Fumiko Hayashi (林芙美子, Hayashi Fumiko; December 31, 1903 – June 28, 1951) was a Japanese writer of novels, short stories…Fumiko Hayashi (林芙美子, Hayashi Fumiko; December 31, 1903 – June 28, 1951) was a Japanese writer of novels, short stories and poetry, who has repeatedly been included in the feminist literature canon. Among her best-known works are Diary of a Vagabond, Late Chrysanthemum and Floating Clouds.
Shunichi Amachi (天知 俊一, Amachi Shunichi) (December 20, 1903 in Nishinomiya – March 12, 1976) was a Japanese baseball…Shunichi Amachi (天知 俊一, Amachi Shunichi) (December 20, 1903 in Nishinomiya – March 12, 1976) was a Japanese baseball manager with the Chunichi Dragons and Nishitetsu Lions. He was inducted as a member of the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1970.
Takeshi Usami (Japanese: 宇佐美毅, romanized: Usami Takeshi) (December 19, 1903 – January 19, 1991) was a Japanese official…Takeshi Usami (Japanese: 宇佐美毅, romanized: Usami Takeshi) (December 19, 1903 – January 19, 1991) was a Japanese official who served as Grand Steward of the Imperial Household Agency (December 16, 1953 – May 26, 1978). He graduated from the University of Tokyo. He was a recipient of the Order of the Rising Sun.
Takeshi Usami (Japanese: 宇佐美毅, romanized: Usami Takeshi) (December 19, 1903 – January 19, 1991) was a Japanese official…Takeshi Usami (Japanese: 宇佐美毅, romanized: Usami Takeshi) (December 19, 1903 – January 19, 1991) was a Japanese official who served as Grand Steward of the Imperial Household Agency (December 16, 1953 – May 26, 1978). He graduated from the University of Tokyo. He was a recipient of the Order of the Rising Sun.
Shūzō Takiguchi (瀧口 修造, Takiguchi Shūzō; December 7, 1903 – July 1, 1979) was a Japanese poet, art critic, and artist.…Shūzō Takiguchi (瀧口 修造, Takiguchi Shūzō; December 7, 1903 – July 1, 1979) was a Japanese poet, art critic, and artist. He was a central figure in prewar and postwar Japanese Surrealism, helping introduce the movement through his 1930 translation of André Breton's Surrealism and Painting and through direct correspondence with Breton. He also published a 1940 monograph on Joan Miró that museum sources describe as the world's earliest monograph on the artist. He was also a key figure in the history of wartime repression directed at Japanese Surrealism: in 1941, he was arrested on suspicion of violating the Peace Preservation Law, and museum accounts note that he remained under police surveillance until the end of the war. Starting in the 1950s, he also supported younger postwar avant-garde artists through his work at Takemiya Gallery in Tokyo, where he was responsible for selecting artists and coordinating exhibitions from 1951 to 1957. In 1958, he served as commissioner for the Japan Pavilion at the 29th Venice Biennale and as a member of the international jury. Around 1960, he increasingly turned to his own visual practice, producing drawings, watercolors, decalcomanias, and other experimental works. He was also recognized in international Surrealist circles: according to the Dalí Foundation, Takiguchi and Chirū Yamanaka were named in the 1938 Dictionnaire abrégé du surréalisme as "promoters of the surrealist movement in Japan". His writings, artist books, and works have since entered the holdings of major international institutions including the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the British Museum, and the Art Institute of Chicago. His posthumous reception has also included presentation in major international exhibition contexts, including Surrealism Beyond Borders, organized by The Met and Tate Modern, and a 1986–1987 programme at the Centre Pompidou in Paris.
Takiji Kobayashi (小林 多喜二, Kobayashi Takiji; October 13, 1903 – February 20, 1933) was a Japanese writer of proletarian…Takiji Kobayashi (小林 多喜二, Kobayashi Takiji; October 13, 1903 – February 20, 1933) was a Japanese writer of proletarian literature. He is best known for his short novel Kani Kōsen, or Crab Cannery Ship, published in 1929. It tells the story of the hard life of cannery workers, fishermen and seamen on board a cannery ship and the beginning of their revolt against the company and its managers. Kobayashi died due to violent torture after being arrested by the Special Higher Police two years later, at the age of 29.
