Shōzō Uchii (内井 昭蔵, Uchii Shōzō) was a Japanese architect and academic authority on the works of Frank Lloyd Wright.…Shōzō Uchii (内井 昭蔵, Uchii Shōzō) was a Japanese architect and academic authority on the works of Frank Lloyd Wright. Known for the design of landmark structures such as the Setagaya Art Museum, Oita City Museum of Art, and the Fukiage Palace, the residence on the grounds of the Tokyo Imperial Palace for the Emperor of Japan. Uchii was awarded the R.S Reynolds Memorial Prize in 1980 for his design of the Treasury building of the Kuon-ji Temple in Minobu, Yamanashi Prefecture.
Yoko Ono (Japanese: 小野 洋子, romanized: Ono Yōko, usually spelled in katakana as オノ・ヨーコ; born February 18, 1933) is a…Yoko Ono (Japanese: 小野 洋子, romanized: Ono Yōko, usually spelled in katakana as オノ・ヨーコ; born February 18, 1933) is a Japanese retired artist, musician, and peace activist. Her work also encompasses performance art and filmmaking. Ono was born and grew up in Tokyo and moved to New York City in 1952 to join her family. She became involved with New York City's downtown artists scene in the early 1960s, which included the Fluxus group, and became widely known outside the contemporary art world in 1969 when she married English musician John Lennon of the Beatles, with whom she would subsequently record as a duo in the Plastic Ono Band. The couple used their honeymoon as a stage for public protests against the Vietnam War with what they called a bed-in. She and Lennon remained married until he was murdered in front of the couple's apartment building, The Dakota, on December 8, 1980. Together, they had one son, Sean, who later also became a musician. Ono began a career in popular music in 1969, forming the Plastic Ono Band with Lennon and producing a number of avant-garde music albums in the 1970s. She achieved commercial and critical success in 1980 with the chart-topping album Double Fantasy, a collaboration with Lennon which was released three weeks before his murder, winning the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. To date, she has had twelve number one singles on the US Dance charts, and in 2016 was named the 11th most successful dance club artist of all time by Billboard magazine. Many musicians have paid tribute to Ono as an artist in her own right and as a muse and icon, including the B-52's, Sonic Youth and Meredith Monk. As Lennon's widow, Ono works to preserve his legacy. She funded the Strawberry Fields memorial in Manhattan's Central Park, the Imagine Peace Tower in Iceland, and the John Lennon Museum in Saitama, Japan (which closed in 2010). She has made significant philanthropic contributions to the arts, peace and disaster relief in Japan and the Philippines, and other such causes. In 2002, she inaugurated a biennial $50,000 LennonOno Grant for Peace. In 2012, she received the Dr. Rainer Hildebrandt Human Rights Award and co-founded the group Artists Against Fracking.
Masakazu "Mark" Konishi (小西 正一, Konishi Masakazu; February 17, 1933 – July 23, 2020) was a Japanese neurobiologist…Masakazu "Mark" Konishi (小西 正一, Konishi Masakazu; February 17, 1933 – July 23, 2020) was a Japanese neurobiologist, known for his research on the neuroscience underlying the behavior of owls and songbirds.
Yoshishige Yoshida (吉田 喜重, Yoshida Yoshishige; 16 February 1933 – 8 December 2022), also known as Kijū Yoshida, was a…Yoshishige Yoshida (吉田 喜重, Yoshida Yoshishige; 16 February 1933 – 8 December 2022), also known as Kijū Yoshida, was a Japanese film director and screenwriter.
Dasho Keiji Nishioka (Japanese: 西岡 京治, Nishioka Keiji; 14 February 1933 – 21 March 1992) was a Japanese botanist. He…Dasho Keiji Nishioka (Japanese: 西岡 京治, Nishioka Keiji; 14 February 1933 – 21 March 1992) was a Japanese botanist. He was dispatched to the Kingdom of Bhutan by the Japanese Government to help modernise the Bhutanese agricultural sector. Nishioka worked in Bhutan as an agriculture expert for 28 years, from 1964 till his death in 1992. Nishioka's work helped improve the cultivation of rice and vegetables in Bhutan's Paro and Zhemgang dzongkhags (districts). He also participated in civic infrastructure development efforts in Zhemgang.
