Kiyonori Imamura (今村 清憲, Imamura Kiyonori), better known by his stage name Norio Imamura (いまむら のりお, Imamura Norio)…
Kiyonori Imamura (今村 清憲, Imamura Kiyonori), better known by his stage name Norio Imamura (いまむら のりお, Imamura Norio) (born April 17, 1954), is a Japanese stage actor and voice actor from Gifu. He is a graduate of the Fine Arts department of Nihon University. Imamura began his career in the musical troupe Musical Company It's Follies [ja] and was coached by Nachi Nozawa. Imamura tattoos himself as a hobby and has reportedly spent 4 to 5 million yen (the equivalent of $45,000 to $56,000) on tattoos over the course of a decade. From April 26 to June 7, 2010, Imamura posted pictures of his lower body on his blog with the intention of showing that his body had been completely tattooed. Imamura was arrested in July 2010 for posting images that were deemed indecent. This event forced Imamura to step down from his ongoing voice role as Emporio Ivankov in One Piece (the role was subsequently inherited by Mitsuo Iwata). On September 1, Imamura was released following a summary proceeding at the Tokyo Public Prosecutor's Office and was given a fine of 500,000 yen (approximately $6,000).
Famous People Born in 1954
1954: 182 people
Tetsuro Aikawa (born 17 April 1954) is a Japanese businessman, the president, chief operating officer (COO) and a…
Tetsuro Aikawa (born 17 April 1954) is a Japanese businessman, the president, chief operating officer (COO) and a representative director of Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) since 25 June 2014. In April 2016, Aikawa led the announcement that Mitsubishi Motors had falsified fuel economy data for more than 600,000 vehicles made for Nissan and sold in Japan. Aikawa said that he was personally unaware, yet felt responsible. Bloomberg reported that Aikawa and other MMC executives attended meetings where fuel economy targets for the affected minicars were raised. During development of those minicars, the fuel economy targets were raised five times in two years, from an initial target of 26.4 km per liter to 29.2 km (18.14 miles) per liter. In May 2016, Mitsubishi Motors announced Aikawa to resign as the president of the company with effect from June. Both Mitsubishi Motors and Aikawa denied any top management involvement in the mileage scandal.
Shinichi Sakamoto (born 16 April 1954) is a Japanese former professional tennis player. Sakamoto competed in the…
Shinichi Sakamoto (born 16 April 1954) is a Japanese former professional tennis player. Sakamoto competed in the doubles main draw of the 1979 Wimbledon Championships and 1980 French Open, both times with Shigeyuki Nishio as his partner. During the early 1980s, Sakamoto played in six Davis Cup ties for Japan. This included a 1981 tie against France, in which he lost a match to Thierry Tulasne by a scoreline of 0–6, 0–6, 0–6. In 1985 he played in a World Group fixture against the United States.
Yasumasa Nagamine (Nagamine Yasumasa; born April 16, 1954) is a Japanese diplomat and judge served as an associate…
Yasumasa Nagamine (Nagamine Yasumasa; born April 16, 1954) is a Japanese diplomat and judge served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of Japan from 2021 to 2024. Before his appointment to the court, he served as ambassador to the United Kingdom from 2019 to 2021, to South Korea from 2016 to 2019 and to the Netherlands from 2012 to 2013.
Katsuhiro Otomo (大友 克洋, Ōtomo Katsuhiro; born April 14, 1954) is a Japanese manga artist, screenwriter, animator, and…
Katsuhiro Otomo (大友 克洋, Ōtomo Katsuhiro; born April 14, 1954) is a Japanese manga artist, screenwriter, animator, and film director. He first rose to prominence as a pioneer founder of the New Wave in the 1970s. He is best known as the creator of Akira, both the original 1982 manga series and the 1988 animated film adaptation. In 2005, Otomo was decorated a Chevalier of the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, promoted to Officier of the order in 2014, and became the fourth manga artist ever inducted into the American Eisner Award Hall of Fame in 2012. Celebrated in Japan, he was also awarded the Purple Medal of Honor from the national government in 2013. In addition, Otomo later received the Winsor McCay Award at the 41st Annie Awards in 2014 and the 2015 Grand Prix de la ville d'Angoulême, the first manga artist to receive the award.