Yōko Ōta (大田 洋子, Ōta Yōko; 20 February 1903 or 18 November 1906 – 10 December 1963) was a Japanese writer. Many of her…Yōko Ōta (大田 洋子, Ōta Yōko; 20 February 1903 or 18 November 1906 – 10 December 1963) was a Japanese writer. Many of her works are associated with the Atomic bomb literature genre.
Akira Iwasaki (岩崎昶, Iwasaki Akira) (18 November 1903 – 16 September 1981) was a prominent left-wing Japanese film…Akira Iwasaki (岩崎昶, Iwasaki Akira) (18 November 1903 – 16 September 1981) was a prominent left-wing Japanese film critic, historian, and producer. Born in Tokyo, he became interested in film from his student days at Tokyo University. Early on, he helped introduce German experimental film in Japan, and was instrumental in getting Teinosuke Kinugasa's masterpiece A Page of Madness screened in Tokyo. Afterward, he became involved in Marxist politics and established a career promoting progressive cinema and criticism. He wrote or edited over thirty books of film criticism, history, theory and biography during his career. He was also involved in film production, first serving from the late 1920s as a central member of the Proletarian Film League of Japan (Prokino), where he acted as not only the theoretical brain of the movement alongside Genjū Sasa, but also as a filmmaker. When Prokino was effectively eliminated by police oppression under the Peace Preservation Law, Iwasaki continued his critical activities, becoming involved in the Yuibutsuron Kenkyūkai with such thinkers as Jun Tosaka, but was eventually arrested in 1940, in part for his opposition to the Film Law, which authorized increased government control of the film industry. He was the only film critic arrested by the ideological police during the war. After his release, he worked for a time at the Tokyo office of the Manchukuo Film Association thanks to the help of Kan'ichi Negishi. After Japan's defeat in World War II, Iwasaki was active in criticizing those who participated in the war effort. He joined Nihon Eigasha (Nichiei), primarily a documentary film company, and helped produce two important, but ill-fated documentaries: The Effects of the Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which was confiscated by Occupation authorities, and The Japanese Tragedy, directed by Fumio Kamei, which was banned for its critical depiction of Emperor Hirohito. While continuing to work as a film critic from the 1950s on, including pursuing a vigorous debate on the nature of cinematic realism with Taihei Imamura, Iwasaki helped produce some of the independent films made by Tadashi Imai and Satsuo Yamamoto after many left-wingers were expelled from the major studios in the Red Purge. In 1974, he was a member of the jury at the 24th Berlin International Film Festival.
Kiyoshi Jinzai (神西 清, Jinzai Kiyoshi; 15 November 1903 – 11 March 1957) was a Japanese novelist, Russian translator and…Kiyoshi Jinzai (神西 清, Jinzai Kiyoshi; 15 November 1903 – 11 March 1957) was a Japanese novelist, Russian translator and literary critic active during the Shōwa period of Japan.
Tatsuko Hoshino (星野 立子, Hoshino Tatsuko; 15 November 1903 – 3 March 1984) was a Japanese haiku poet active in Shōwa…Tatsuko Hoshino (星野 立子, Hoshino Tatsuko; 15 November 1903 – 3 March 1984) was a Japanese haiku poet active in Shōwa period Japan.
Sensui Shoji (Japanese: 庄司 浅水, Hepburn: Shōji Sensui; 10 November 1903 – 7 September 1991) was a Japanese bibliophile…Sensui Shoji (Japanese: 庄司 浅水, Hepburn: Shōji Sensui; 10 November 1903 – 7 September 1991) was a Japanese bibliophile and author. He wrote and translated over 100 books and articles, mainly on the history of Japanese and Western literature, but also in the area of the supernatural.