Hiroki Kosai (香西 洋樹, Kōsai Hiroki; 8 February 1933 – 26 March 2026) was a Japanese astronomer with the Kiso…Hiroki Kosai (香西 洋樹, Kōsai Hiroki; 8 February 1933 – 26 March 2026) was a Japanese astronomer with the Kiso Observatory. He is best known for helping to popularize astronomy in Japan and for his observations of comets and asteroids, most notably with his co-discovery of the comet 1976 XVI. He is credited by the Minor Planet Center (MPC) with the discovery of nearly 100 asteroids. Kosai died on 26 March 2026, at the age of 93.
Morishige Naruse (Japanese: 成瀬守重 Naruse Morishige; 6 February 1933 – 4 February 2026) was a Japanese politician. A…Morishige Naruse (Japanese: 成瀬守重 Naruse Morishige; 6 February 1933 – 4 February 2026) was a Japanese politician. A member of the Liberal Democratic Party, he served in the House of Councillors from 1989 to 2001. Naruse died in Okazaki on 4 February 2026, two days shy of his 93rd birthday.
Michiko Ishii (5 February 1933 – 7 December 2012) was a Japanese politician. Ishii was born on 5 February 1933 and…Michiko Ishii (5 February 1933 – 7 December 2012) was a Japanese politician. Ishii was born on 5 February 1933 and attended the Tokyo College of Pharmacy. She was a member of the Liberal Democratic Party. She served as Minister of the Environment in 1996.
Toshi Ichiyanagi (一柳 慧, Ichiyanagi Toshi; 4 February 1933 – 7 October 2022) was a Japanese avant-garde composer and…Toshi Ichiyanagi (一柳 慧, Ichiyanagi Toshi; 4 February 1933 – 7 October 2022) was a Japanese avant-garde composer and pianist. One of the leading composers in Japan during the postwar era, Ichiyanagi worked in a range of genres, composing Western-style operas, orchestral and chamber works, as well as compositions using traditional Japanese instruments. Ichiyanagi is known for incorporating avant-garde techniques into his works, such as chance music, extended technique, and nontraditional scoring. Ichiyanagi was married to artist Yoko Ono from 1956 to 1962.
Sadao Watanabe (渡辺 貞夫, Watanabe Sadao; born 1 February 1933) is a Japanese jazz musician who plays alto saxophone and…Sadao Watanabe (渡辺 貞夫, Watanabe Sadao; born 1 February 1933) is a Japanese jazz musician who plays alto saxophone and sopranino saxophone. He is known for his bossa nova recordings, although his work encompasses many styles, with collaborations from musicians all over the world.
Mitsuo Sato (佐藤 光夫, February 1, 1933 – October 20, 2002) was a Japanese government official who served as the 6th…Mitsuo Sato (佐藤 光夫, February 1, 1933 – October 20, 2002) was a Japanese government official who served as the 6th president of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). He also served as the vice president of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
Keisuke Tsunoda (角田 啓輔, Tsunoda Keisuke; 19 January 1933 – 1 September 2024) was a Japanese international table tennis…Keisuke Tsunoda (角田 啓輔, Tsunoda Keisuke; 19 January 1933 – 1 September 2024) was a Japanese international table tennis player.
Takanao Sato (佐藤 孝尚, Satō Takanao; born 19 January 1933) is a Japanese water polo player. He competed in the men's…Takanao Sato (佐藤 孝尚, Satō Takanao; born 19 January 1933) is a Japanese water polo player. He competed in the men's tournament at the 1960 Summer Olympics.
Shundo Aoyama Rōshi is a Japanese Buddhist nun and abbess. She is the first nun to be appointed to the rank of…Shundo Aoyama Rōshi is a Japanese Buddhist nun and abbess. She is the first nun to be appointed to the rank of Daikyoshi (Great Teacher) in the Soto Zen school.
Sakae Saitō (斉藤栄, Saitō Sakae; 14 January 1933 – 15 June 2024) was a Japanese author of popular fiction active during…Sakae Saitō (斉藤栄, Saitō Sakae; 14 January 1933 – 15 June 2024) was a Japanese author of popular fiction active during the Shōwa and Heisei periods of Japan.
Mariko Okada (岡田 茉莉子, Okada Mariko; born 11 January 1933) is a Japanese stage and film actress who starred in films of…Mariko Okada (岡田 茉莉子, Okada Mariko; born 11 January 1933) is a Japanese stage and film actress who starred in films of directors Mikio Naruse, Yasujirō Ozu, Keisuke Kinoshita and others. She was married to film director Yoshishige Yoshida.
