Ichiro Tsuda (June 4, 1953-) is a Japanese mathematical scientist, applied mathematician, physicist, and writer. His…
Ichiro Tsuda (June 4, 1953-) is a Japanese mathematical scientist, applied mathematician, physicist, and writer. His research carrier started at an early stage of chaos studies. His research interests cover chaotic dynamical systems, complex systems, brain dynamics and artificial intelligence. He has contributed to the development and promotion of complex systems researches. He found several novel phenomena in chaotic dynamical systems such as Noise-Induced Order and Chaotic Itinerancy. He also proposed a chaotic theory for dynamic behaviors of brain (for example,) within a framework of cerebral hermeneutics. He received academic awards such as 2010 HFSP Program Award for international collaborative research on the neural mechanisms of deliberative decision making in rats (Joint awardees were David Redish, Jan Lauwereyns, Emma Wood, and Paul Dudchenko). He was also awarded as a plenary lecturer in prestigious international conferences such as in the 6th ICIAM 2007, the international conference for industrial and applied mathematics. He is also known as a translator and an editor for the Japanese translation of the highly rated textbook in the field of chaotic dynamical systems
Famous People Born in 1953
1953: 177 people
Kiyotaka Mitsugi (三ツ木 清隆, Mitsugi Kiyotaka; born May 30, 1953) is a Japanese actor and singer. His career has centered…
Kiyotaka Mitsugi (三ツ木 清隆, Mitsugi Kiyotaka; born May 30, 1953) is a Japanese actor and singer. His career has centered on television, in the genres of tokusatsu and jidaigeki.
Akiko Sugimoto (杉本 章子) (May 28, 1953 – December 4, 2015) was a Japanese novelist. She is best known for writing…
Akiko Sugimoto (杉本 章子) (May 28, 1953 – December 4, 2015) was a Japanese novelist. She is best known for writing historical fiction about famous people who lived during the Edo period.
Hideyuki Nagashima (長島 偉之, Nagashima Hideyuki; born 27 May 1953) is a Japanese former wrestler who competed in the 1984…
Hideyuki Nagashima (長島 偉之, Nagashima Hideyuki; born 27 May 1953) is a Japanese former wrestler who competed in the 1984 Summer Olympics.
Tomikazu Fukuda (福田 富一, Fukuda Tomikazu; born 21 May 1953) is a Japanese politician who serves as governor of Tochigi…
Tomikazu Fukuda (福田 富一, Fukuda Tomikazu; born 21 May 1953) is a Japanese politician who serves as governor of Tochigi Prefecture since 2004.
Yoko Shimada (Japanese: 島田 陽子, Hepburn: Shimada Yōko; 17 May 1953 – 25 July 2022) was a Japanese actress, best known to…
Yoko Shimada (Japanese: 島田 陽子, Hepburn: Shimada Yōko; 17 May 1953 – 25 July 2022) was a Japanese actress, best known to Western audiences for her portrayal of Mariko in the 1980 miniseries Shōgun.
Katsura Shinnosuke (桂 伸乃介; 16 May 1952 – 1 January 2020) was a Japanese rakugoka and musician who performed the works…
Katsura Shinnosuke (桂 伸乃介; 16 May 1952 – 1 January 2020) was a Japanese rakugoka and musician who performed the works of Katsura Bunji X and performed in the jazz band Newoirans.
Motoko Hirotsu (広津 素子, Hirotsu Motoko; born 16 May 1953) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a…
Motoko Hirotsu (広津 素子, Hirotsu Motoko; born 16 May 1953) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Karatsu, Saga and graduate of the University of Tokyo she was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time in 2005. She represented the 3rd District of Saga prefecture from 2005 until 2009.
Yōichi Komori (小森 陽一, Komori Yōichi; born May 14, 1953 in Tokyo, Japan) is a critic of Japanese modern literature and a…
Yōichi Komori (小森 陽一, Komori Yōichi; born May 14, 1953 in Tokyo, Japan) is a critic of Japanese modern literature and a social activist in Japan. He is currently a professor at the University of Tokyo, Japan.