Ichiro Yoshizawa (吉沢 一郎, Yoshizawa Ichirō; 1903–1998) was a Japanese mountaineer and expedition leader. He graduated…Ichiro Yoshizawa (吉沢 一郎, Yoshizawa Ichirō; 1903–1998) was a Japanese mountaineer and expedition leader. He graduated from Hitotsubashi University. Among other expeditions, in 1977 he led the second successful attempt to reach the summit of K2, which saw six Japanese climbers and one Pakistani summiting on August 8-9. Yoshizawa became a member of the Japanese Alpine Club in 1925 and became vice president in 1972; he was also a member of foreign clubs like The Alpine Club.
Hidemi Kon (今 日出海, Kon Hidemi; 6 November 1903 – 30 July 1984) was a literary critic and essayist active in Japan…Hidemi Kon (今 日出海, Kon Hidemi; 6 November 1903 – 30 July 1984) was a literary critic and essayist active in Japan during the Shōwa period.
Shirō Nonaka (野中 四郎, Nonaka Shirō; 27 October 1903 – 29 February 1936) was an Imperial Japanese Army officer who was a…Shirō Nonaka (野中 四郎, Nonaka Shirō; 27 October 1903 – 29 February 1936) was an Imperial Japanese Army officer who was a central conspirator in the 26 February Incident in 1936. His final rank was Captain.
Marquess Michiaki Koga (久我 通顕; 23 October 1903 – 10 November 1982) was a Japanese politician who served in the House of…Marquess Michiaki Koga (久我 通顕; 23 October 1903 – 10 November 1982) was a Japanese politician who served in the House of Peers. He was the father of actress Yoshiko Kuga.
Yôko Umemura (梅村蓉子; October 21, 1903 – March 8, 1944), born Suzuki Hanako, was a Japanese film actress who appeared in…Yôko Umemura (梅村蓉子; October 21, 1903 – March 8, 1944), born Suzuki Hanako, was a Japanese film actress who appeared in over a hundred films from 1922 to 1944. She is especially associated with the work of directors Yasujiro Shimazu and Kenji Mizoguchi.
Takeo Akuta (芥田 武夫, Akuta Takeo; October 20, 1903 – September 5, 1987) was a Japanese baseball player and manager who…Takeo Akuta (芥田 武夫, Akuta Takeo; October 20, 1903 – September 5, 1987) was a Japanese baseball player and manager who was a member of the Japanese Baseball League. Akuta was born October 20, 1903 in Himeji, Japan. On September 24, 1952 Akuta took over as the manager of the Kintetsu Pearls, of the Japan Pacific League. In 1988 he was posthumously elected to the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame.
Takagi Kyozo (Japanese: 高木恭造; October 12, 1903 – October 23, 1987) was a Japanese poet who wrote in the Tsugaru dialect…Takagi Kyozo (Japanese: 高木恭造; October 12, 1903 – October 23, 1987) was a Japanese poet who wrote in the Tsugaru dialect and an ophthalmologist. His nephew is crime fiction writer Akimitsu Takagi. He was born in Aomori, Aomori Prefecture, Japan. He worked briefly as a substitute teacher and later news reporter. He eventually became an ophthalmologist and opened his own clinic in Hirosaki. October 23 is celebrated in Japan as "Tsugaru dialect day" (Japanese: 津軽弁の日) in honor of the anniversary of his death. There is also a monument dedicated to him with an except from a Marmelo poem in Hirosaki.
Shinbashi Kiyozō (新橋 喜代三, Shinbashi Kiyozō; 12 October 1903 – 23 March 1963) was a Japanese geisha and singer who also…Shinbashi Kiyozō (新橋 喜代三, Shinbashi Kiyozō; 12 October 1903 – 23 March 1963) was a Japanese geisha and singer who also performed in a few films before World War II. Her most famous film was The Million Ryo Pot, which records not only her remarkable natural acting skill, but numerous songs she sang accompanied by a shamisen.
Yao Kitabatake (北畠 八穂, Kitabatake Yao; 5 October 1903 – 18 March 1982) was a poet and children's literature writer in…Yao Kitabatake (北畠 八穂, Kitabatake Yao; 5 October 1903 – 18 March 1982) was a poet and children's literature writer in Shōwa period Japan.