Park Young-chul (Korean: 박영철; born 14 April 1954) is a Korean former judoka who competed in the 1976 Summer Olympics.
Takae Mikumo (三雲 孝江; real name: Takae Hoshi (星 孝江) born April 12, 1954, in Shibuya, Tokyo and raised in Yokohama…
Takae Mikumo (三雲 孝江; real name: Takae Hoshi (星 孝江) born April 12, 1954, in Shibuya, Tokyo and raised in Yokohama, Kanagawa) is a newscaster in Japan, a former TBS announcer.
Yoshiichi Watanabe (渡辺 由一, Watanabe Yoshiichi; born April 5, 1954) is a former Japanese football player. He played for…
Yoshiichi Watanabe (渡辺 由一, Watanabe Yoshiichi; born April 5, 1954) is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team.
Seimei Gamo (蒲生 晴明, Gamō Seimei; born 5 April 1954) is a Japanese former handball player who competed in the 1976…
Seimei Gamo (蒲生 晴明, Gamō Seimei; born 5 April 1954) is a Japanese former handball player who competed in the 1976 Summer Olympics and in the 1984 Summer Olympics.
Keiji Yamada (山田 啓二, Yamada Keiji; born 5 April 1954) is a Japanese politician and former Governor of Kyoto Prefecture.…
Keiji Yamada (山田 啓二, Yamada Keiji; born 5 April 1954) is a Japanese politician and former Governor of Kyoto Prefecture. A native of Hyōgo Prefecture and 1977 graduate of the University of Tokyo, he had worked at the Ministry of Home Affairs since 1977 and served as the vice governor of Kyoto Prefecture before elected governor for the first time in 2002. In 2011 he also took over from Wataru Asō as President of the National Governors Association. Yamada ended his 16-year tenure as governor in April 2018. While stating that he had accomplished his goals in office, Yamada was believed to be preparing for a run in the 2019 House of Councillors election.
Yuji Kishioku (岸奥 裕二, Kishioku Yuji; born April 2, 1954) is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan…
Yuji Kishioku (岸奥 裕二, Kishioku Yuji; born April 2, 1954) is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team.
Chieko Ito (伊東 千恵子, Itō Chieko; born 2 April 1954) is a Japanese speed skater. She competed in two events at the 1976…
Chieko Ito (伊東 千恵子, Itō Chieko; born 2 April 1954) is a Japanese speed skater. She competed in two events at the 1976 Winter Olympics.
Susumu Hirasawa (平沢進, Hirasawa Susumu; born April 2, 1954) is a Japanese musician and composer. He is well known for…
Susumu Hirasawa (平沢進, Hirasawa Susumu; born April 2, 1954) is a Japanese musician and composer. He is well known for his work for the films of director Satoshi Kon and the animated adaptations of the Berserk manga series, alongside his work as a solo artist and as the lead member of P-Model.
Mayumi Miyata (宮田 まゆみ, Miyata Mayumi) is a Japanese player of the shō, a traditional Japanese mouth organ. Miyata was…
Mayumi Miyata (宮田 まゆみ, Miyata Mayumi) is a Japanese player of the shō, a traditional Japanese mouth organ. Miyata was born on April 1, 1954, in Tokyo and graduated from the Kunitachi College of Music, where she majored in piano. While in school, she began studying gagaku music from Ono Tadamaro of the Imperial Household Agency. From 1979 she performed in gagaku concerts at the National Theatre of Japan, and from 1983 she began giving solo shō recitals, which brought her wider public attention. Although the shō is generally associated with Japan's ancient gagaku court music, Miyata was among the first players of the instrument to specialize in contemporary classical music. She plays a specially constructed instrument with extra pipes, allowing for the use of more chromaticism. The US composer John Cage (1912–1992) composed a number of works for Miyata just before his death. Cage met her during the 1990 Darmstadt summer course. She has also premiered works by Tōru Takemitsu, Toshi Ichiyanagi, Maki Ishii, Joji Yuasa, Klaus Huber, Toshio Hosokawa, and Uroš Rojko, and has performed with major orchestras internationally, including the Saito Kinen Orchestra under Seiji Ozawa, the NHK Symphony Orchestra under Charles Dutoit, the New York Philharmonic under André Previn, and the Czech Philharmonic under Vladimir Ashkenazy. In 1998, Miyata performed the Japanese national anthem, "Kimigayo", at the opening ceremony of the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano. In 2005, Miyata performed in three songs by the Icelandic musician Björk, for the soundtrack album to Drawing Restraint 9, a film by Björk's contemporary media artist boyfriend Matthew Barney, about Japanese culture and whaling. Miyata also appeared in the film, playing the shō in one scene. Previously, a piece written for and recorded by Miyata, "Music for Shō and Harp" by Cort Lippe, was sampled in the Björk single, "Venus as a Boy". She has performed in Japan, Australia, the United States, and Europe.
