Fumihiko Sori (曽利 文彦) is a Japanese film director and film producer. He received a nomination for the 'Best Director'…Fumihiko Sori (曽利 文彦) is a Japanese film director and film producer. He received a nomination for the 'Best Director' prize at the Japanese Academy Awards for his directing debut, Ping Pong.
Edo Harumi (エド・はるみ; born 14 May 1964, in Tokyo) is a Japanese comedian, actress and graduate student. Edo Harumi is…Edo Harumi (エド・はるみ; born 14 May 1964, in Tokyo) is a Japanese comedian, actress and graduate student. Edo Harumi is represented with Yoshimoto Kogyo in Tokyo (also known as Tokyo Yoshimoto, a subsidiary of Yoshimoto Creative Agency). She spent her childhood in Ibaraki Prefecture, Chiba Prefecture and Tokyo. Edo Harumi graduated from Meiji University Faculty of Literature Department of Literature Department of Drama Studies. She is known in variety programmes as -gū (○○グゥ〜).
Daisuke Araki (荒木 大輔, Araki Daisuke; born May 6, 1964) is a former Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher. He is known…Daisuke Araki (荒木 大輔, Araki Daisuke; born May 6, 1964) is a former Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher. He is known for being the namesake of former Major League Baseball pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka.
Hisako Mori (森 久子, Mori Hisako; born 4 May 1964) is a Japanese badminton player, born in Kanagawa Prefecture. She…Hisako Mori (森 久子, Mori Hisako; born 4 May 1964) is a Japanese badminton player, born in Kanagawa Prefecture. She competed in women's doubles with teammate Kimiko Jinnai at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.
Shinichi Yamaji (山路 慎一, Yamaji Shin'ichi; May 5, 1964 – May 26, 2014) was a Japanese race car driver. He formerly raced…Shinichi Yamaji (山路 慎一, Yamaji Shin'ichi; May 5, 1964 – May 26, 2014) was a Japanese race car driver. He formerly raced in the Japanese Grand Touring Championship, currently known as Super GT. Yamaji's race debut was in 1986. He competed for YOURS Sports in the RX-7 at the JSS race at Fuji. He went on to take the championship in the RX-7 class of the Fuji Freshman Race series and from 1994 moved up to the All Japan GT Championship. He is widely remembered for an incident that occurred at the start of the 1998 race at Fuji in which, following a serious accident that resulted in an outbreak of fire, he rushed over to the stricken car and frantically worked to extinguish the engulfing flames. Thanks to his heroic efforts the driver, Tetsuya Ota, was able to escape with his life. In recent years, he served as the Clerk of the Course at various events such as Fuji Speedway races and the D1 Grand Prix. In 2011, he retired from Super GT300. On May 25, 2014, he checked into a hospital due to a worsening illness and died the next day.
Koji Kurihara (栗原 浩司, Kurihara Kōji; born 2 May 1964) is a Japanese sprinter. He competed in the men's 100 metres at…Koji Kurihara (栗原 浩司, Kurihara Kōji; born 2 May 1964) is a Japanese sprinter. He competed in the men's 100 metres at the 1988 Summer Olympics.
Makoto Niwano (にわの まこと, Niwano Makoto; born May 1, 1964) is a Japanese manga artist known for several works, including…Makoto Niwano (にわの まこと, Niwano Makoto; born May 1, 1964) is a Japanese manga artist known for several works, including The Momotaroh, Bomber Girl and Jinnairyū Jyūjyutsu Butouden Majimakun Suttobasu!!. Niwano has also written a manga adaptation of Deltora Quest which was adapted into an anime series, and was a mentor to Takeshi Obata of Hikaru no Go and Death Note fame.
Noriyuki Iwadare (岩垂 徳行, Iwadare Noriyuki; born on April 28, 1964) is a Japanese video game composer. Some of his work…Noriyuki Iwadare (岩垂 徳行, Iwadare Noriyuki; born on April 28, 1964) is a Japanese video game composer. Some of his work include the Langrisser, Lunar, Grandia, and Ace Attorney series.
Kim Jong-Song (Korean: 김종성; born 23 April 1964) is a professional football manager and former footballer who was most…Kim Jong-Song (Korean: 김종성; born 23 April 1964) is a professional football manager and former footballer who was most recently the manager of Kamatamare Sanuki. Born in Japan, he represented the North Korea national team and represented them at the 1992 AFC Asian Cup.
Yoshifumi Matsumura (松村 祥史, Matsumura Yoshifumi; born April 22, 1964) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal…Yoshifumi Matsumura (松村 祥史, Matsumura Yoshifumi; born April 22, 1964) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature). A graduate of Senshu University, he was elected to the House of Councillors for the first time in 2004.
Yutaka Kobayshi (小林 温, Kobayashi Yutaka; born April 21, 1964) is a former Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic…Yutaka Kobayshi (小林 温, Kobayashi Yutaka; born April 21, 1964) is a former Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic party, serving as a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet of Japan.
Mari Iijima (飯島 真理, Iijima Mari; born May 18, 1963) is a Japanese actress and singer. She writes and produces most of…Mari Iijima (飯島 真理, Iijima Mari; born May 18, 1963) is a Japanese actress and singer. She writes and produces most of her own music, and plays the piano and other instruments. After being signed to JVC Victor in 1982, Mari first became known for her voice-acting role as Lynn Minmay in the anime Macross. Her debut original album, Rosé, was released in 1983, which was produced by composer Ryuichi Sakamoto. She lives in Los Angeles, California.
Takashi Kobayashi (小林 孝至, Kobayashi Takashi) (born 17 May 1963) is a Japanese wrestler and Olympic champion in…Takashi Kobayashi (小林 孝至, Kobayashi Takashi) (born 17 May 1963) is a Japanese wrestler and Olympic champion in Freestyle wrestling.
Emi Fujita (藤田恵美, Fujita Emi; born May 15, 1963) is a Japanese singer. She debuted as a singer with her husband Ryuji…Emi Fujita (藤田恵美, Fujita Emi; born May 15, 1963) is a Japanese singer. She debuted as a singer with her husband Ryuji Fujita as the duo Le Couple. Their first album was released in 1994. Fujita made her solo debut in 2001. Her series of Camomile CDs are covers of popular western songs. Rembrandt Sky is her first original album, a collaboration with music producers Toshiyuki Mori, Seiji Kameda and Yoshiyuki Sahashi. Several of her solo albums have charted in Japan, including Camomile Best Audio, which reached number 27 on the Oricon chart. She has also found some success in Southeast Asia. Emi and Ryuji divorced in February 2007.
Masatoshi Hamada (浜田 雅功), nicknamed Hama-chan (浜ちゃん), is a Japanese comedian best known as the tsukkomi half of the…Masatoshi Hamada (浜田 雅功), nicknamed Hama-chan (浜ちゃん), is a Japanese comedian best known as the tsukkomi half of the owarai duo Downtown alongside Hitoshi Matsumoto. Hamada is married to Natsumi Ogawa, with whom he has two children.
Hiroo Shima (嶋 宏大, Shima Hiroo; born 10 March 1963) is a Japanese former ski jumper. He competed in the Sarajevo Winter…Hiroo Shima (嶋 宏大, Shima Hiroo; born 10 March 1963) is a Japanese former ski jumper. He competed in the Sarajevo Winter Olympics at the age of 20.
Satoshi Takamatsu (高松 聡, Takamatsu Satoshi; born March 5, 1963) is a Japanese artist, creative director, photographer…Satoshi Takamatsu (高松 聡, Takamatsu Satoshi; born March 5, 1963) is a Japanese artist, creative director, photographer, and private astronaut candidate. He is the founder of WE, an art project centered on a planned long-duration mission to the International Space Station (ISS) to capture ultra-high-resolution imagery of Earth for immersive public exhibition. Takamatsu has described the project as an attempt to reproduce aspects of the Overview Effect for people on the ground, with the aim of encouraging greater awareness of peace, the environment, and, in his own writings, the human values that should guide the development of advanced artificial intelligence. Before founding WE, Takamatsu had a three-decade career in advertising. He is known for leading the creation of the world's first television commercial filmed aboard the International Space Station (2001), organizing the first FIFA-endorsed public viewing event during the 2002 FIFA World Cup, and serving in leading creative roles on the Nissin Cup Noodle "Freedom" and "NO BORDER" campaigns. He completed eight months of cosmonaut training at Star City, Russia, in 2015, and Axiom Space announced in 2024 that it had signed an agreement reserving him a seat on a future long-duration human spaceflight mission to the ISS.
