Eri Nitta (新田 恵利, Nitta Eri; married name Eri Nagayama (長山 恵利, Nagayama Eri), March 17, 1968 in Kamifukuoka (now part…Eri Nitta (新田 恵利, Nitta Eri; married name Eri Nagayama (長山 恵利, Nagayama Eri), March 17, 1968 in Kamifukuoka (now part of Fujimino), Saitama Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese singer, actress, lyricist, and tarento. She made her professional debut as the fourth member of the all-female singing group Onyanko Club in 1985. She made her solo debut with the hit song Winter Opera Glasses (冬のオペラグラス, Fuyu no Opera Gurasu) on January 1, 1986. Nitta performed the opening and ending theme songs for the first 14 episodes of the Little Women anime television series from Nippon Animation. Nitta attended and graduated from Fujimino Municipal Fukuoka Junior High School and Saitama Prefectural Fukuoka High School.
Mari Hiki (比企 真理, Hiki Mari; born March 15, 1968), better known by her stage name Kahimi Karie (カヒミ・カリィ, Kahimi Karii)…Mari Hiki (比企 真理, Hiki Mari; born March 15, 1968), better known by her stage name Kahimi Karie (カヒミ・カリィ, Kahimi Karii), is a retired Japanese singer, songwriter and photographer. Her music is closely associated with the Shibuya-kei aesthetic. Karie sings in English, French and Japanese, among other languages. Karie began her music career in 1990 at the encouragement of fellow Shibuya-kei artist Cornelius, whom she collaborated with on many of her early works, and whose trendy Trattoria label released many of her EPs in the mid-1990s. Karie later moved to Paris and released several studio albums on the Crue-L and Polydor labels. She now lives in New York City.
Yukiko Ishizaka (石坂 有紀子, Ishizaka Yukiko; born 14 March 1968) is a Japanese beach volleyball player. She competed at…Yukiko Ishizaka (石坂 有紀子, Ishizaka Yukiko; born 14 March 1968) is a Japanese beach volleyball player. She competed at the 1996 Summer Olympics and the 2000 Summer Olympics.
Toshimitsu Izawa (Japanese: 伊沢利光, born 2 March 1968) is a Japanese professional golfer. He is sometimes known outside…Toshimitsu Izawa (Japanese: 伊沢利光, born 2 March 1968) is a Japanese professional golfer. He is sometimes known outside Japan as Toshi Izawa.
Tadayoshi Hayashi (林 忠義, Hayashi Tadayoshi; born 1 March 1968) is a Japanese equestrian. He competed at the 2000 Summer…Tadayoshi Hayashi (林 忠義, Hayashi Tadayoshi; born 1 March 1968) is a Japanese equestrian. He competed at the 2000 Summer Olympics and the 2004 Summer Olympics.
Haruko Sagara (相楽 晴子, Sagara Haruko; born March 1, 1968, in Koriyama, Fukushima, Japan) is a Japanese actress and…Haruko Sagara (相楽 晴子, Sagara Haruko; born March 1, 1968, in Koriyama, Fukushima, Japan) is a Japanese actress and ex-idol singer in the 1980s. She debuted in 1985 with her role as Okyo in the cult TV series Sukeban Deka II. She won the Award for Best Supporting Actress at the 11th Yokohama Film Festival for Dotsuitarunen. After some 10 movies, 20 TV series, 10 singles and 2 albums, she quit her career in 1995 to settle in Los Angeles, where she married an American, becoming Haruka Haynes. In 2008, she opened a travel agency in Hawaii.
Minami Ozaki (尾崎南, Ozaki Minami) is a Japanese manga artist, cartoonist and illustrator of novels born on February 27…Minami Ozaki (尾崎南, Ozaki Minami) is a Japanese manga artist, cartoonist and illustrator of novels born on February 27, 1968, in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. She is famous for her best-selling manga series Zetsuai 1989, which is considered to have redefined the Shōnen-ai/Yaoi genres in the late 1980s/early 1990s. Her old pen name is Ryo Minami (南亮, Minami Ryo), but in 1986 she changed her pen name to Minami Ozaki. She sometimes uses other pseudonym—Minami Himemuro (姫室ミナミ). In 1988 (at the age of 20), her first manga series, Chūsei no Akashi (Proof of Loyalty), was serialized in Margaret Comics. Her success with Zetsuai 1989 has led Helen McCarthy to describe Ozaki as "one of the queens of shojo and shonen-ai manga". Through her Captain Tsubasa dojinshi, Ozaki "played a strong role" in "revamping the boys-love genre" in the 1980s. Her hallmark is "prolonged erotic psychodramas" which has earned her a "cult following" through Margaret. Rachel Thorn describes her as being a "mania-oriented" artist, with "extremely stylized" character designs and page layouts with a "dream-like quality". Her style had an enormous influence on later shōjo writers.