Kiyoshi Kobayashi (小林 清志, Kobayashi Kiyoshi; January 11, 1933 – July 30, 2022) was a Japanese actor, voice actor and…Kiyoshi Kobayashi (小林 清志, Kobayashi Kiyoshi; January 11, 1933 – July 30, 2022) was a Japanese actor, voice actor and narrator from Tokyo. He was attached to the Tokyo Actor's Consumer's Cooperative Society. He was a graduate of the arts department of Nihon University. He was best known for his role as Daisuke Jigen in the Lupin the Third series, voicing the character for over 50 years. He also voiced roles in Humanoid Monster Bem (as Bem), the Droopy cartoons (as the Wolf) and Shazzan (as Shazzan); Kobayashi was the official dub-over voice of James Coburn and Lee Marvin for Japan.
Yōko Mihara (三原 葉子, Mihara Yōko) was an actress of Japanese exploitation cinema, erotic dancer and pin-up model who was…Yōko Mihara (三原 葉子, Mihara Yōko) was an actress of Japanese exploitation cinema, erotic dancer and pin-up model who was active from the 1950s to 1970s.
Katsuhiko Iwata (岩田 克彦, Katsuhiko Iwata; 10 January 1933 – 27 January 2026), also known as Kei Taguchi (田口 計, Kei…Katsuhiko Iwata (岩田 克彦, Katsuhiko Iwata; 10 January 1933 – 27 January 2026), also known as Kei Taguchi (田口 計, Kei Taguchi), was a Japanese actor. He is most famous for playing villains and appeared in many jidaigeki and detective television dramas as a guest. He is also known as voice actor. Taguchi graduated from University of Tokyo.His career as a screen actor started in 1955. His first film appearance was in the 1955 film Aisureba Koso directed by Satsuo Yamamoto. His son Kazuki Iwata is also actor. Taguchi died on 27 January 2026, at the age of 93.
Yoshihisa Maitani (January 8, 1933 – July 30, 2009) was a designer of cameras for the Japan-based camera manufacturer…Yoshihisa Maitani (January 8, 1933 – July 30, 2009) was a designer of cameras for the Japan-based camera manufacturer Olympus Corporation. After studying mechanical engineering at university, he joined Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (now Olympus Corporation) in 1956. Maitani went on to work for them for 40 years. He was involved with the design of many of the company's most well-known cameras, including the Pen and the Pen F half frame cameras, the OM System, and the XA.
Keiichi Ozawa (小澤 啓一, Ozawa Keiichi; born January 5, 1933 in Kagoshima) is a Japanese film director. He joined Nikkatsu…Keiichi Ozawa (小澤 啓一, Ozawa Keiichi; born January 5, 1933 in Kagoshima) is a Japanese film director. He joined Nikkatsu studio and worked as an assistant director under Toshio Masuda. He made his director debut in 1968 with Outlaw: Gangster VIP 2. Including the Outlaw series, Tetsuya Watari appeared in most of the films he directed when he was a director of Nikkatsu company.
Masashi Ishibashi (石橋雅史, Ishibashi Masashi; January 4, 1933 – December 19, 2018), was a Japanese karateka and actor. A…Masashi Ishibashi (石橋雅史, Ishibashi Masashi; January 4, 1933 – December 19, 2018), was a Japanese karateka and actor. A 7th dan black belt in Kyokushin Karate, he was an early instructor of the style under Mas Oyama, with notable students including Sonny Chiba and Terutomo Yamazaki. As an actor, Ishibashi had an extensive career in Japanese television, where was famous as portraying villains in historical dramas. He had significant presence in television productions like NHK's Taiga drama series, The Unfettered Shogun, and the Hissatsu series. He also had frequent roles in various 1970s and 1980s tokusatsu series, most notably in Super Sentai series. His movie career was mostly specialized in martial arts movies and crime dramas, including many with his longtime student Chiba.
Seiichi Morimura (森村 誠一, Morimura Seiichi; January 2, 1933 – July 24, 2023) was a Japanese novelist and author, born in…Seiichi Morimura (森村 誠一, Morimura Seiichi; January 2, 1933 – July 24, 2023) was a Japanese novelist and author, born in Kumagaya. He is best known for the controversial The Devil's Gluttony (悪魔の飽食) (1981), which revealed the atrocities committed by Unit 731 of the Imperial Japanese Army during the Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945).