Kimiyasu Kudo (工藤 公康, Kudō Kimiyasu; born May 5, 1963) is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher, former…Kimiyasu Kudo (工藤 公康, Kudō Kimiyasu; born May 5, 1963) is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher, former manager of the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, and current manager of the Chunichi Dragons of Nippon Professional Baseball. Known for his longevity as a player, he holds the NPB records for longest career with 29 seasons played, most consecutive seasons with at least one win with 23 and is the oldest pitcher to strike out 10 batters in a game, doing so at the age of 41 years and 11 months. In his career, he recorded 224 wins, a 3.45 ERA and 2,859 strike outs. However, despite all his accolades, he is famously known for having never won the Eiji Sawamura Award, given to Japan's top pitcher. Kudo has been a part of 16 Japan Series championships, 11 as a player and 5 as a manager. As a player, he was a member of the Seibu Lions Golden Age, winning 8 championships in 11 years, and won one championship with Fukuoka Daiei Hawks and two with Yomiuri Giants. As a manager, he led the Hawks to five Japan Series championships in six years, winning in 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020. Kudo has won the Matsutaro Shoriki Award, given annually to the person who is deemed to have contributed the most to baseball in Japan, 4 times, once as a player in 1987 and 3 times as a manager in 2015, 2018 and 2019. He was also known as the last active player on the Lions from the "Invincible Seibu" era. Kudo was born in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. For the English spelling of his last name, "Kudo" and "Kudoh" are used regularly and interchangeably. Technically, both are correct as there is no straight letter-for-letter translation because it is a series of Japanese characters. His preference for the spelling on the back of his uniform was "Kudoh" as a player and "Kudo" as a manager.
Koji Aihara (相原 コージ, Aihara Kōji) is a Japanese manga artist from Hokkaido. Aihara grew up reading the works of Osamu…Koji Aihara (相原 コージ, Aihara Kōji) is a Japanese manga artist from Hokkaido. Aihara grew up reading the works of Osamu Tezuka. He made his debut with Hachigatsu no Nureta Pantsu in 1983, which ran in Weekly Manga Action Magazine. He is one of the authors of Even a Monkey Can Draw Manga, a satiric look at the manga industry. Aihara's other best-known works include Bunka Jinrui Gag, Koojien, Mujina and Manka. Manka has been described as being similar to tanka in that it shows the breadth of human emotion within the short space of a yonkoma. He has also drawn a yonkoma parody of a Japanese dictionary. His work has been described as breaking new ground for themes in comedic manga, and as showing "meticulous detail". He also designed the characters for the RPG video games Maka Maka and Idea no Hi (scenario and character design draft).
Katsushi Tao (田尾 克史, Tao Katsushi; born 1 May 1963) is a Japanese ski jumper. He competed in the normal hill and large…Katsushi Tao (田尾 克史, Tao Katsushi; born 1 May 1963) is a Japanese ski jumper. He competed in the normal hill and large hill events at the 1988 Winter Olympics.
Naoko Kume (久米 直子, Kume Naoko; born 29 April 1963) is a Japanese swimmer. She competed in two events at the 1984 Summer…Naoko Kume (久米 直子, Kume Naoko; born 29 April 1963) is a Japanese swimmer. She competed in two events at the 1984 Summer Olympics.
Hiromasa Ijichi (伊秩 弘将, Ijichi Hiromasa; born 26 April 1963) is a Japanese composer and music producer. Most of his…Hiromasa Ijichi (伊秩 弘将, Ijichi Hiromasa; born 26 April 1963) is a Japanese composer and music producer. Most of his compositions are sung by the Japanese girl group Speed.
Hiroyuki Shibata (Japanese: 柴田 博之, Hepburn: Shibata Hiroyuki; born 26 April 1963) is a Japanese athlete. He competed in…Hiroyuki Shibata (Japanese: 柴田 博之, Hepburn: Shibata Hiroyuki; born 26 April 1963) is a Japanese athlete. He competed in the men's long jump at the 1988 Summer Olympics. He is currently the track coach of Rakunan High School in Kyoto, where he coached Olympian Yoshihide Kiryū, the first Japanese to break the 10-second barrier.
Atsushi Taira (大蘿淳司, born April 26, 1963) is a Japanese technology entrepreneur and investor. He co-founded The Edgeof…Atsushi Taira (大蘿淳司, born April 26, 1963) is a Japanese technology entrepreneur and investor. He co-founded The Edgeof, an ecosystem builder and venture capital entity, with Taizo Son, the youngest brother of SoftBank magnate Masayoshi Son. He is also the managing director of Mistletoe Singapore, a global startup ecosystem builder focused on the Asia–Pacific region that is also active in supporting entrepreneurs and innovators that aim to solve current social problems.
