959) is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team.
Kenji Kanasugi (金杉 憲治, Kanasugi Kenji; born September 11, 1959) is the current Japanese ambassador to China. He is…Kenji Kanasugi (金杉 憲治, Kanasugi Kenji; born September 11, 1959) is the current Japanese ambassador to China. He is known for his extensive contributions to Japan's foreign relations in East Asia, particularly with China and the broader Asia–Pacific region. Joining Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1983, he has held numerous significant roles in Japanese government and foreign affairs throughout his career. Kanasugi's expertise spans both economic and regional diplomacy. Notable positions he has held include Director-General of the Economic Affairs Bureau and the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau. His work involved managing key international relations, such as coordinating meetings between Japanese and Chinese leaders, including then-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese president Xi Jinping. Additionally, Kanasugi served as a Senior Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs in charge of economic issues, emphasizing his focus on economic diplomacy. In 2020, Kanasugi became Japan's ambassador to Indonesia, where he worked on strengthening bilateral ties and addressing regional challenges. In October 2023, he was appointed Japan's ambassador to China. This marked a strategic move as he became the first ambassador in seven years outside the “China School” (a group of diplomats with specialized training in Chinese language and affairs). His appointment reflects Japan's intent to manage sensitive issues with China, such as maritime territorial disputes and economic tensions, through pragmatic and diplomatic approaches. Kanasugi's tenure as ambassador to China focuses on critical issues, including addressing Beijing's concerns about Japan's wastewater release from the Fukushima nuclear plant. He emphasizes the need for calm, science-based dialogue to resolve conflicts and stabilize Japan-China relations.
Toshihiko Okimune (沖宗 敏彦, Okimune Toshihiko; born September 7, 1959) is a former Japanese football player. He played…Toshihiko Okimune (沖宗 敏彦, Okimune Toshihiko; born September 7, 1959) is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team.
Kenji Katsube (born 6 September 1959, in Hokkaido, Japan) is a Japanese politician who has served as a member of the…Kenji Katsube (born 6 September 1959, in Hokkaido, Japan) is a Japanese politician who has served as a member of the House of Councillors of Japan since 2019. He is one of the six representatives of the Hokkaido at-large district, and is a member of the Constitutional Democratic Party.
Tetsuya Nakashima (中島哲也) (born 1959) is a Japanese film director and screenwriter. He was born in Fukuoka, attending…Tetsuya Nakashima (中島哲也) (born 1959) is a Japanese film director and screenwriter. He was born in Fukuoka, attending high school in Chikushino. His 2010 film Confessions was awarded Best Picture at the Japanese Academy Awards, where Nakashima was also awarded Director of the Year and Screenplay of the Year. At the Asian Film Awards, the film was nominated for Best Film and Best Director, among other categories. Confessions was also selected as the Japanese entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the 83rd Academy Awards and made the final shortlist in January 2011. Nakashima was given the Best Director award at the 2005 Yokohama Film Festival for his film Kamikaze Girls, which also won Best Film. For Kamikaze Girls, he also won Best Film and Best Director at the 14th Japan Film Professional Awards. His 2006 film Memories of Matsuko received 14 nominations at the 30th Japanese Academy Awards, including Picture of the Year and Director of the Year. In 2014, he was nominated for the Audience Choice Award at the Chicago International Film Festival, for his film The World of Kanako. He was originally slated to direct an adaptation of the hit manga Attack on Titan, but in December 2012 he left the project due to differences with the rest of the production team.
Kazuyoshi Katayama (片山 一良, Katayama Kazuyoshi) is a Japanese animator and director who directed The Big O and the King…Kazuyoshi Katayama (片山 一良, Katayama Kazuyoshi) is a Japanese animator and director who directed The Big O and the King of Thorn film.
Haruhiko Mikimoto (美樹本 晴彦, Mikimoto Haruhiko; born Haruhiko Satō (佐藤晴彦, Satō Haruhiko), August 28, 1959, in Tokyo…Haruhiko Mikimoto (美樹本 晴彦, Mikimoto Haruhiko; born Haruhiko Satō (佐藤晴彦, Satō Haruhiko), August 28, 1959, in Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese anime character designer, illustrator and manga artist. Mostly active during the 1980s, during that decade he rose to prominence and is considered one of the top character designers of his time. He graduated from Keio University, and attended the university in the same years as Macross creator Shōji Kawamori and screenwriter Hiroshi Ōnogi. He joined the animation studio Artland while attending school, and was character designer in several anime series, including The Super Dimension Fortress Macross, Macross 7, Gunbuster and Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress.