Vice Admiral Mitsugu Ihara (庵原貢, Iohara Mitsugu; 3 October 1903 – 31 March 1979) was a Japanese naval officer who…Vice Admiral Mitsugu Ihara (庵原貢, Iohara Mitsugu; 3 October 1903 – 31 March 1979) was a Japanese naval officer who served in both the Imperial Japanese Navy from 1920 to 1945 and the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) from 1954 to 1960. He was the third Chief of Staff of the JMSDF succeeding Yasumaro Kiguchi. In 1961, he was succeeded by Nobuo Fukuchi.
Takaji Muranaka (村中 孝次, Muranaka Takaji; 3 October 1903 – 19 August 1937) was an Imperial Japanese Army officer who was…Takaji Muranaka (村中 孝次, Muranaka Takaji; 3 October 1903 – 19 August 1937) was an Imperial Japanese Army officer who was a conspirator in the February 26 Incident in 1936 and was subsequently arrested and executed by the Japanese authorities for the attempted coup.
Yoshiyuki Tsuruta (鶴田 義行, Tsuruta Yoshiyuki) (October 1, 1903 – July 24, 1986) was a Japanese swimmer. He won a gold…Yoshiyuki Tsuruta (鶴田 義行, Tsuruta Yoshiyuki) (October 1, 1903 – July 24, 1986) was a Japanese swimmer. He won a gold medal in the Amsterdam Olympics and the Los Angeles Olympics.
Tateo Katō (加藤 建夫, Katō Tateo; September 28, 1903 – May 22, 1942) was a Japanese ace army aviator, credited with at…Tateo Katō (加藤 建夫, Katō Tateo; September 28, 1903 – May 22, 1942) was a Japanese ace army aviator, credited with at least 18 aerial victories and who was honored posthumously by an award of the Order of the Golden Kite.
Yonetaro Nakazawa (中沢 米太郎, Nakazawa Yonetarō; September 26, 1903 – February 5, 1984) was a Japanese track and field…Yonetaro Nakazawa (中沢 米太郎, Nakazawa Yonetarō; September 26, 1903 – February 5, 1984) was a Japanese track and field athlete. He competed at the 1928 Summer Olympics in the pole vault and decathlon and finished in sixth and 22nd place, respectively. He was the flag bearer for Japan at those Olympics. He also competed for Japan at the Far Eastern Championship Games (a forerunner to the Asian Games) and was the winner of the pole vault competition in 1923 in Osaka and again in 1927.
Ayako Ishigaki (石垣 綾子, Ishigaki Ayako; 1903 – 1996) was an Issei journalist, activist, and feminist, who was among the…Ayako Ishigaki (石垣 綾子, Ishigaki Ayako; 1903 – 1996) was an Issei journalist, activist, and feminist, who was among the first Japanese American women to publish a memoir in English.
Hidesaburō Shōda (正田 英三郎, Shōda Hidesaburō; 21 September 1903 – 18 June 1999) was a Japanese businessman. He served as…Hidesaburō Shōda (正田 英三郎, Shōda Hidesaburō; 21 September 1903 – 18 June 1999) was a Japanese businessman. He served as the president and later honorary chairman of Nisshin Seifun Group, the country's largest flour milling company. He was the father of Empress Michiko, is the father in law of Emperor Akihito, and the maternal grandfather of Emperor Naruhito. He was the third son of Teiichiro Shōda, the founder of the Nisshin Seifun Group. The Shōda family is prominent in both industrial and academic circles.
Minanogawa Tōzō (Japanese: 男女ノ川 登三; September 17, 1903 – January 20, 1971), also known as Asashio Kyojiro (朝潮 供次郎), was…Minanogawa Tōzō (Japanese: 男女ノ川 登三; September 17, 1903 – January 20, 1971), also known as Asashio Kyojiro (朝潮 供次郎), was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Tsukuba, Ibaraki. He was the sport's 34th yokozuna.
Yoshio Kosugi (小杉 義男, Kosugi Yoshio; 15 September 1903 – 12 March 1968) was a Japanese actor. He appeared in more than…Yoshio Kosugi (小杉 義男, Kosugi Yoshio; 15 September 1903 – 12 March 1968) was a Japanese actor. He appeared in more than 120 films from 1924 to 1967.
Giyo Saito (斎藤 魏洋, Saitō Giyō; 14 September 1903 – September 1944) was a Japanese swimmer. He competed in two events at…Giyo Saito (斎藤 魏洋, Saitō Giyō; 14 September 1903 – September 1944) was a Japanese swimmer. He competed in two events at the 1924 Summer Olympics. He died during World War II.
Uichiro Hatta (八田 卯一郎, Hatta Uichirō; September 10, 1903 – April 20, 1989) was a Japanese football player. He played…Uichiro Hatta (八田 卯一郎, Hatta Uichirō; September 10, 1903 – April 20, 1989) was a Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team.
Kensaku Shimaki (島木 健作, Shimaki Kensaku; 7 September 1903 – 17 August 1945) was the pen name of Asakura Kikuo (朝倉 菊雄)…Kensaku Shimaki (島木 健作, Shimaki Kensaku; 7 September 1903 – 17 August 1945) was the pen name of Asakura Kikuo (朝倉 菊雄), a Japanese author active during the Shōwa period in Japan. He had an interest in leftist ideology and was arrested in 1928 due to his ties to the Japanese Communist Party. Throughout his literary career, Shimaki wrote multiple novels and stories with a common theme being proletariat life. Some of his works were published by magazines and journals. He associated with Nobel laureate Kawabata Yasunari.
Shikō Munakata (棟方 志功, Munakata Shikō; September 5, 1903 – September 13, 1975) was a woodblock printmaker active in…Shikō Munakata (棟方 志功, Munakata Shikō; September 5, 1903 – September 13, 1975) was a woodblock printmaker active in Shōwa period Japan. He is associated with the sōsaku-hanga movement and the mingei (folk art) movement. Munakata was awarded the "Prize of Excellence" at the Second International Print Exhibition in Lugano, Switzerland in 1952, and first prize at the São Paulo Bienal Exhibition in Brazil in 1955, followed by Grand Prix at the Venice Biennale in 1956, and the Order of Culture, the highest honor in the arts by the Japanese government in 1970.
Yang Ju-dong (Korean: 양주동; 24 June 1903 – 4 February 1977) was a South Korean poet, professor, literary scholar, and…Yang Ju-dong (Korean: 양주동; 24 June 1903 – 4 February 1977) was a South Korean poet, professor, literary scholar, and academic. He published on both English and Korean literature. He is also known by his art name Mu-ae (무애).
Shōchō Hagami (葉上照澄; August 15, 1903 – March 7, 1989) was a Japanese great acharya (大阿闍梨) of Tendai Buddhism and one of…Shōchō Hagami (葉上照澄; August 15, 1903 – March 7, 1989) was a Japanese great acharya (大阿闍梨) of Tendai Buddhism and one of the most prominent Japanese Buddhists of the 20th century. He served as President of the Japanese Religious Committee for World Federation and advocated the need for the cooperation of religious leaders, which transcends religious and denominational boundaries. Hagami was originally a professor of German philosophy at Taisho University and in turn served as a journalist for the Sanyo Shimbun. However, the untimely death of his wife as well as the defeat of Japan at WWII triggered him to pursue religious life, whereby to help Japan restore itself from the postwar devastation. In 1946, he entered the Buddhist monastery at Mount Hiei, the headquarters of the Tendai school and the Mother Mountain of Japanese Buddhism. Hagami was the 39th monk in history who completed the ordeal of endurance, perseverance, and both physical and mental strength, known as Sennichi Kaihōgyō in Japanese (千日回峰行), or “thousand-day around-the-peaks training.” He also completed other ordeals such as a thousand days of Unshin Kaihōgyō (運心回峰行) and a thousand days of Hokke Zanmaigyō (法華三昧行). While fostering new generations of Japan for lives of influence and service, Hagami was actively engaged in promoting reconciliation and peaceful coexistence across the world. He appealed to Pope Paul VI and other religious leaders of the world to create an International League of all religious people of the whole world in order to end all the wars among religions as well as all the conflicts caused in the name of religions. Hagami once noted: “It is said that the root of all evil is human pride, obstinacy, human ego, class ego, racial ego, and national ego. Yet religion which is supposed, above all, to teach the casting away of ego, itself has