Naomi Matsumoto (松本 直美, Matsumoto Naomi) (born February 24, 1968) is a Japanese softball player who played as a Right…Naomi Matsumoto (松本 直美, Matsumoto Naomi) (born February 24, 1968) is a Japanese softball player who played as a Right field in the 1996 Summer Olympics and then the Pinch Runner in the 2000 Summer Olympics (except for the first game against Cuba, where she played in 2nd Base). She won the silver medal for Japan in 2000.
Norihiro Yokoyama (Japanese: 横山典弘; Born February 23, 1968) is a Japanese jockey. As of August 2026, he is the…Norihiro Yokoyama (Japanese: 横山典弘; Born February 23, 1968) is a Japanese jockey. As of August 2026, he is the second-oldest jockey in Japan to win a Grade I race, after Yutaka Take.
Kazuhiro Sasaki (佐々木 主浩 Sasaki Kazuhiro, born February 22, 1968) is a Japanese former professional baseball relief…Kazuhiro Sasaki (佐々木 主浩 Sasaki Kazuhiro, born February 22, 1968) is a Japanese former professional baseball relief pitcher. He played his entire Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) career with the Yokohama Taiyō Whales / Yokohama BayStars (1990–1999; 2004–2005), and played his entire Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the Seattle Mariners (2000–2003). His nickname "Daimajin" was named after the tokusatsu character of the same name, and Sasaki has participated in advertisements and several collaborations with the franchise.
Akemi Morimoto (森本 朱美, Morimoto Akemi; born 22 February 1968) is a Japanese former cyclist. She competed in the women's…Akemi Morimoto (森本 朱美, Morimoto Akemi; born 22 February 1968) is a Japanese former cyclist. She competed in the women's points race at the 2000 Summer Olympics.
Tomoki Kikuya (菊谷 知樹, Kikuya Tomoki; born 21 February 1968) is a Japanese composer, arranger and guitarist. Kikuya is…Tomoki Kikuya (菊谷 知樹, Kikuya Tomoki; born 21 February 1968) is a Japanese composer, arranger and guitarist. Kikuya is best known for composing original soundtracks for anime series, including most notably Nisekoi, Eromanga Sensei, Bocchi the Rock!, Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs, A Sister's All You Need and Higehiro. He is represented by the music production company Popholic.
Yōko Ishino (石野陽子, Ishino Youko, born 20 February 1968) is a Japanese actress and television personality (tarento). She…Yōko Ishino (石野陽子, Ishino Youko, born 20 February 1968) is a Japanese actress and television personality (tarento). She debuted in 1985 as a pop singer, first appeared on television in 1986 and performed comedy with Shimura Ken in the TV show "Shimura Ken's Daijobudaa".
Kuniyoshi Azuma (東 国幹, Kuniyoshi Azuma; born 17 February 1968) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic…Kuniyoshi Azuma (東 国幹, Kuniyoshi Azuma; born 17 February 1968) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, who serves as a member of the House of Representatives.
Mainoumi Shūhei (born 17 February 1968 as Shūhei Nagao) is a former sumo wrestler from Aomori, Japan. His highest rank…Mainoumi Shūhei (born 17 February 1968 as Shūhei Nagao) is a former sumo wrestler from Aomori, Japan. His highest rank was komusubi. During the 1990s, he was one of the most popular wrestlers in sumo due to his wide variety of techniques and great fighting spirit in battling opponents nearly twice his size.
Yōka Wao (和央 ようか, Wao Yōka; born 15 February 1968) is a Japanese performing artist and a former member of the…Yōka Wao (和央 ようか, Wao Yōka; born 15 February 1968) is a Japanese performing artist and a former member of the Takarazuka Revue, where she specialized in playing male characters (Otokoyaku). She joined the revue in 1988 and resigned in 2006. Her nicknames are Takako (from her real name: Takako Ōkawa (大川 貴子 Ōkawa Takako) and Wao. She is the only Otokoyaku to be top in her class as well as the last otokoyaku top star to have joined the company during the Shōwa era. She was born and raised in Osaka (according to Takarazuka Graph 2003 April issue).