Shinsuke J. Sugiyama (杉山 晋輔, Sugiyama Shinsuke) is a Japanese diplomat who formerly served as Japanese ambassador to…
Shinsuke J. Sugiyama (杉山 晋輔, Sugiyama Shinsuke) is a Japanese diplomat who formerly served as Japanese ambassador to the United States. He was previously administrative vice minister for foreign affairs.
Shintaro Ito (伊藤 信太郎, Itō Shintarō; born 6 May 1953) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member…
Shintaro Ito (伊藤 信太郎, Itō Shintarō; born 6 May 1953) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature).
Mayumi Aoki (青木 まゆみ, Aoki Mayumi; born May 1, 1953) is a Japanese swimmer. She competed at the 1972 Summer Olympics in…
Mayumi Aoki (青木 まゆみ, Aoki Mayumi; born May 1, 1953) is a Japanese swimmer. She competed at the 1972 Summer Olympics in the 100 m and 200 m butterfly and 4 × 100 m medley relay and won a gold medal in the 100 m butterfly. She won a bronze medal in this event at the 1973 World Aquatics Championships. In 1972 she twice broke the world record in the 100 m butterfly. After retiring from competition she worked as a swimming coach and a high school teacher. In 1989 she was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
Yutaka Hara (原 ゆたか, Hara Yutaka; born April 28, 1953) is a Japanese writer and illustrator of children's literature. He…
Yutaka Hara (原 ゆたか, Hara Yutaka; born April 28, 1953) is a Japanese writer and illustrator of children's literature. He was born in Kumamoto in 1953, and is the winner of the 1974 KFS Contest Kodansha Children's Literature Award (KFSコンテスト・講談社児童図書部門賞受賞). He is the author of several series of children's illustrated books including the very popular Kaiketsu Zorori (Incredible Zorori), Chiisana Mori (Small Forest), Meimon furaido chiken shougakkou (the famous fried chicken primary school]) and Touyuuki (Journey to the East: the title is a homage to the famous Chinese novel Journey to the West).
Hiroshi Kimura (木村宏, Kimura Hiroshi) is a former chairman of Japan Tobacco, a Nikkei 225 company. In 1976, Kimura…
Hiroshi Kimura (木村宏, Kimura Hiroshi) is a former chairman of Japan Tobacco, a Nikkei 225 company. In 1976, Kimura started working for the Japan Tobacco & Salt Public Corporation (current name 'Japan Tobacco'). He became the president for this company on June 23, 2006. Mitsuomi Koizumi became the president of this company in June 2012, and became chairman.
Yoshifumi Seki (関 義文, Seki Yoshifumi; born 23 April 1953) is a Japanese boxer. He competed in the men's welterweight…
Yoshifumi Seki (関 義文, Seki Yoshifumi; born 23 April 1953) is a Japanese boxer. He competed in the men's welterweight event at the 1976 Summer Olympics. At the 1976 Summer Olympics, he defeated Ju Seok-Kim of South Korea, before losing to Carmen Rinke of Canada.
Nishida Shun'ei (西田 俊英; born April 20, 1953, in Ise city, Mie prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese Nihonga painter who…
Nishida Shun'ei (西田 俊英; born April 20, 1953, in Ise city, Mie prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese Nihonga painter who specializes in portraits, and later fantastical landscapes, and is an emeritus professor of Japanese painting at Hiroshima City University and Musashino Art University, which he retired from in 2024. He received the 2016 Japan Art Academy award for Japanese painting. As of 2026, he is the chair of the Japan Art Institute.
Shun'ichi Suzuki (鈴木 俊一, Suzuki Shun'ichi; born 13 April 1953) is a Japanese politician who has served as…
Shun'ichi Suzuki (鈴木 俊一, Suzuki Shun'ichi; born 13 April 1953) is a Japanese politician who has served as Secretary-General of the Liberal Democratic Party since 2025 and previously served as minister of finance from 2021 to October 2024. He sits in the House of Representatives as a member of the Liberal Democratic Party.