Mariko Hayashi (林 真理子, Hayashi Mariko; born April 1, 1954) is a Japanese writer and chairperson of the Nihon University…
Mariko Hayashi (林 真理子, Hayashi Mariko; born April 1, 1954) is a Japanese writer and chairperson of the Nihon University board of directors. Her awards include the 94th Naoki Prize and the Japanese Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon. Her novels and essays have been widely adapted for television and film, including the 1997 film Fukigen na Kajitsu and the 2018 NHK taiga drama Segodon.
Naonori Kohira (小平 尚典, Kohira Naonori) is a Japanese photojournalist and media producer who was one of the first…
Naonori Kohira (小平 尚典, Kohira Naonori) is a Japanese photojournalist and media producer who was one of the first exclusive photographers for the Japanese magazine Focus when it was launched. In 1985, he was the first photojournalist to reach the crash site of the Japan Airlines' jumbo jet crash, which resulted in the deaths of 520 people.
Kōtarō Iizawa (飯沢 耕太郎, Iizawa Kōtarō; born March 26, 1954) is a Japanese photography critic, historian of photography…
Kōtarō Iizawa (飯沢 耕太郎, Iizawa Kōtarō; born March 26, 1954) is a Japanese photography critic, historian of photography, and magazine editor. Born in Sendai, Miyagi in 1954, Iizawa studied photography in Nihon University, graduating in 1977. He obtained his doctorate at University of Tsukuba. Iizawa founded Déjà-vu in 1990 and was its editor in chief until 1994. He coedited the 41-volume series Nihon no Shashinka with Shigeichi Nagano and Naoyuki Kinoshita.
Yasuichi Oshima (大島 やすいち, Ōshima Yasuichi; born 24 March 1954 in Kyoto) is a Japanese manga artist. In 1984, he won the…
Yasuichi Oshima (大島 やすいち, Ōshima Yasuichi; born 24 March 1954 in Kyoto) is a Japanese manga artist. In 1984, he won the Kodansha Manga Award for shōnen for Bats & Terry. He is the father of manga artist Towa Oshima.
Radomir Kovačević (20 March 1954 in Drvar — 14 June 2006 in Belgrade) was a Serbian and Yugoslav Olympic judoka and…
Radomir Kovačević (20 March 1954 in Drvar — 14 June 2006 in Belgrade) was a Serbian and Yugoslav Olympic judoka and coach. He participated in three Olympic Games (Montreal 1976, Moscow 1980 and Los Angeles 1984) and was an Olympic medalist. He was well known in judo circles and was close friends with world-famous Japanese judo champion Yasuhiro Yamashita. He was a member of the NYC 2012 Olympic Bid Committee.
Tomiko Yoshikawa (吉川とみ子, Yoshikawa Tomiko; born 10 May 1954) is a Japanese racing driver who competed in junior…
Tomiko Yoshikawa (吉川とみ子, Yoshikawa Tomiko; born 10 May 1954) is a Japanese racing driver who competed in junior open-wheel racing and sports car categories. She entered the 24 Hours of Le Mans four times, the 24 Hours of Daytona once and also raced in her native Japan in such series as the All-Japan Formula Three Championship and the Fuji Grand Champion Series. In 1991 she was part of the first all-female LeMans driving team, driving with Lyn St. James and Desiré Wilson.