Hōsei Tsukitei (月亭 方正, Tsukitei Hōsei; born 15 February 1968) formerly known as Hōsei Yamasaki (山崎 邦正, Yamasaki Hōsei)…Hōsei Tsukitei (月亭 方正, Tsukitei Hōsei; born 15 February 1968) formerly known as Hōsei Yamasaki (山崎 邦正, Yamasaki Hōsei) is a Japanese solo comedian and rakugo performer, signed with Yoshimoto Kogyo. He is best known for being one of the five members (and the only solo comedian) of Downtown Gaki no Tsukai's regular cast. His role on the show is usually divided up between the suberi-kyara and the ijime-kyara. Outside of Gaki no Tsukai, he has released three books, a CD single of his signature "Yamazaki Ichi-ban!" song, and has appeared in several Yoshimoto Kogyo compilations and DVD releases.
Hiroyuki Asada (浅田 弘幸, Asada Hiroyuki; born February 15, 1968 in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan) is a Japanese manga artist…Hiroyuki Asada (浅田 弘幸, Asada Hiroyuki; born February 15, 1968 in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan) is a Japanese manga artist who is best known for his gaslamp fantasy series Tegami Bachi ("Letter Bee"). The first manga series he created was called I'll, and was a basketball series. All of Asada's manga were serialized in the monthly shōnen anthology Monthly Shōnen Jump (which has since been discontinued; Tegami Bachi now appears in its replacement Jump Square). He made his debut in 1986. He acquired a fanbase with Mint: Sleeping Rabbit, Renka by degrees, and his popularity improved with I'll. In his personal life, he is part of a unit with Shou Tajima (best known for Psych) and Takeshi Obata (best known for Hikaru no Go and Death Note), and his creation activity with "AQUARIOS 3".
Daisuke Ikeda (池田 大輔, Ikeda Daisuke; born February 13, 1968) is a Japanese professional wrestler who is currently…Daisuke Ikeda (池田 大輔, Ikeda Daisuke; born February 13, 1968) is a Japanese professional wrestler who is currently wrestling in the Independent circuit in Japan. Since debuting in 1993, Ikeda has worked for a number of promotions in Japan, including Battlarts, All Japan Pro Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Noah and Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling (FMW).
Gen Sekiguchi (関口現, born February 10, 1968, in Saitama Prefecture) is a Japanese television advertisement director.…Gen Sekiguchi (関口現, born February 10, 1968, in Saitama Prefecture) is a Japanese television advertisement director. Outside of TV commercials, he directed the short films Bus Panic!!! (2001) and Worst Contact (2000) and the feature film Survive Style 5+ (2004), starring Tadanobu Asano, Reika Hashimoto, Jai West and Vinnie Jones. He also directed and wrote the segment 'Sebiro Yashiki' ("The House of Abandoned Businessmen") in the compilation film Quirky Guys and Gals, and music videos for the bands Supercar, Polysics, and Smap.
Satoshi Takahashi (Takahashi Satoshi; born 9 February 1968) is a Japanese instructor of Shotokan karate. He is…Satoshi Takahashi (Takahashi Satoshi; born 9 February 1968) is a Japanese instructor of Shotokan karate. He is currently an instructor of the Japan Karate Association.
Kuranosuke Sasaki (佐々木 蔵之介, Sasaki Kuranosuke; born February 4, 1968; real name Hideaki Sasaki 佐々木秀明, Sasaki Hideaki)…Kuranosuke Sasaki (佐々木 蔵之介, Sasaki Kuranosuke; born February 4, 1968; real name Hideaki Sasaki 佐々木秀明, Sasaki Hideaki) is a Japanese actor, known primarily for his roles in Japanese television drama.
Yasunobu Nakamura (中村 泰信 Nakamura Yasunobu) is a Japanese physicist. He is a professor at the University of Tokyo's…Yasunobu Nakamura (中村 泰信 Nakamura Yasunobu) is a Japanese physicist. He is a professor at the University of Tokyo's Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology (RCAST) and the Principal Investigator of the Superconducting Quantum Electronics Research Group (SQERG) at the Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS) within RIKEN. He has contributed primarily to the area of quantum information science, particularly in superconducting quantum computing and hybrid quantum systems.
Kotaro Oshio (押尾 コータロー, Oshio Kōtarō; real name: 押尾 光太郎) is an acoustic guitarist from Japan. Born in Suita, Osaka, on…Kotaro Oshio (押尾 コータロー, Oshio Kōtarō; real name: 押尾 光太郎) is an acoustic guitarist from Japan. Born in Suita, Osaka, on February 1, 1968, he is best known for his work on the steel string guitar. Oshio is a part of Sony Music Japan's SME Records division. Oshio was voted the second greatest Japanese guitarist in a 2019 poll held by goo.
Noriko Matsumoto (Japanese: 松本 典子, Hepburn: Matsumoto Noriko; born 30 January 1968) is a Japanese singer and television…Noriko Matsumoto (Japanese: 松本 典子, Hepburn: Matsumoto Noriko; born 30 January 1968) is a Japanese singer and television personality. After winning the Grand Prize at the 1984 Miss Seventeen Contest, she debuted as an idol singer with her song "Shunshoku no Airmail" and had four more singles chart in the Oricon Singles Chart Top 30 and a Japan Record Awards New Artist Award, and she was a regular cast member at the variety show Shimura Ken no Daijobu dā . She went on a career break after her 1992 marriage to baseball player Kenji Tomashino, before making a comeback in the early-2010s.
Kosaku Akimoto (秋元 宏作, Akimoto Kōsaku; born January 29, 1968) is a retired Nippon Professional Baseball catcher. He…Kosaku Akimoto (秋元 宏作, Akimoto Kōsaku; born January 29, 1968) is a retired Nippon Professional Baseball catcher. He used to play for the Yokohama BayStars.
Shinobu Aoki (青木忍, Aoki Shinobu), (born 26 January 1968 in Saitama) is a former Japanese rugby union player who played…Shinobu Aoki (青木忍, Aoki Shinobu), (born 26 January 1968 in Saitama) is a former Japanese rugby union player who played as fly-half and former coach.
Masumi Miyazaki (宮崎 萬純, Miyazaki Masumi) (born January 26, 1968, in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan), is an actress and…Masumi Miyazaki (宮崎 萬純, Miyazaki Masumi) (born January 26, 1968, in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan), is an actress and model. She graduated from the private Horikoshi High School, and made her film debut in the 1983 release Aiko 16-sai, and was selected as the 11th Clarion Girl in 1985. Miyazaki has appeared nude in multiple films, including XX Utsukushiki Kyōki (XX美しき凶器) and Yaneura no Sanposha (屋根裏の散歩者). She has also released nude photo books and appeared in the Japanese edition of Playboy. In 1996, Miyazaki married and ceased work on her entertainment career. She now lives in the United States where she is a housewife and a lecturer. She resumed work as an entertainer in 2005. In November of that same year, Miyazaki announced that she had breast cancer.
Toshiaki Takemoto (嶽本 稔明, Takemoto Toshiaki), known professionally as Novala Takemoto (嶽本 野ばら, Takemoto Nobara), is a…Toshiaki Takemoto (嶽本 稔明, Takemoto Toshiaki), known professionally as Novala Takemoto (嶽本 野ばら, Takemoto Nobara), is a Japanese author, and fashion designer.
Takeshi Koike (小池健, Koike Takeshi) (born January 26, 1968) is a Japanese animator, illustrator and film director.…Takeshi Koike (小池健, Koike Takeshi) (born January 26, 1968) is a Japanese animator, illustrator and film director. Something of a protégé of Yoshiaki Kawajiri, he was also influenced by Yoshinori Kanada, Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, and Katsuhito Ishii. He went straight from a high school education to beginning his career at Madhouse as an in-betweener on works directed by Kawajiri after being interviewed by him. His first professional work as director is the title sequence of the 2000 film Party 7; while his first feature film is Redline, which premiered in 2009 and was released in 2010. He served as character designer and animation director for 2012's Lupin the Third: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine, and directed film continuations of it starting with Lupin the IIIrd: Jigen's Gravestone in 2014. Work outside of animation includes the artwork for the 2004 Dreams Come True single "Yasashii Kiss o Shite".
Aya Kamikawa (上川 あや, Kamikawa Aya; born January 25, 1968) is a Tokyo municipal official. With her election in April…Aya Kamikawa (上川 あや, Kamikawa Aya; born January 25, 1968) is a Tokyo municipal official. With her election in April 2003, she became the first openly transgender person to seek or win elected office in Japan.
Wataru Murata (村田亙, Murata Wataru) (born 25 January 1968 in Jōnan) is a former Japanese rugby player and coach. He…Wataru Murata (村田亙, Murata Wataru) (born 25 January 1968 in Jōnan) is a former Japanese rugby player and coach. He played as scrum-half. He currently coaches Senshu University Rugby Football Club.
Taro Hakase (葉加瀬 太郎, Hakase Tarō; born January 23, 1968 in Suita, Osaka, Japan) is a Japanese musician who specialises…Taro Hakase (葉加瀬 太郎, Hakase Tarō; born January 23, 1968 in Suita, Osaka, Japan) is a Japanese musician who specialises as a violinist and composer.
Taku Iwasaki (岩崎 琢, Iwasaki Taku; born 21 January 1968) is a Japanese composer and arranger. His hometown is Tokyo…Taku Iwasaki (岩崎 琢, Iwasaki Taku; born 21 January 1968) is a Japanese composer and arranger. His hometown is Tokyo, Japan. He is a graduate of Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music.
Ikuko Kawai (Japanese: 川井郁子, Hepburn: Kawai Ikuko; born January 19, 1968, Takamatsu) is a classically trained Japanese…Ikuko Kawai (Japanese: 川井郁子, Hepburn: Kawai Ikuko; born January 19, 1968, Takamatsu) is a classically trained Japanese violinist and composer.
Kenichi Obinata (born 17 January 1968) is a Japanese rower. He competed in the men's lightweight double sculls event at…Kenichi Obinata (born 17 January 1968) is a Japanese rower. He competed in the men's lightweight double sculls event at the 1996 Summer Olympics.
Hideaki Sena, Ph.D. (瀬名 秀明, Sena Hideaki; born January 17, 1968 in Shizuoka City) is a Japanese pharmacologist and…Hideaki Sena, Ph.D. (瀬名 秀明, Sena Hideaki; born January 17, 1968 in Shizuoka City) is a Japanese pharmacologist and novelist. Sena was a graduate student at Tohoku University when he wrote his prizewinning debut novel, Parasite Eve.
Miwa Watabiki (綿引 美和, Watabiki Miwa; born January 13, 1968), better known by her stage name Chara (ちゃら), is a Japanese…Miwa Watabiki (綿引 美和, Watabiki Miwa; born January 13, 1968), better known by her stage name Chara (ちゃら), is a Japanese singer, actress and video jockey. She debuted in 1991 with the single Heaven. She is known for her song "Swallowtail Butterfly (Ai no Uta)", the theme song for the 1996 Shunji Iwai film Swallowtail Butterfly in which she starred, her 1997 hit single "Yasashii Kimochi", and her collaboration with Judy and Mary vocalist Yuki, "Ai no Hi Mittsu Orange". Chara later formed a band with Yuki, called Mean Machine.
Takae Itō (born January 13, 1968, in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese politician who has served as a member of…Takae Itō (born January 13, 1968, in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese politician who has served as a member of the House of Councillors of Japan since 2016. She represents the Hyogo at-large district and is a member of the Komeito party.
Junichi Masuda (増田 順一, Masuda Jun'ichi; born January 12, 1968) is a Japanese video game composer, director, designer…Junichi Masuda (増田 順一, Masuda Jun'ichi; born January 12, 1968) is a Japanese video game composer, director, designer, producer, singer, programmer and trombonist, best known for his work in the Pokémon franchise. He was a member of Game Freak where he was an employee and executive at the company since 1989 after Satoshi Tajiri and Ken Sugimori founded it, starting as a music composer. In 2022, Masuda was appointed to be Chief Creative Fellow at The Pokémon Company. With the development of new Pokémon games, Masuda took new roles in future projects. He began to produce and direct games, starting with Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, and became responsible for approving new character models. His style seeks to keep games accessible while still adding increasing levels of complexity. His work sticks to older mainstays of the series, including a focus on handheld game consoles and 2D graphics. His music draws inspiration from the work of celebrated modern composers like Dmitri Shostakovich, though he used the Super Mario series as a model of good video game composition.
Toru Shioya (born January 9, 1968) is a former professional basketball Head coach for the Hitachi High-Technologies…Toru Shioya (born January 9, 1968) is a former professional basketball Head coach for the Hitachi High-Technologies Cougars of Women's Japan Basketball League .
Sachiko Fujita (Japanese: 藤田 幸子; born 9 January 1968) is a Japanese former volleyball and beach volleyball player who…Sachiko Fujita (Japanese: 藤田 幸子; born 9 January 1968) is a Japanese former volleyball and beach volleyball player who competed in the 1988 and in the 1996 Summer Olympics. In 1988, she finished third with the Japanese team in the Olympic tournament in Seoul. Eight years later, she finished fifth with her partner Yukiko Takahashi in the beach volleyball tournament at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.