Shizuko Konishi (Japanese: 小西 静子, Hepburn: Konishi Shizuko; née Ōtaka; 11 April 1952 – 5 September 2022), known by the…
Shizuko Konishi (Japanese: 小西 静子, Hepburn: Konishi Shizuko; née Ōtaka; 11 April 1952 – 5 September 2022), known by the stage names Sizzle Ohtaka (おおたか 静流, Ōtaka Shizuru) and Shizuko Ōtaka (大高 静子, Ōtaka Shizuko), was a Japanese singer and television personality. After going to a jazz school, she had a prolific career in commercial songs, including her 1990 cover of Shoukichi Kina's song "Hana (Subete no Hito no Kokoro ni Hana o)", which won the Japan Advertising Music Association's 1991 Best Vocalist Award of Commercial Music. She also performed music for anime and live-action works, including I'm Gonna Be An Angel!, Spirited Away, .hack//Legend of the Twilight, and Hotarubi no Mori e, and she was a regular cast member on the NHK Educational TV show Nihongo de Asobo .
Mitsuo Hagiwara (萩原 光男, Hagiwara Mitsuo; 8 April 1953 – 22 April 2015), better known by his stage name Nagare Hagiwara…
Mitsuo Hagiwara (萩原 光男, Hagiwara Mitsuo; 8 April 1953 – 22 April 2015), better known by his stage name Nagare Hagiwara (萩原 流行, Hagiwara Nagare), was a Japanese actor and TV personality.
Masako Ōkawara (大河原 雅子; born 8 April 1953) is a Japanese politician of the Constitutional Democratic Party and a former…
Masako Ōkawara (大河原 雅子; born 8 April 1953) is a Japanese politician of the Constitutional Democratic Party and a former member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Yokohama in Kanagawa Prefecture and 1977 graduate of International Christian University, she had served in the assembly of Tokyo for three terms (ten years) since 1993. She was a member of the House of Councillors between 2007 and 2013.
Yoshimi Nishigawa (西側よしみ, born April 8, 1953) is a retired Japanese swimmer who won ten gold medals at the Asian Games…
Yoshimi Nishigawa (西側よしみ, born April 8, 1953) is a retired Japanese swimmer who won ten gold medals at the Asian Games in 1970 and 1974. A versatile swimmer, she competed at the 1968, 1972 and 1976 Olympics in three events at each games and reached the final on five occasions. She married the Olympic rower Takashi Murayama.
Akiko Nishina (仁科亜希子) (born 3 April 1953 in Tokyo) is a Japanese actress. Once 仁科明子, her name is now 仁科亜季子, after…
Akiko Nishina (仁科亜希子) (born 3 April 1953 in Tokyo) is a Japanese actress. Once 仁科明子, her name is now 仁科亜季子, after divorcing from Hiroki Matsukata, an actor in Japan.
Wakanohana Kanji (Japanese: 若乃花 幹士; 3 April 1953 — 16 July 2022) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Ōwani…
Wakanohana Kanji (Japanese: 若乃花 幹士; 3 April 1953 — 16 July 2022) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Ōwani, Aomori. He was the sport's 56th yokozuna. He was popular with sumo fans and was well-known for his rivalry with Kitanoumi. After retirement, he became the head coach of Magaki stable. Due to poor health, he left the Japan Sumo Association in December 2013. He died of lung cancer in July 2022 at the age of 69.
Seiichirō Dōkyū (Japanese: 道休誠一郎 Dōkyū Seiichirō; 1 April 1953 – 3 February 2026) was a Japanese politician. A member…
Seiichirō Dōkyū (Japanese: 道休誠一郎 Dōkyū Seiichirō; 1 April 1953 – 3 February 2026) was a Japanese politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he served in the House of Representatives from 2009 to 2012. Dōkyū died in Miyazaki on 3 February 2026, at the age of 72.
Masayoshi Takanaka (born March 27, 1953) is a Japanese musician and record producer. Known for his virtuosic guitar…
Masayoshi Takanaka (born March 27, 1953) is a Japanese musician and record producer. Known for his virtuosic guitar playing and skilled musicianship, Takanaka rose to fame and achieved commercial success during the 1970s and 1980s. He composes and performs across various different music genres. In a career spanning over 50 years, Takanaka has released more than 20 albums and continues to perform.