Hitoshi Ashinano (芦奈野ひとし, Ashinano Hitoshi; born April 25, 1963) is a Japanese manga artist. He is most noted for…Hitoshi Ashinano (芦奈野ひとし, Ashinano Hitoshi; born April 25, 1963) is a Japanese manga artist. He is most noted for Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou, for which he won the 2007 Seiun Award for Best Science Fiction Manga. Another notable work is PositioN. Prior to his debut, Ashinano worked as an assistant to manga artist Kōsuke Fujishima.
Izumi Muto (武藤 泉, Mutō Izumi) born April 1963 in Gunma Prefecture, Japan, is a professor of Tohoku University and…Izumi Muto (武藤 泉, Mutō Izumi) born April 1963 in Gunma Prefecture, Japan, is a professor of Tohoku University and researcher of stainless steel. He is the author of some 200 patents concerning a metallic material and anti-corrosive technology, that have various characteristics including various types of stainless steel. Hideo Muto, who was chair of the Gunma University department of education, is his uncle.
Hiroe Suga (菅浩江, Suga Hiroe; born April 21, 1963 in Kyoto) is a Japanese science fiction and mystery writer. She was…Hiroe Suga (菅浩江, Suga Hiroe; born April 21, 1963 in Kyoto) is a Japanese science fiction and mystery writer. She was first published in 1981. She has won four Seiun Awards – in 1992 and 2001 for best novel of the year, and in 1993 and 2020 for best short story of the year. She is also a musician and a qualified dancer in the Wakayagi school of Japanese traditional dance. Music and dance have figured in her fiction. Suga has taught at a story writing course at the Kyoto College of Graphic Studies for Informatics (KCGI). In November 1990, Suga married Gainax founder Yasuhiro Takeda.
Katsumi Watanabe (渡部 勝美, Watanabe Katsumi; born May 16, 1962) is a Japanese baseball player. He was awarded the bronze…Katsumi Watanabe (渡部 勝美, Watanabe Katsumi; born May 16, 1962) is a Japanese baseball player. He was awarded the bronze medal, along with the rest of the Japanese team, during baseball's first ever appearance as an official Olympic sport, during the 1992 Summer Olympics.
Yasushi Suzuki (鈴木 靖, Suzuki Yasushi; born 15 May 1962) is a Japanese speed skater. He competed in the men's 500 metres…Yasushi Suzuki (鈴木 靖, Suzuki Yasushi; born 15 May 1962) is a Japanese speed skater. He competed in the men's 500 metres event at the 1984 Winter Olympics.
Takao Nakano (中野貴雄, Nakano Takao; born May 15, 1962) is a Japanese film director, screenwriter and actor who has worked…Takao Nakano (中野貴雄, Nakano Takao; born May 15, 1962) is a Japanese film director, screenwriter and actor who has worked in pink film, adult videos (AV), and in mainstream comedy, horror and fantasy films. Film critic Jasper Sharp describes him as one of the few figures in the Japanese erotic film scene who have made a name for themselves overseas.
Shin-ya Koyama (小山 信也, Koyama Shin'ya; born 1962, Niigata) is a Japanese mathematician working in number theory. He is…Shin-ya Koyama (小山 信也, Koyama Shin'ya; born 1962, Niigata) is a Japanese mathematician working in number theory. He is currently a professor at Toyo University.
Kaori Ishibashi (石橋かおりIshibashi Kaori; born May 6, 1962) is a Japanese confectionery researcher, baking instructor, and…Kaori Ishibashi (石橋かおりIshibashi Kaori; born May 6, 1962) is a Japanese confectionery researcher, baking instructor, and author known for her specialty in cheesecakes. She has written 48 baking cookbooks and over 400 cheesecake recipes.
Takayuki Suzui (鈴井 貴之, Suzui Takayuki; born 6 May 1962) is a tarento who mainly works in Hokkaido, film director and…Takayuki Suzui (鈴井 貴之, Suzui Takayuki; born 6 May 1962) is a tarento who mainly works in Hokkaido, film director and broadcast writer. He is the chairman of Board of Directors of Creative Office Cue Co., Ltd., and the Board of Cure Products Co., Ltd., and Manhole Film Limited. He is nicknamed Mister (ミスター, Misutā). His ex-wife is Creative Office Cue President Ayumi Ito.
Mitsuhiko Kato (加藤三彦, Katō Mitsuhiko; born May 5, 1962), nicknamed Semi, is a current college basketball head coach for…Mitsuhiko Kato (加藤三彦, Katō Mitsuhiko; born May 5, 1962), nicknamed Semi, is a current college basketball head coach for Bunri University of Hospitality in Japan and the former head coach for Noshiro Technical High School and Link Tochigi Brex.