the egoism of sects and religious institutions. And this is what makes me dislike religionists. . . . True religion is born from the abyss of despair. I believe that when it really becomes a question of whether mankind will survive or not, then religion will return to a purer position, and will set out in a great new direction.” Hagami maintained that for the advancement of world peace, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam must be reconciled, and that Japanese Buddhists—as religious people of the first victim of nuclear attack in human history—must serve as mediators for that reconciliation. Accordingly, he visited Egypt and the Vatican many times and established close friendships with the Egyptian President Anwar Sadat as well as with Cardinal Sergio Pignedoli of the Vatican. In July 1977, Hagami visited President Sadat and urged him to make peace with Israel. This was one of the triggers that led Sadat's dramatic journey to the Knesset in Israel. Sadat himself mentioned Hagami's impact on this initiation in his letter of gratitude to Hagami. At Hagami's suggestion, Sadat also sponsored a communal service in November 1979, gathering representatives of Islam, Judaism and Christianity at the foot of Mount Sinai on the occasion of the transfer of the Sinai Peninsula from Israel to Egypt. In October 1981, when Hagami learned about the assassination of Sadat, he felt personally responsible for Sadat's death. Sadat was said to have been killed for shaking hands with Jews, which Hagami urged Sadat to do. In March 1984, as a way, in part, to commemorate Sadat's death, Hagami organized a joint prayer meeting for world peace on Mount Sinai, by appealing to religious leaders in the US and Egypt. 130 people assembled there to represent Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Shinto, from the US, Egypt, Israel and Japan, and prayed for the speedy end of the Middle East War and performed different religious ceremonies according to the respective styles of rituals. In August 1987, Hagami invited prominent leaders of various religions of the world to hold the first Religious Summit Meeting on Mount Hiei, Japan, in order to advance peaceful coexistence, interfaith dialogue, and acceptance of others. He visited Israel in 1988 and was acquainted with a variety of religious leaders and scholars such as André Chouraqui, R.J. Zwi Werblowsky, and Chief Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu. To further advance interfaith dialogue, Hagami planned to hold a Religious Summit Meeting in Jerusalem but died before its fruition.
Sumiyuki Kotani (小谷 澄之, Kotani Sumiyuki; August 3, 1903 – October 9, 1991) was a Japanese martial artist. He was a…Sumiyuki Kotani (小谷 澄之, Kotani Sumiyuki; August 3, 1903 – October 9, 1991) was a Japanese martial artist. He was a member of the 1932 Japanese Olympic wrestling team. He was one of the highest-ranked judoka, and was awarded a 10th dan in April 1984 by the Kodokan. He was for a long time the oldest 10th dan until Ichiro Abe was awarded the rank age of 83 years. Kotani studied at the Tokyo College of Education and studied judo directly under Jigoro Kano. As a young man, he was known to take on any challenges. Kotani was very active in promoting judo throughout the world and was the director of the international division at the Kodokan for many years. He was also a professor at Tokai University. He was the Kodokan's top representative and vice president of the All Japan Judo Federation. He died on October 19, 1991.
Tamaki Tokuyama (徳山 璉, Tokuyama Tamaki; July 27, 1903 – January 28, 1942) was a classically trained baritone and a…Tamaki Tokuyama (徳山 璉, Tokuyama Tamaki; July 27, 1903 – January 28, 1942) was a classically trained baritone and a famous singer of popular music in early Shōwa era Japan.
Fujisaburō Ono (小野 藤三郎, Ono Fujisaburō; July 27, 1903 – October 8, 1996), better known as Tōzaburō Ono (小野 十三郎, Ono…Fujisaburō Ono (小野 藤三郎, Ono Fujisaburō; July 27, 1903 – October 8, 1996), better known as Tōzaburō Ono (小野 十三郎, Ono Tōzaburō), was a Japanese poet and anarchist known for his critique of lyric poetry and as an advocate of long, rational poems.