Kyoko Kubota (久保田 恭子, Kubota Kyōko; born 2 January 1933) is a Japanese gymnast. She competed in seven events at the…Kyoko Kubota (久保田 恭子, Kubota Kyōko; born 2 January 1933) is a Japanese gymnast. She competed in seven events at the 1956 Summer Olympics.
Kikuji Kawada (川田 喜久治, Kawada Kikuji; born 1933) is a Japanese photographer. He co-founded the Vivo photographic…Kikuji Kawada (川田 喜久治, Kawada Kikuji; born 1933) is a Japanese photographer. He co-founded the Vivo photographic collective in 1959. Kawada's books include Chizu (The Map; 1965) and The Last Cosmology (1995). He was included in the New Japanese Photography exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art, New York in 1974 and was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Photographic Society of Japan in 2011.
Hideo Shiraki (白木秀雄; 1 January 1933 in Tokyo – 31 August 1972) was a Japanese jazz drummer and bandleader, best known…Hideo Shiraki (白木秀雄; 1 January 1933 in Tokyo – 31 August 1972) was a Japanese jazz drummer and bandleader, best known for his work in the 1950s and 1960s. Famed earlier on for hard bop, he later explored world music and became a pioneer of fusing traditional music forms with jazz structuring. He emerged in the new Japanese jazz scene of the 1950s that grew out of the influence of the US occupying forces. He studied percussion at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts and, during this period, played with Masashi Nagao's Blue Coats. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, his quintet was popular in Japan and was associated with the "funky boom" craze for hard bop. Hidehiko "Sleepy" Matsumoto, Terumasa Hino and Yuzuru Sera all passed through his quintet. Notable albums include 1961's In Fiesta (Teichiku Japan), which included a version of Benny Golson's "Five Spot After Dark". Performers on the album included Hidehiko Matsumoto on tenor and flute and Yuzuru Sera on piano. 1965's Sakura Sakura united the quintet (including Terumasa Hino on trumpet) with three female koto players as Shiraki moved into a world jazz approach. An invited November 1965 performance at the Berlin Jazz Festival, organised by Joachim-Ernst Berendt, saw the quintet work with a koto quartet and was feted for mixing jazz with traditional Japanese music. He also played with Toshiko Akiyoshi, including two tracks on her 1961 album Toshiko Meets Her Old Pals. On July 22, 1966, he played with the John Coltrane quintet in Tokyo while the group was touring Japan.
Waichiro Omura (大村 和市郎, Ōmura Waichirō; January 1, 1933 – ?) was a Japanese football player. He played for Japan…Waichiro Omura (大村 和市郎, Ōmura Waichirō; January 1, 1933 – ?) was a Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team.
Eshin Nishimura (西村 惠信; born 1933) is a Japanese Rinzai Zen Buddhist priest, the former president of Hanazono…Eshin Nishimura (西村 惠信; born 1933) is a Japanese Rinzai Zen Buddhist priest, the former president of Hanazono University in Kyoto, Japan, and also a major modern scholar in the Kyoto School of thought. A current professor of the Department of Buddhism at Hanazono University, he has lectured at universities throughout the world on the subject of Zen Buddhism. The author of many books, most written in the Japanese language, Nishimura has been a participant in many dialogues on the relationship of Zen to Christianity and Western philosophy.
Ryōhei Tanaka (1933- 2019) was a Japanese artist. He specialised in printmaking, through etching. His works are in…Ryōhei Tanaka (1933- 2019) was a Japanese artist. He specialised in printmaking, through etching. His works are in several collections, including those of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Cleveland Museum of Art. and the National Museum of Singapore.
Hisashi Abe (阿部 永, Abe Hisashi; born 1933) is a Japanese mammalogist and a former professor of Zoology at Hokkaido…Hisashi Abe (阿部 永, Abe Hisashi; born 1933) is a Japanese mammalogist and a former professor of Zoology at Hokkaido University Sapporo in Hokkaidō, Japan. He has authored a variety of publications on the taxonomy of various mammal species endemic to East Asia. He was formerly the president of Mammal Society of Japan.
Reiko Hayama (Japanese: 早間玲子, romanized: Hayama Reiko; November 9, 1933 – January 20, 2025) was a Japanese architect.…Reiko Hayama (Japanese: 早間玲子, romanized: Hayama Reiko; November 9, 1933 – January 20, 2025) was a Japanese architect. She became the first architect from Japan to work in France.