Yoshihiro Yonezawa (米澤 嘉博, Yonezawa Yoshihiro; March 21, 1953 – October 1, 2006) was a Japanese manga critic and…
Yoshihiro Yonezawa (米澤 嘉博, Yonezawa Yoshihiro; March 21, 1953 – October 1, 2006) was a Japanese manga critic and author. He is also known for being Comiket's co-founder and president. He died of lung cancer at 53. He won the 2007 Seiun Award in the special category and 2010 Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize Special Award.
Kenji Kitahashi (北橋 健治, Kitahashi Kenji; born 19 March 1953, in Nishinomiya) is a Japanese politician and a former…
Kenji Kitahashi (北橋 健治, Kitahashi Kenji; born 19 March 1953, in Nishinomiya) is a Japanese politician and a former mayor of Kitakyushu, Japan. A graduate of the University of Tokyo, he was elected to the House of Representatives in Diet of Japan (parliament) for the first time in 1986 as a member of Democratic Socialist Party, which later became part of Democratic Party of Japan. After losing his seat in 1990, he was re-elected in 1993. In February 2007 he was elected mayor of Kitakyushu and went on to serve four terms, until 2023.
Takashi Yoshimatsu (吉松 隆, Yoshimatsu Takashi; born March 18, 1953) is a Japanese classical music composer. He is well…
Takashi Yoshimatsu (吉松 隆, Yoshimatsu Takashi; born March 18, 1953) is a Japanese classical music composer. He is well known for composing the score for the 2003 remake of Astro Boy.
Kazuyuki Hamada (浜田 和幸, Hamada Kazuyuki; born 17 March 1953) is a Japanese politician. He has served one term in the…
Kazuyuki Hamada (浜田 和幸, Hamada Kazuyuki; born 17 March 1953) is a Japanese politician. He has served one term in the House of Councillors for the Tottori At-large district. After being elected in 2010 as a candidate for the Liberal Democratic Party, he changed parties three times before unsuccessfully seeking re-election as an independent candidate in 2016.
Yoshiharu Horii (堀井 美晴, Horii Yoshiharu; 16 March 1953 – 23 August 2025) was a Japanese football player and manager.
Kei Akagi (ケイ 赤城/赤城 恵, Akagi Kei; born March 16, 1953) is a Japanese American jazz pianist. In particular, he is known…
Kei Akagi (ケイ 赤城/赤城 恵, Akagi Kei; born March 16, 1953) is a Japanese American jazz pianist. In particular, he is known for his work with the Airto Moreira/Flora Purim group and in Miles Davis's band in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He was born in Japan, but lived in Cleveland, Ohio, for part of his childhood, until he moved back to Japan at the age of 12. He later returned to the United States at 22. He is associated with the Californian jazz scene at present. He is the Chancellor Professor of Music at the University of California, Irvine.
Kinji Zeniya (銭谷 欽治, Zeniya Kinji; born March 13, 1953 in Kaga, Ishikawa) is a retired male badminton player of Japan.
Kirinji Kazuharu, real name Kazuharu Tarusawa (9 March 1953 – 1 March 2021) was a sumo wrestler from Kashiwa, Chiba…
Kirinji Kazuharu, real name Kazuharu Tarusawa (9 March 1953 – 1 March 2021) was a sumo wrestler from Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture, Japan. He made his professional debut in 1967, reaching the top makuuchi division in 1974. His highest rank was sekiwake. During his long career he won several awards and set a number of longevity records. Upon his retirement in 1988 he became a sumo coach and elder of the Japan Sumo Association, until reaching 65 years of age in 2018.
Tatsumi Nikamoto (二家本辰巳, Nikamoto Tatsumi) (born 1953) is a Japanese actor, sometimes credited as Tatsumi Fuyamoto.
Mineo Maya (魔夜峰央, Maya Mineo) is a Japanese manga artist born in 1953. His series Patalliro! is one of the best-selling…
Mineo Maya (魔夜峰央, Maya Mineo) is a Japanese manga artist born in 1953. His series Patalliro! is one of the best-selling and the longest-running shōjo manga of all time.
Kazuo Kitagawa (北側 一雄, Kitagawa Kazuo; born 2 March 1953) is a retired Japanese politician who served as the Minister…
Kazuo Kitagawa (北側 一雄, Kitagawa Kazuo; born 2 March 1953) is a retired Japanese politician who served as the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in the cabinet of Junichiro Koizumi.