Ryōhei Koiso (小磯 良平, Koiso Ryōhei; Japanese: [koiso ɾʲoːheː]) (July 25, 1903 – December 16, 1988) was a Japanese…Ryōhei Koiso (小磯 良平, Koiso Ryōhei; Japanese: [koiso ɾʲoːheː]) (July 25, 1903 – December 16, 1988) was a Japanese artist. He graduated from the Tokyo University of the Arts western art department in 1927 and had a successful career from early on. During World War II he was often commissioned paintings depicting Japanese military scenes, such as the signing of the British surrender of Singapore, and Japanese infantrymen making their way through high grass fields in Malaysia. He returned to mainstream painting following the war, and painted until his death. His work was also part of the painting event in the art competition at the 1936 Summer Olympics.
Hideo Aragaki (荒垣 秀雄, Aragaki Hideo; July 19, 1903 – July 8, 1989) was a Japanese newspaperman and a columnist in the…Hideo Aragaki (荒垣 秀雄, Aragaki Hideo; July 19, 1903 – July 8, 1989) was a Japanese newspaperman and a columnist in the Showa era. He was known for writing essays in the Tensei Jingo of Asahi Shimbun for 17 years.
Michio Takeyama (竹山 道雄, Takeyama Michio; 17 July 1903 – 15 June 1984) was a Japanese writer, literary critic and…Michio Takeyama (竹山 道雄, Takeyama Michio; 17 July 1903 – 15 June 1984) was a Japanese writer, literary critic and scholar of German literature, active in Shōwa period Japan.
Ayame Mizushima (水島 あやめ, Mizushima Ayame; 17 June 1903 – 31 December 1990) was a Japanese novelist and screenwriter…Ayame Mizushima (水島 あやめ, Mizushima Ayame; 17 June 1903 – 31 December 1990) was a Japanese novelist and screenwriter, commonly referred to as the first woman to have received on screen credit in Japan.
Yanosuke Otsuka (大塚弥之助) (11 July 1903 – 7 August 1950) was a Japanese geologist and professor. Yanosuke Otsuka was born…Yanosuke Otsuka (大塚弥之助) (11 July 1903 – 7 August 1950) was a Japanese geologist and professor. Yanosuke Otsuka was born in Nihonbashi, Tokyo on 11 July 1903. He went to the Junior High School attached to Tokyo Higher Normal School (東京高等師範学校付属中学校), and after that to Shizuoka High School (静岡高校). For his undergraduate studies, he entered the Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, Imperial University of Tokyo, where he graduated in 1929. While he was student, he learned the methods of historical geology from Yoshiaki Ozawa, topography from Taro Tsujimura (辻村太郎), and Cenozoic biological stratigraphy from Shigeyasu Tokunaga. After graduation, he entered the Earthquake Research Institute as an assistant in 1930, becoming an associate professor in 1939 and a professor in 1943. He made significant contributions in characterizing the surface faults in the circum-Pacific area, effects of tsunamis, tectonics of crustal movements, taxonomy of molluscs, paleoclimatology, mapping of Cenozoic strata, and the Tertiary history of the Japanese islands. He died prematurely from pulmonary tuberculosis on 7 August 1950, at the age of 47, because effective antimicrobial therapy was not yet available in Japan at the time. In biology, he is known for the Otsuka similarity coefficient (also known as Otsuka-Ochiai or Ochiai coefficient), which can be represented as: K = | A ∩ B | | A | × | B | {\displaystyle K={\frac {|A\cap B|}{\sqrt {|A|\times |B|}}}} Here, A {\displaystyle A} and B {\displaystyle B} are sets, and | A | {\displaystyle |A|} is the number of elements in A {\displaystyle A} . If sets are represented as bit vectors, the Otsuka similarity coefficient can be seen to be the same as the cosine similarity. In a recent book, the Otsuka similarity coefficient is misattributed to another Japanese researcher with the family name Otsuka. The confusion arises because in 1957 Akira Ochiai attributes the coefficient only to Otsuka (no first name mentioned) by citing an article by Ikuso Hamai (Japanese: 浜井 生三), who in turn cites the original 1936 article by Yanosuke Otsuka.