Emi Catherine Watanabe (渡部 絵美, Watanabe Emi; born August 27, 1959), is a Japanese former competitive figure skater who…Emi Catherine Watanabe (渡部 絵美, Watanabe Emi; born August 27, 1959), is a Japanese former competitive figure skater who is the 1979 World bronze medalist and an eight-time Japanese national champion. She was the first skater to medal for Japan in ladies' singles at the World Championships.
Hiromitsu Takano (Japanese: 高野裕光, born 25 August 1959) is a Japanese judoka. He competed in the men's half-middleweight…Hiromitsu Takano (Japanese: 高野裕光, born 25 August 1959) is a Japanese judoka. He competed in the men's half-middleweight event at the 1984 Summer Olympics.
Keita Amemiya (雨宮 慶太, Amemiya Keita; born 24 August 1959) is a Japanese film and television director, screenwriter and…Keita Amemiya (雨宮 慶太, Amemiya Keita; born 24 August 1959) is a Japanese film and television director, screenwriter and character designer from Urayasu, Chiba. He directed the films Mirai Ninja (1988), Zeiram (1991), Kamen Rider ZO (1993), and Kamen Rider J (1994), and created the tokusatsu franchise Garo in 2005.
Hiroshi Ōnogi (大野木 寛, Ōnogi Hiroshi; born 1959) is a Japanese screenwriter and novelist focusing on anime productions.…Hiroshi Ōnogi (大野木 寛, Ōnogi Hiroshi; born 1959) is a Japanese screenwriter and novelist focusing on anime productions. Ōnogi attended Keio University in the same years as Macross character designer Haruhiko Mikimoto and creator Shōji Kawamori, both of whom he would first collaborate with in The Super Dimension Fortress Macross.
Hideto Ōnishi (大西 秀人, Ōnishi Hideto; born 23 August 1959) is a Japanese politician and the current mayor of Takamatsu…Hideto Ōnishi (大西 秀人, Ōnishi Hideto; born 23 August 1959) is a Japanese politician and the current mayor of Takamatsu, the capital city of Kagawa Prefecture, Japan.
Akino Arai (新居 昭乃, Arai Akino; born August 21, 1959, in Tokyo) is a Japanese singer, songwriter, and lyricist for…Akino Arai (新居 昭乃, Arai Akino; born August 21, 1959, in Tokyo) is a Japanese singer, songwriter, and lyricist for various anime theme songs and shows, including Record of Lodoss War, Please Save My Earth, Macross Plus, Outlaw Star, Kaze no Stigma, Maoyu, and Aria The Origination.
Michihiro Kandori (神取道宏, Kandori Michihiro; born 21 August 1959) is a Japanese economist. He is a professor at the…Michihiro Kandori (神取道宏, Kandori Michihiro; born 21 August 1959) is a Japanese economist. He is a professor at the University of Tokyo. Kandori is the President of the Game Theory Society, replacing Matthew O. Jackson in 2023.
Kazuki Nakashima (中島 かずき, Nakashima Kazuki; born August 19, 1959 in Fukuoka, Japan) is a Japanese playwright, novelist…Kazuki Nakashima (中島 かずき, Nakashima Kazuki; born August 19, 1959 in Fukuoka, Japan) is a Japanese playwright, novelist, contributing editor and screenwriter. In addition to working on Getter Robo, he is a fan of Ken Ishikawa.
Mitsutaka Fujita (藤田 光孝, Fujita Mitsutaka; August 16, 1959 – March 18, 1998) was a Japanese physicist. He proposed the…Mitsutaka Fujita (藤田 光孝, Fujita Mitsutaka; August 16, 1959 – March 18, 1998) was a Japanese physicist. He proposed the edge state that is unique to graphene zigzag edges. Also, he theoretically pointed out the importance and peculiarity of nanoscale and edge shape effects in nanographene. The theoretical concept of graphene nanoribbons was introduced by him and his research group to study the nanoscale effect of graphene. He was an associate professor at Tsukuba University, and died of a subarachnoid hemorrhage on March 18, 1998. His posthumous name is Rikakuin-Shinju-Houkou-Koji (理覚院深珠放光居士) in Japanese.