Ryosuke Otani (大谷 亮介, Ōtani Ryōsuke; born March 18, 1954) is a Japanese actor and voice actor represented by the talent…
Ryosuke Otani (大谷 亮介, Ōtani Ryōsuke; born March 18, 1954) is a Japanese actor and voice actor represented by the talent agency Fathers Corporation. He graduated from Rokko Junior and Senior High School and Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology.
Hisaki Matsuura (松浦 寿輝, Matsuura Hisaki; born March 18, 1954) is a Japanese professor, poet, and novelist.
Takeshi Itō (伊東 毅, Itō Takeshi; born March 15, 1954) is a Japanese jazz fusion saxophonist and flute player. He is…
Takeshi Itō (伊東 毅, Itō Takeshi; born March 15, 1954) is a Japanese jazz fusion saxophonist and flute player. He is currently a part of the jazz fusion band T-Square.
Hajime Meshiai (飯合 肇, Meshiai Hajime; born 12 March 1954) is a Japanese professional golfer.
Hiroshi Inomata (猪俣 弘司, Inomata Hiroshi) is a Japanese diplomat and Japan's current ambassador to The Netherlands…
Hiroshi Inomata (猪俣 弘司, Inomata Hiroshi) is a Japanese diplomat and Japan's current ambassador to The Netherlands, after a previous mission in Pakistan.
Tatsuhiko Yamamoto (山本達彦, Yamamoto Tatsuhiko; born March 4, 1954) is a Japanese singer-songwriter and composer born in…
Tatsuhiko Yamamoto (山本達彦, Yamamoto Tatsuhiko; born March 4, 1954) is a Japanese singer-songwriter and composer born in Shinjuku, Tokyo. He is considered to have helped pioneer the city pop genre.
Akira Uchiyama (内山 晃, Uchiyama Akira; born 3 March 1954) is a former Japanese politician who served as a member of the…
Akira Uchiyama (内山 晃, Uchiyama Akira; born 3 March 1954) is a former Japanese politician who served as a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet national legislature.
Katsuko Kanesaka (金坂 克子, Kanesaka Katsuko) (born 1 March 1954) is a Japanese volleyball player and Olympic champion.…
Katsuko Kanesaka (金坂 克子, Kanesaka Katsuko) (born 1 March 1954) is a Japanese volleyball player and Olympic champion. Kanesaka was a member of the Japanese winning team at the 1976 Olympic games.
Yoshinori Tokura (十倉 好紀, Tokura Yoshinori; born March 1, 1954) ForMemRS is a Japanese physicist, Professor at…
Yoshinori Tokura (十倉 好紀, Tokura Yoshinori; born March 1, 1954) ForMemRS is a Japanese physicist, Professor at University of Tokyo and Director of Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS) at RIKEN. He is a specialist in physics of strongly correlated electron systems and known for his work in high-temperature superconductivity, Mott transition, colossal magnetoresistance, Multiferroics, and magnetic skyrmions.
Masaki Eto (江藤 正基, Etō Masaki; born 26 February 1954) is a Japanese former wrestler who competed in the 1984 Summer…
Masaki Eto (江藤 正基, Etō Masaki; born 26 February 1954) is a Japanese former wrestler who competed in the 1984 Summer Olympics.
Mitsuko Ishii (born 25 February 1954) is a Japanese politician who has served as a member of the House of Councillors…
Mitsuko Ishii (born 25 February 1954) is a Japanese politician who has served as a member of the House of Councillors of Japan since 2016. She represents the National proportional representation block and is a member of the Japan Innovation Party.
Take Yokouchi (横内 タケ, Yokouchi Take), born 22 February 1954 in Tokyo, is a musician best known for his work with the…
Take Yokouchi (横内 タケ, Yokouchi Take), born 22 February 1954 in Tokyo, is a musician best known for his work with the Japanese glam rock band Vodka Collins. Take (pronounced Ta-kay, real name Takehiro) was originally a live touring guitar player for the popular teen idol band The Four Leaves. When he was approached to join the new band Vodka Collins in 1971, it was on bass guitar. Yokouchi played bass on the 1973 Vodka Collins singles "Sands Of Time" and "Automatic Pilot" from the "Tokyo - New York" album released on the Toshiba-EMI Express label in November 1973.