Yōko Kamikawa (上川 陽子, Kamikawa Yōko; born 1 March 1953) is a Japanese politician and former think tank researcher who…
Yōko Kamikawa (上川 陽子, Kamikawa Yōko; born 1 March 1953) is a Japanese politician and former think tank researcher who served as the Minister for Foreign Affairs between September 2023 and October 2024. She served as the Minister of Justice from September 2020 to October 2021, and also served as Minister of State for Gender Equality and Social Affairs in the cabinets of Shinzō Abe and Yasuo Fukuda. She has been a member of the House of Representatives since December 2012.
Kōzō Murashita (村下 孝蔵, Murashita Kōzō; February 28, 1953 – June 24, 1999) was a Japanese singer-songwriter who was born…
Kōzō Murashita (村下 孝蔵, Murashita Kōzō; February 28, 1953 – June 24, 1999) was a Japanese singer-songwriter who was born in Minamata, Kumamoto, Japan. He died of a brain hemorrhage in 1999.
Shunmyō Masuno (枡野 俊明, Masuno Shunmyō) (born 28 February 1953) is a Japanese monk and garden designer. He is chief…
Shunmyō Masuno (枡野 俊明, Masuno Shunmyō) (born 28 February 1953) is a Japanese monk and garden designer. He is chief priest of the Sōtō Zen temple Kenkō-ji (建功寺), professor at Tama Art University, and president of a design firm that has completed numerous projects in Japan and overseas. He has been called "Japan's leading garden designer".
Kaneshiro Kōfuku (February 27, 1953 - December 29, 2002) was a sumo wrestler from Takanabe, Miyazaki, Japan. He made…
Kaneshiro Kōfuku (February 27, 1953 - December 29, 2002) was a sumo wrestler from Takanabe, Miyazaki, Japan. He made his professional debut in September 1969, and reached the top division in September 1974. His highest rank was sekiwake. He was a runner-up in two tournaments and earned two gold stars and three Fighting Spirit prizes. After retiring in 1987 he opened up a sumo-themed restaurant. He died of a heart attack in 2002.
Satoru Nakajima (Japanese: 中嶋 悟, Hepburn: Nakajima Satoru; born 23 February 1953) is a Japanese former racing driver…
Satoru Nakajima (Japanese: 中嶋 悟, Hepburn: Nakajima Satoru; born 23 February 1953) is a Japanese former racing driver and motorsport executive, who competed in Formula One from 1987 to 1991. Born and raised in Okazaki, Aichi, Nakajima began his racing career at the Suzuka Circuit in 1973. He progressed to Japanese Formula Two in 1977, winning a then-record five titles between 1981 and 1986, with 21 victories across 10 seasons. After several appearances in sportscar racing via the World Sportscar Championship and the All Japan Endurance Championship—as well as a season in International Formula 3000—Nakajima signed for Lotus in 1987 to partner Ayrton Senna, becoming the first Japanese driver to compete full-time in Formula One at the Brazilian Grand Prix. He scored his maiden points finish at the following round in San Marino, and achieved a career-best fourth place at the British Grand Prix. Across his remaining two seasons at Lotus, Nakajima scored points finishes at the 1988 Brazilian and 1989 Australian Grands Prix, setting the fastest lap and finishing fourth at the latter. Nakajima moved to Tyrrell in 1990, scoring points finishes in the United States, Italy and his home Grand Prix in Japan. Retaining his seat for his 1991 campaign at Tyrrell under Honda power, Nakajima scored his final points at the season-opening United States Grand Prix, leaving at the end of the season to join Honda's works team project. Nakajima tested the RC100 and related models until 1994, when Honda pulled out of Formula One following the Japanese asset price bubble. Upon retiring from motor racing, Nakajima focused on his Nakajima Racing team, which he had founded in 1984 to privately enter March chassis into the Japanese Formula Two Championship, winning three consecutive titles until 1986. Nakajima won four Formula Nippon Teams' Championship titles between 1999 and 2009, still competing in the newly-formed Super Formula Championship, as well as the Super GT Series. Nakajima's sons Kazuki and Daisuke both became racing drivers, the former also competing in Formula One for Williams from 2007 to 2009.