Kazumi Yamashita (山下 和美, Yamashita Kazumi; born 15 August 1959 in Otaru, Hokkaido) is a Japanese manga artist.…Kazumi Yamashita (山下 和美, Yamashita Kazumi; born 15 August 1959 in Otaru, Hokkaido) is a Japanese manga artist. Yamashita started her career as a shōjo manga artist. She made her debut as a professional artist in 1980 in the magazine Margaret. In her early years, she was inspired by the style of Mariko Iwadate. She is best known for The Life of Genius Professor Yanagizawa, which is being published in the seinen magazine Morning, and for which she received the 2003 Kodansha Manga Award for general manga. The main character of the manga is modeled after her father. For her series Land she received the Grand Prize at the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize 2021.
Makate Asai (朝井 まかて, Asai Makate) is a Japanese writer of historical fiction. She has won the Naoki Prize and the Oda…Makate Asai (朝井 まかて, Asai Makate) is a Japanese writer of historical fiction. She has won the Naoki Prize and the Oda Sakunosuke Prize, and two of her novels have been adapted for television by NHK.
Hisayasu Satō (佐藤 寿保, Satō Hisayasu; born 15 August 1959 in Shizuoka City, Japan) is a Japanese exploitation film…Hisayasu Satō (佐藤 寿保, Satō Hisayasu; born 15 August 1959 in Shizuoka City, Japan) is a Japanese exploitation film director. He has worked prolifically in the genre of pinku eiga films, which refers to Japanese films that prominently feature nudity or sexual content. His best-known works are the 1992 pink film The Bedroom and the 1996 V-Cinema splatter film Splatter: Naked Blood. He is known for his "sledgehammer" filmmaking style, and using his exploitation career to tackle serious subjects like obsession, alienation, perversion and voyeurism. He has been likened to Canadian director David Cronenberg due to his penchant for body horror as well as dark eroticism. Along with fellow directors Kazuhiro Sano, Toshiki Satō and Takahisa Zeze, he is known as one of the "Four Heavenly Kings of Pink" (ピンク四天王, pinku shitenno).
Yukari Fujimoto (藤本 由香里, Fujimoto Yukari) is a manga researcher and professor of global Japanese studies at Meiji…Yukari Fujimoto (藤本 由香里, Fujimoto Yukari) is a manga researcher and professor of global Japanese studies at Meiji University. She was born in Kumamoto Prefecture. She was an editor for Chikuma Shobō. She is a manga critic, gender theorist, author, and liberal feminist. She is a member of the Agency for Cultural Affairs awards selection committee. She is also a member of the Japanese National Diet Library legal deposit deliberation committee.
Shigeko Uchida (内田 滋子, Uchida Shigeko), known by the pen name Shungicu Uchida (内田春菊, Uchida Shungiku), is a Japanese…Shigeko Uchida (内田 滋子, Uchida Shigeko), known by the pen name Shungicu Uchida (内田春菊, Uchida Shungiku), is a Japanese manga artist, novelist, essayist, actress, and singer.
Shinji Tarutoko (樽床 伸二, Tarutoko Shinji; born 6 August 1959) is a Japanese politician and former member of the House of…Shinji Tarutoko (樽床 伸二, Tarutoko Shinji; born 6 August 1959) is a Japanese politician and former member of the House of Representatives.
Koichi Tanaka (田中 耕一, Tanaka Kōichi; born August 3, 1959) is a Japanese electrical engineer who shared the Nobel Prize…Koichi Tanaka (田中 耕一, Tanaka Kōichi; born August 3, 1959) is a Japanese electrical engineer who shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2002 for developing a novel method for mass spectrometric analyses of biological macromolecules with John Bennett Fenn and Kurt Wüthrich (the latter for work in NMR spectroscopy).
Otomo Yoshihide (大友 良英, Ōtomo Yoshihide; born August 1, 1959) is a Japanese composer and multi-instrumentalist. He…Otomo Yoshihide (大友 良英, Ōtomo Yoshihide; born August 1, 1959) is a Japanese composer and multi-instrumentalist. He mainly plays guitar, turntables and electronics. He first came to international prominence in the 1990s as the leader of the experimental rock group Ground Zero, and has since worked in a variety of contexts, ranging from free improvisation to noise, jazz, avant-garde and contemporary classical. He is also a pioneering figure in the EAI-scene, and is featured on important records on labels like Erstwhile Records. He has composed music for many films, television dramas, and commercials. In 2017, Otomo became the 2nd Guest Artistic Director of The Sapporo International Art Festival 2017.
Satoshi Yamaguchi (山口 悟, Yamaguchi Satoshi; born August 1, 1959) is a former Japanese football player. He played for…Satoshi Yamaguchi (山口 悟, Yamaguchi Satoshi; born August 1, 1959) is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team.
Katsuo Hirata (平田 勝男, Hirata Katsuo; born July 31, 1959) is a former professional baseball player from Matsuura…Katsuo Hirata (平田 勝男, Hirata Katsuo; born July 31, 1959) is a former professional baseball player from Matsuura, Nagasaki, Japan.
Hiroshi Soejima (副島 博志, Soejima Hiroshi; born July 26, 1959) is a former Japanese football player and manager. He…Hiroshi Soejima (副島 博志, Soejima Hiroshi; born July 26, 1959) is a former Japanese football player and manager. He played for Japan national team.
Yoshio Sakamoto (Japanese: 坂本 賀勇, Hepburn: Sakamoto Yoshio; born July 23, 1959) is a Japanese video game designer…Yoshio Sakamoto (Japanese: 坂本 賀勇, Hepburn: Sakamoto Yoshio; born July 23, 1959) is a Japanese video game designer, director, and producer. He is a Senior officer at Nintendo EPD. He has worked at Nintendo since 1982. He has directed several games in the Metroid series and worked on series such as Rhythm Heaven, Tomodachi Life and WarioWare. He is one of the most prominent members of Nintendo's former Research and Development 1 division, along with Gunpei Yokoi and Toru Osawa.
Akio Kuwazawa (桑沢 秋雄, Kuwazawa Akio; born 22 July 1959) is a Japanese former cyclist. He competed in the team pursuit…Akio Kuwazawa (桑沢 秋雄, Kuwazawa Akio; born 22 July 1959) is a Japanese former cyclist. He competed in the team pursuit and the points race events at the 1984 Summer Olympics.
Shinichi Yokoyama (横山 信一, Yokoyama Shin'ichi; born July 21, 1959) is a Japanese politician who is a member of the House…Shinichi Yokoyama (横山 信一, Yokoyama Shin'ichi; born July 21, 1959) is a Japanese politician who is a member of the House of Councillors of Japan.
Kazumi Saeki (佐伯 一麦, Saeki Kazumi; born July 21, 1959 in Sendai) is a Japanese novelist from Sendai in Miyagi…Kazumi Saeki (佐伯 一麦, Saeki Kazumi; born July 21, 1959 in Sendai) is a Japanese novelist from Sendai in Miyagi prefecture. Kazumi (meaning one wheat) is his pen name, adopted because of his fondness for Van Gogh's paintings of wheat fields. His experiences in the 2011 Great Tohoku Kanto earthquake were recounted in an op-ed piece in the New York Times under the title, "In Japan, No Time Yet for Grief" translated by Seiji M. Lippit. After graduating from high school he moved to Tokyo and worked various jobs including in magazines and as an electrician for 10 years. In the op-ed he writes: "Before I became a writer, I worked for 10 years as an electrician, until I suffered asbestos poisoning. My main job was to travel around Tokyo, repairing lights, including street lamps and the hallway and stairway lights in apartment buildings." His 1990 novel Short Circuit was based on those experiences working as an electrician. The following year, 1991, he returned with his wife to his hometown of Sendai, where he has lived since. In 1997 he spent a year in Norway, writing about those experiences in the novel Norge, for which he received the 2007 Noma Literary Prize.
Kiyotaka Sugiyama (杉山 清貴, Sugiyama Kiyotaka; born July 17, 1959) is a Japanese singer-songwriter known for being the…Kiyotaka Sugiyama (杉山 清貴, Sugiyama Kiyotaka; born July 17, 1959) is a Japanese singer-songwriter known for being the lead vocalist of S. Kiyotaka & Omega Tribe. Debuting in 1983 with the band, Sugiyama began his solo career in 1986 after the band's disbandment the previous year. As the lead singer of S. Kiyotaka & Omega Tribe, he was the lead voice on songs such as "Summer Suspicion" and "Futari no Natsu Monogatari", while as a solo artist he has had multiple hit songs including "Sayonara Ocean", "Saigo no Holy Night", and "Mizu no Naka no Answer". Sugiyama has currently released a total of 27 albums throughout his solo career, with his debut album Beyond… (1986) reaching 1st place on the Oricon charts, with subsequent albums in the 80s also being in the top ten of the album charts. Sugiyama has been described as one of the artists who shaped city pop's image, utilizing newer synths and his vocals.