Tadahiko Fukuhara (born 1954) is a Japanese academics, professor of civil law, member of the board of INES Corp and…
Tadahiko Fukuhara (born 1954) is a Japanese academics, professor of civil law, member of the board of INES Corp and Japan Payment Service Association. In 2011 he became the president and chancellor of Chuo University, prior to that he was dean of the Chuo Graduate Law School at the Chuo University.
Izo Hashimoto (橋本 以蔵, Hashimoto Izō; February 21, 1954 – May 12, 2026) was a Japanese screenwriter and film director.
Motohiko Kondo (近藤 基彦, Kondō Motohiko; 15 February 1954 – 17 November 2018) was a Japanese politician of the Liberal…
Motohiko Kondo (近藤 基彦, Kondō Motohiko; 15 February 1954 – 17 November 2018) was a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, who served as a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature).
Shinosuke Tatekawa (立川 志の輔, Tatekawa Shinosuke; born 15 February 1954, from Shinminato, Toyama (now part of Imizu)) is…
Shinosuke Tatekawa (立川 志の輔, Tatekawa Shinosuke; born 15 February 1954, from Shinminato, Toyama (now part of Imizu)) is a rakugo performer. His real name is Teruo Takeuchi (竹内 照雄, Takeuchi Teruo). With his comic group, Rokunin-no-Kai (Group of Six), formed in 2003, he has helped to popularise rakugo among young Japanese people. He is also well known as a TV presenter, and has presented the primetime NHK General show Tameshite Gatten (ためしてガッテン) since it started in 1995. Tatekawa received the grand prize Sponichi Art & Culture Award in 2008 for "Shinosuke Rakugo in Parco".
Katsu Nakajima (born February 15, 1954) is a Japanese realist painter known for figurative works incorporating gold…
Katsu Nakajima (born February 15, 1954) is a Japanese realist painter known for figurative works incorporating gold leaf backgrounds and closely observed landscapes. He began painting seriously after the age of 50. In 2019, he was designated an ARC Living Master by the Art Renewal Center (ARC), a non-profit arts organization based in the United States.
Yuko Arakida (荒木田 裕子, Arakida Yūko; 14 February 1954 – 16 September 2024) was a Japanese volleyball player and Olympic…
Yuko Arakida (荒木田 裕子, Arakida Yūko; 14 February 1954 – 16 September 2024) was a Japanese volleyball player and Olympic champion. She was later Chairwoman of Athlete's Committee of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA). Arakida was a member of the Japanese winning team at the 1976 Olympic Games. In February 2012, Arakida was appointed sports director of Tokyo's bid to host the 2020 Summer Olympics. Arakida died on 16 September 2024 at the age of 70.
Kohei Tanaka (Japanese: 田中 公平, Hepburn: Tanaka Kōhei; born February 14, 1954) is a Japanese composer, arranger…
Kohei Tanaka (Japanese: 田中 公平, Hepburn: Tanaka Kōhei; born February 14, 1954) is a Japanese composer, arranger, conductor and singer-songwriter. He is affiliated with the music production company Imagine. He has created numerous musical scores for anime television series, OVAs, films, video games and tokusatsu series including Choushinsei Flashman, Gunbuster, Sakura Wars, The King of Braves GaoGaiGar, Betterman, and One Piece.
Kazuo Shimizu (Shinjitai: 清水 和夫, born 11 February 1954, in Tokyo) is a Japanese racing driver. Shimizu was also active…
Kazuo Shimizu (Shinjitai: 清水 和夫, born 11 February 1954, in Tokyo) is a Japanese racing driver. Shimizu was also active as a rally driver and later as a touring car racer. He won second place in the 1992 All Japan Touring Car Championship. His teammate at this time was Tom Kristensen. Since 1994, he has participated in the JTCC from the privateer team. He participated in Japanese races, and in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 12 Hours of Sebring. He is currently an international motoring journalist.