Inuhiko Yomota (四方田 犬彦, Yomota Inuhiko; born February 20, 1953) is a Japanese author, cultural essayist, translator…
Inuhiko Yomota (四方田 犬彦, Yomota Inuhiko; born February 20, 1953) is a Japanese author, cultural essayist, translator, film historian, and critic. His real name is Goki Yomota (四方田 剛己, Yomota Gōki).
Kimiko Hashimoto (橋本 きみ子, Hashimoto Kimiko; born 17 February 1953) is a Japanese basketball player. She competed in the…
Kimiko Hashimoto (橋本 きみ子, Hashimoto Kimiko; born 17 February 1953) is a Japanese basketball player. She competed in the women's tournament at the 1976 Summer Olympics.
Kisaburō Suzuki (鈴木 キサブロー, Suzuki Kisaburō; born 14 February 1953) is a Japanese J-pop songwriter and guitarist.
Hideko Oka (岡 秀子, Oka Hideko; born 14 February 1953) is a Japanese fencer. She competed in the women's individual and…
Hideko Oka (岡 秀子, Oka Hideko; born 14 February 1953) is a Japanese fencer. She competed in the women's individual and team foil events at the 1976 Summer Olympics.
Kaoru Kurimoto (栗本 薫, Kurimoto Kaoru; February 13, 1953 – May 26, 2009) was the pen name of Sumiyo Imaoka (今岡 純代…
Kaoru Kurimoto (栗本 薫, Kurimoto Kaoru; February 13, 1953 – May 26, 2009) was the pen name of Sumiyo Imaoka (今岡 純代, Imaoka Sumiyo), a Japanese novelist. Imaoka also used the pen name Azusa Nakajima (中島 梓, Nakajima Azusa) to write criticism and music. She was known for her record-breaking 130-volume Guin Saga series, which has been translated into English, German, French, Italian and Russian. Her style has been described as being part of the New Wave science fiction movement. Outside of her literary endeavors, she was a playwright, composer, and pianist who performed with her own jazz ensemble, the Azusa Nakajima Trio.
Marcellino Taiji Tani (谷 大二, Tani Taiji; 13 February 1953 – 10 October 2026) was a Japanese Roman Catholic prelate who…
Marcellino Taiji Tani (谷 大二, Tani Taiji; 13 February 1953 – 10 October 2026) was a Japanese Roman Catholic prelate who served as the bishop of the Diocese of Saitama from 2000 until his resignation in 2013. He was appointed bishop of the Diocese of Urawa in May 2000 and received episcopal consecration in September of that year.
Rankin' Taxi (born 9 February 1953) is a Japanese reggae artist, from Yokohama. In 2011, he re-recorded his 1989…
Rankin' Taxi (born 9 February 1953) is a Japanese reggae artist, from Yokohama. In 2011, he re-recorded his 1989 anti-nuclear song 誰にも見えない、匂いもない (You can't see it, you can't smell it) with Dub Ainu Band, which despite receiving little airplay in the mainstream Japanese media, attracted the attention of the New York Times in June 2011 in an article by Dan Grunebaum titled Japan's New Wave of protest songs, after it became popular following the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
Kaoru Takamura (髙村 薫, Takamura Kaoru; born 1953) is a Japanese writer from Osaka. She has won numerous Japanese…
Kaoru Takamura (髙村 薫, Takamura Kaoru; born 1953) is a Japanese writer from Osaka. She has won numerous Japanese literary awards, including the Mystery Writers of Japan Award, the Japan Adventure Fiction Association Prize, the Naoki Prize, the Yomiuri Prize, and the Noma Literary Prize, and her work has been adapted for film and television.
Takashi Ishikawa (石川 孝志, Ishikawa Takashi; ring names: 石川 敬士 and 石川 泰士, born February 5, 1953) is a Japanese former…
Takashi Ishikawa (石川 孝志, Ishikawa Takashi; ring names: 石川 敬士 and 石川 泰士, born February 5, 1953) is a Japanese former professional wrestler and sumo wrestler from Fujishima, Higashitagawa District, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan.