Waku Kunitate (Japanese: 国立 和玖, Hepburn: Kunitate Waku; born 8 January 2012) is a Japanese motorcycle racer who…Waku Kunitate (Japanese: 国立 和玖, Hepburn: Kunitate Waku; born 8 January 2012) is a Japanese motorcycle racer who competes in the Moto4 Asia Cup. He is the 2024 FIM MiniGP World Series champion of the 160cc class. Kunitate has previously competed in the All Japan J-GP3 class in 2025. He is part of Tetsuta Nagashima's rider development program TN45.
Liz Akama (赤間 凛音, Akama Rizu; born 8 January 2009) is a Japanese skateboarder who won a silver medal in women's street…Liz Akama (赤間 凛音, Akama Rizu; born 8 January 2009) is a Japanese skateboarder who won a silver medal in women's street skateboarding at the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Jelani Ren McGhee (マギージェラニー 蓮, Mcghee Jelani Ren; born December 24, 2008) is a Japanese professional footballer who…Jelani Ren McGhee (マギージェラニー 蓮, Mcghee Jelani Ren; born December 24, 2008) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a forward for RB Omiya Ardija.
Rin Mende (面手 凛, Mende Rin; born 31 December 2007) is a Japanese table tennis player. She was part of her country's…Rin Mende (面手 凛, Mende Rin; born 31 December 2007) is a Japanese table tennis player. She was part of her country's team at the 2026 World Team Table Tennis Championships, winning a silver medal.
Mari Fukada (深田茉莉, Fukada Mari; born 1 January 2007) is a Japanese snowboarder who competes in the slopestyle and big…Mari Fukada (深田茉莉, Fukada Mari; born 1 January 2007) is a Japanese snowboarder who competes in the slopestyle and big air events. She won the gold medal in the slopestyle event at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Alexandre Kouto Horio Pisano (ピサノ・アレクサンドレ幸冬堀尾, Pisano Arekusandore Kōto Horio; born 10 January 2006) known as Alex…Alexandre Kouto Horio Pisano (ピサノ・アレクサンドレ幸冬堀尾, Pisano Arekusandore Kōto Horio; born 10 January 2006) known as Alex Pisano (Japanese: ピサノ・アレックス), is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Nagoya Grampus and the Japan national team.
Kokoro Tanaka (田中 こころ, Tanaka Kokoro) (born 10 January 2006) is a Japanese professional basketball player for the Eneos…Kokoro Tanaka (田中 こころ, Tanaka Kokoro) (born 10 January 2006) is a Japanese professional basketball player for the Eneos Sunflowers of the Women's Japan Basketball League. She was drafted 38th overall by the Golden State Valkyries in the 2026 WNBA draft.
Yoji Iwase (岩瀬 洋志（いわせ ようじ）, Iwase Yōji; born January 6, 2004) is a Japanese actor. He is managed by the talent agency…Yoji Iwase (岩瀬 洋志（いわせ ようじ）, Iwase Yōji; born January 6, 2004) is a Japanese actor. He is managed by the talent agency A-Plus.
Ayane Yanai (柳井 綾音, Yanai Ayane; born 24 December 2003) is a Japanese racewalking athlete. Representing Japan at the…Ayane Yanai (柳井 綾音, Yanai Ayane; born 24 December 2003) is a Japanese racewalking athlete. Representing Japan at the 2022 World Athletics U20 Championships, she won the bronze medal at the women's 10,000 metres walk. She competed in the women's 20 kilometres walk at the 2023 World Athletics Championships held in Budapest, Hungary.
Hiroto Shinozuka (Japanese: 篠塚大登; born 23 December 2003) is a Japanese table tennis player. He competed at the 2024…Hiroto Shinozuka (Japanese: 篠塚大登; born 23 December 2003) is a Japanese table tennis player. He competed at the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Akari Takeshige (竹重 杏歌理, Takeshige Akari; born 15 January 2003) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a…Akari Takeshige (竹重 杏歌理, Takeshige Akari; born 15 January 2003) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a defender for Vrouwen Eredivisie club Feyenoord.
Mako Yamashita (Japanese: 山下 真瑚; born December 31, 2002) is a Japanese figure skater. She is the 2018 Skate Canada…Mako Yamashita (Japanese: 山下 真瑚; born December 31, 2002) is a Japanese figure skater. She is the 2018 Skate Canada silver medalist and a two-time medalist at the ISU Challenger Series. On the junior level, she is the 2018 World Junior bronze medalist, a four-time medalist on the ISU Junior Grand Prix series, and the 2017–18 Japanese junior national silver medalist.
Ryūku Tsuchida (土田 龍空, Tsuchida Ryūku; born December 30, 2002) also known just as Ryūku is a professional Japanese…Ryūku Tsuchida (土田 龍空, Tsuchida Ryūku; born December 30, 2002) also known just as Ryūku is a professional Japanese baseball player. He is currently an infielder for the Chunichi Dragons.
Taishi Brandon Nozawa (野澤 大志 ブランドン, Nozawa Taishi Burandon; born 25 December 2002) is a Japanese professional…Taishi Brandon Nozawa (野澤 大志 ブランドン, Nozawa Taishi Burandon; born 25 December 2002) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Belgian Pro League club Antwerp.
Yamato Wakatsuki (若月 大和, Wakatsuki Yamato; born 18 January 2002) is a Japanese footballer who plays as a forward for…Yamato Wakatsuki (若月 大和, Wakatsuki Yamato; born 18 January 2002) is a Japanese footballer who plays as a forward for Albirex Niigata.
Tsuyaka Uchino (内野 艶和, Uchino Tsuyaka; born 13 January 2002) is a Japanese racing cyclist representing NEXETIS at…Tsuyaka Uchino (内野 艶和, Uchino Tsuyaka; born 13 January 2002) is a Japanese racing cyclist representing NEXETIS at professional level and the Japanese national cycling team. She won a bronze medal in the points race at the 2023 UCI Track Cycling World Championships and competed at the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Tomoe Kawabata (川畑 和愛, Kawabata Tomoe; born January 12, 2002) is a retired Japanese figure skater. She is the 2019–20…Tomoe Kawabata (川畑 和愛, Kawabata Tomoe; born January 12, 2002) is a retired Japanese figure skater. She is the 2019–20 Japanese national bronze medalist. She has represented Japan at two World Junior Championships.
Yuna Aoki (Japanese: 青木祐奈 born 10 January 2002) is a Japanese competitive figure skater. She is the 2026 Four…Yuna Aoki (Japanese: 青木祐奈 born 10 January 2002) is a Japanese competitive figure skater. She is the 2026 Four Continents champion, the 2024 NHK Trophy bronze medalist, the 2019 Bavarian Open silver medalist, the 2023 Triglav Trophy silver medalist, and the 2024 Challenge Cup silver medalist.
Taiki Yamada (山田 大樹, Yamada Taiki; born 8 January 2002) is a Japanese footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for club…Taiki Yamada (山田 大樹, Yamada Taiki; born 8 January 2002) is a Japanese footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for club Kashima Antlers.
Yukiko Wada (和田 由紀子, Wada Yukiko; born 8 January 2002) is a Japanese professional volleyball player. She plays in the…Yukiko Wada (和田 由紀子, Wada Yukiko; born 8 January 2002) is a Japanese professional volleyball player. She plays in the SV.League for NEC Red Rockets Kawasaki.
Kakeru Kumagai (熊谷 翔, Kumagai Kakeru; born 5 January 2002) is a Japanese badminton player who competes in men's…Kakeru Kumagai (熊谷 翔, Kumagai Kakeru; born 5 January 2002) is a Japanese badminton player who competes in men's doubles. A left-handed player, he is a member of the Japanese national team and represents the BIPROGY badminton team. Partnering with Hiroki Nishi, he reached a career-high world ranking of No. 19. Kumagai won his first BWF World Tour title at the 2025 Kaohsiung Masters (Super 100), and was a member of the Japanese squad that won the country's first men's team gold medal at the 2026 Asia Team Championships. A graduate of sport science at Nihon University, Kumagai won the men's doubles title at the 2023 All Japan Inter-Collegiate Championships.
Riku Handa (半田 陸, Handa Riku; born 1 January 2002) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a right-back for…Riku Handa (半田 陸, Handa Riku; born 1 January 2002) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a right-back for J1 League club Gamba Osaka.
Tomoru Honda (Japanese: 本多 灯, Hepburn: Honda Tomoru; born 31 December 2001) is a Japanese competitive swimmer. He is…Tomoru Honda (Japanese: 本多 灯, Hepburn: Honda Tomoru; born 31 December 2001) is a Japanese competitive swimmer. He is the world record holder in the short course 200 metre butterfly. He won a silver medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics in the men's 200 metre butterfly event.
Sumitada Moriguchi (森口 澄士, Moriguchi Sumitada; born December 29, 2001) is a Japanese pair skater. With partner Yuna…Sumitada Moriguchi (森口 澄士, Moriguchi Sumitada; born December 29, 2001) is a Japanese pair skater. With partner Yuna Nagaoka, he is the 2026 Four Continents bronze medalist, the 2025 Asian Winter Games bronze medalist, the 2025 CS Kinoshita Group Cup bronze medalist, and a two-time Japanese national champion. He represented Japan at the 2026 Winter Olympics. With former partner Haruna Murakami, he is the 2022 JGP Poland I bronze medalist and the 2022–23 Japan national champion on both the senior and junior levels.
Ryoma Tanaka (born 28 December 2001) is a Japanese judoka. He won the gold medal in the men's 66 kg event at the 2024…Ryoma Tanaka (born 28 December 2001) is a Japanese judoka. He won the gold medal in the men's 66 kg event at the 2024 World Judo Championships held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Tamaki Okuma (born 25 December 2001) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a defender for WE League club…Tamaki Okuma (born 25 December 2001) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a defender for WE League club INAC Kobe Leonessa.
Hinata Terayama (born 19 January 2001) is a retired Japanese kickboxer. A professional competitor from 2016 until 2022…Hinata Terayama (born 19 January 2001) is a retired Japanese kickboxer. A professional competitor from 2016 until 2022, Terayama held the RISE Mini Flyweight championship, the J-Girls Mini Flyweight championship, and was the 2020 RISE Queen of Queens Tournament winner. She was ranked as a top ten female pound for pound kickboxer by Combat Press from November 2020 until her retirement in March 2022, peaking at #3. She was the 2020 Combat Press "Female Fighter of the Year".
Matsuri Arai (荒井 祭里, Arai Matsuri; born 18 January 2001) is a Japanese diver. She competed in the women's 10 metre…Matsuri Arai (荒井 祭里, Arai Matsuri; born 18 January 2001) is a Japanese diver. She competed in the women's 10 metre platform event at the 2019 World Aquatics Championships. She represented Japan at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. She competed in the women's synchronized 10 metre platform and women's 10 metre platform events. In 2023, at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Arai won silver with Minami Itahashi in 10 metre synchro. Arai competed for Japan at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France, where she finished ninth in the women's 10 metre platform event with a total score of 314.45 points.
Shumpei Naruse (成瀬 竣平, Naruse Shunpei; born 17 January 2001) is a Japanese footballer who plays as a right back for…Shumpei Naruse (成瀬 竣平, Naruse Shunpei; born 17 January 2001) is a Japanese footballer who plays as a right back for Nankatsu SC.
Ken Matsui (born 15 January 2001) is a Japanese Greco-Roman wrestler. He won the gold medal in the 55 kg event at the…Ken Matsui (born 15 January 2001) is a Japanese Greco-Roman wrestler. He won the gold medal in the 55 kg event at the 2021 World Wrestling Championships in Oslo, Norway.
Nae Furuta (古田 菜衣, Furuta Nae; born January 14, 2001), known professionally as Naenano (なえなの), is a Japanese…Nae Furuta (古田 菜衣, Furuta Nae; born January 14, 2001), known professionally as Naenano (なえなの), is a Japanese influencer, model, singer, and actress, affiliated with Seju. A native of Gotemba, Shizuoka, she became popular on social media as an influencer, amassing millions of followers as well as a few awards. In addition to modeling work, she has starred in the dramas Harem Marriage and Oshi no Ko, and she appeared in the reality show Koi to Ōkami ni wa Damasarenai – where she sang the opening theme "Uanonosora" (2023) – and hosted the variety show Bukatsu Pīpō Zenryoku Ōen! Bukapi! .