Harue Tanikawa (谷川 治恵, Tanikawa Harue; born February 9, 1954) is a Japanese retired women's professional shogi player…
Harue Tanikawa (谷川 治恵, Tanikawa Harue; born February 9, 1954) is a Japanese retired women's professional shogi player who achieved the rank of 5-dan.
Oji Hiroi (広井 王子, Hiroi Ōji; born 8 February 1954), real name Teruhisa Hiroi (廣井 照久, Hiroi Teruhisa), is an author and…
Oji Hiroi (広井 王子, Hiroi Ōji; born 8 February 1954), real name Teruhisa Hiroi (廣井 照久, Hiroi Teruhisa), is an author and video game developer. He co-authored Samurai Crusader with Ryoichi Ikegami. He also created the Far East of Eden and Sakura Wars role-playing video game franchises, and wrote the Sakura Wars manga.
Toshie Negishi (根岸 季衣; born 3 February 1954) is a Japanese film and television actress.
Kazuko Takemura (February 3, 1954 – December 13, 2011) was a Japanese scholar of English literature. Her areas of…
Kazuko Takemura (February 3, 1954 – December 13, 2011) was a Japanese scholar of English literature. Her areas of expertise included Anglo-American literature, critical theory, film studies, and feminist thought. She was a former professor at Ochanomizu University. Takemura translated the works of Judith Butler and Trinh T. Minh-ha, among others, significantly contributing to the development of feminist theory and thought in Japan.
Hiroko Ōta (大田 弘子, Ōta Hiroko; born 2 February 1954 in Kagoshima, Kagoshima) is a Japanese politician, university…
Hiroko Ōta (大田 弘子, Ōta Hiroko; born 2 February 1954 in Kagoshima, Kagoshima) is a Japanese politician, university president and a researcher of economics. Her academic specialties are national public finance and economic policy. She is a noted lecturer of public finance and is a senior professor at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) in Tokyo. Ōta served as the Japanese cabinet minister of economic policy, which is responsible for charging economic policy and public finance. Under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, she served as the chair for the Council for Promotion of Regulatory Reform. In April 2014, Ōta was appointed to the position of chairwoman of the board by Mizuho Financial Group, Japan's second-largest financial services group. On 1 September 2022, following the return of the previous President, Akihiko Tanaka, to the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), she was appointed as President of the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies.
Motohiko Izawa (井沢 元彦, Izawa Motohiko; born February 1, 1954, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture) is a Japanese writer of mystery…
Motohiko Izawa (井沢 元彦, Izawa Motohiko; born February 1, 1954, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture) is a Japanese writer of mystery novels and historical fiction as well as a historical researcher. He was formerly a news reporter for TBS and since April 2012 has worked as a visiting professor at Shuchiin University.
Kizō Hisamoto (久元 喜造, Hisamoto Kizō) is a Japanese politician and the current mayor of Kobe, the capital city of Hyōgo…
Kizō Hisamoto (久元 喜造, Hisamoto Kizō) is a Japanese politician and the current mayor of Kobe, the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture in Japan.
Yukinobu Hoshino (星野 之宣, Hoshino Yukinobu; born January 29, 1954) is a Japanese manga artist.
Reiko Aonuma (青沼 令子, Aonuma Reiko; born 28 January 1954) is a Japanese basketball player. She competed in the women's…
Reiko Aonuma (青沼 令子, Aonuma Reiko; born 28 January 1954) is a Japanese basketball player. She competed in the women's tournament at the 1976 Summer Olympics.
Jōkō Ninomiya (二宮 城光, Ninomiya Jōkō; born January 27, 1954) is the founder and director of Enshin Karate. He presides…
Jōkō Ninomiya (二宮 城光, Ninomiya Jōkō; born January 27, 1954) is the founder and director of Enshin Karate. He presides over the Enshin organization from the headquarters (honbu) in Denver, Colorado. His title as head of the Enshin organization is "Kanchō" (Grandmaster).