Kazuo Takikawa (滝川 一夫, born 4 May 1962) is a Japanese former cyclist. He competed in the team pursuit event at the 1988…Kazuo Takikawa (滝川 一夫, born 4 May 1962) is a Japanese former cyclist. He competed in the team pursuit event at the 1988 Summer Olympics.
Masuaki Kiyota (清田 益章, Kiyota Masuaki; born 1962) is a Japanese psychic known for his alleged ability of…Masuaki Kiyota (清田 益章, Kiyota Masuaki; born 1962) is a Japanese psychic known for his alleged ability of thoughtography. Kiyota was tested by investigators in London by Granada Television and the results were negative. It was discovered that with tight controls, Kiyota was unable to project mental images onto film. He could only achieve success when he had the film in his possession without any control for at least 2 hours. Kiyota feats such as metal bending were endorsed by Walter and Mary Jo Uphoff as evidence for psychokinesis. However, skeptics and magicians have written that Kiyota is a clever "trickster" who performed his feats by magic tricks. According to James Randi "Kiyota's Polaroid photos were apparently produced by preexposing the film, since it was noted that he made great efforts to obtain a film pack and spend time with it in private." In a 1984 television interview, Kiyota confessed to fraud.
Seiji Maehara (前原 誠司, Maehara Seiji; born 30 April 1962) is a Japanese politician who has served as a member of the…Seiji Maehara (前原 誠司, Maehara Seiji; born 30 April 1962) is a Japanese politician who has served as a member of the House of Representatives of Japan since 1993. Maehara has served as a leader and a member of various political parties, and has run in several party leadership elections. As of 2026, he sits in the Diet as a member of Ishin no Kai. Beginning his political career in Kyoto, Maehara was initially a member of smaller opposition parties before joining the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), serving as its leader from 2005 to 2006. After the DPJ was victorious in the 2009 general election, Maehara served as Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and Minister of Foreign Affairs under the cabinets of Prime Ministers Yukio Hatoyama and Naoto Kan, before resigning from the cabinet in March 2011 after he acknowledged receiving illegal donations from a South Korean national living in Japan. In 2016, Maehara contested for the leadership of the Democratic Party, the successor party of the DPJ, losing to Renho. He later replaced her as leader on 1 September 2017 until its dissolution later that month. After spending some time with Kibō no Tō and the Democratic Party for the People (DPFP), Maehara founded a new party in 2023, Free Education for All, which was broadly centrist and focused on building a coalition against the LDP. In preparation for the 2024 general election, the party merged with the Osaka-based Ishin no Kai party (Japan Innovation Party). Two months later, he was elected the party's co-leader and representative in the National Diet, serving alongside Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura. Maehara would resign the following summer to take responsibility for the party's lackluster results in the 2025 Upper House elections. Being succeed by Fujita Fumitake, Maehra has remained on the backbenches since. Maehara is viewed as a "China war hawk" and a proponent of close ties with the United States. He is also often viewed as being politically conservative, while supporting socially liberal policies, such as the legalization of same-sex marriage.
Kotoinazuma Yoshihiro (born 26 April 1962 as Masahiro Tamura) is a former sumo wrestler from Niiharu, Gunma, Japan. He…Kotoinazuma Yoshihiro (born 26 April 1962 as Masahiro Tamura) is a former sumo wrestler from Niiharu, Gunma, Japan. He made his professional debut in 1978, and reached the top division in 1987. His highest rank was komusubi and he earned two special prizes. After retirement he became an elder in the Japan Sumo Association and as of 2016 he is a coach at Sadogatake stable under the name Kumegawa.
Tomoko Namba (南場智子, Namba Tomoko; born April 21, 1962) is a Japanese entrepreneur, and the former CEO of DeNA. She is…Tomoko Namba (南場智子, Namba Tomoko; born April 21, 1962) is a Japanese entrepreneur, and the former CEO of DeNA. She is vice-chair of the Japan Business Federation. In 1999 she founded DeNA, one of Japan's largest mobile social network and mobile game companies. She transitioned from CEO to Executive Chairman of DeNA in 2011 to focus on her family and personal life. In 2021, she was appointed vice-chair of the Japan Business Foundation to become the first woman in the post in its 75-year history. Namba received an MBA from Harvard Business School and was the third Japanese woman to become a partner at McKinsey & Co. She started DeNA after working on a consulting assignment with Sony's So-net while she was a consultant at McKinsey.