Kōsei Yoshida (吉田 輝星, Yoshida Kōsei; born January 12, 2001) is a professional Japanese baseball player. He plays…Kōsei Yoshida (吉田 輝星, Yoshida Kōsei; born January 12, 2001) is a professional Japanese baseball player. He plays pitcher for the Orix Buffaloes.
Taiga Semikawa (Japanese: 蟬川 泰果, born 11 January 2001) is a Japanese professional golfer. He had a very successful…Taiga Semikawa (Japanese: 蟬川 泰果, born 11 January 2001) is a Japanese professional golfer. He had a very successful amateur career where he won twice on the Japan Golf Tour and became number one in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.
Sumire Kita (Japanese: 喜田 純鈴; born 11 January 2001) is a retired Japanese individual rhythmic gymnast. She is the 2016…Sumire Kita (Japanese: 喜田 純鈴; born 11 January 2001) is a retired Japanese individual rhythmic gymnast. She is the 2016 Asian Junior all-around champion, the 2022 Asian Senior all-around silver medalist, two-time Japanese National Junior champion, and four-time Japanese National senior champion.
Myra Meadows (メドウズ 舞良, Medōzu Maira; born January 10, 2001), known professionally as Myra Arai (新井 舞良, Arai Maira), is…Myra Meadows (メドウズ 舞良, Medōzu Maira; born January 10, 2001), known professionally as Myra Arai (新井 舞良, Arai Maira), is a Canadian-Japanese actress and model.
Nadaka Yoshinari (吉成 名高, Yoshinari Nadaka; born January 8, 2001) is a Japanese professional Muay Thai fighter and…Nadaka Yoshinari (吉成 名高, Yoshinari Nadaka; born January 8, 2001) is a Japanese professional Muay Thai fighter and kickboxer and the current inaugural ONE Championship Atomweight Muay Thai world champion. He is a five division champion and has formerly held Lumpinee, Rajadamnern, Thailand (PAT), WMC, WPMF, WBC, and IBF titles. Known in Thailand as Nadaka Eiwa Sports Gym (Thai: นาดากะ เอวะสปอร์ตยิม) he made his professional debut aged 14 at Lumpinee Stadium. Nadaka is the only foreign fighter in history to become a three division Rajadamnern champion and just the second foreigner after Youssef Boughanem to win a title at both Lumpinee Stadium and Rajadamnern Stadium.
Ryo Kubota (窪田 稜, Kubota Ryō; born 5 January 2001) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for…Ryo Kubota (窪田 稜, Kubota Ryō; born 5 January 2001) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Yokohama FC.
Yū Hirakawa (平河 悠, Hirakawa Yū; born 3 January 2001) is a Japanese footballer who plays as a forward for EFL…Yū Hirakawa (平河 悠, Hirakawa Yū; born 3 January 2001) is a Japanese footballer who plays as a forward for EFL Championship club Bristol City and the Japan national team.
Wakaba Higuchi (樋口 新葉, Higuchi Wakaba; born January 2, 2001) is a Japanese retired figure skater. She is a 2022 Olympic…Wakaba Higuchi (樋口 新葉, Higuchi Wakaba; born January 2, 2001) is a Japanese retired figure skater. She is a 2022 Olympic team event silver medalist, the 2018 World silver medalist, the 2024 Skate America champion, a three-time Grand Prix silver medalist (2017 Cup of China; 2020 NHK Trophy; 2024 Grand Prix de France), a three-time Grand Prix bronze medalist (2016 and 2021 Grand Prix de France; 2017 Rostelecom Cup), a three-time Challenger Series medalist, and a six-time Japanese national medalist (bronze in 2015 and 2025, silver in 2016, 2017, 2020, and 2022). On the junior level, she is a two-time World Junior bronze medalist (2015, 2016), the 2014–15 Junior Grand Prix Final bronze medalist, and a two-time Japan Junior national champion (2015, 2016). Higuchi is the seventeenth woman to land a clean triple Axel internationally, the fourth woman to land a clean triple Axel at the Olympics, and one of two women (the other being Mao Asada) to land multiple clean triple axels at a single Olympics.
Toma Kuroda (Japanese: 黒田 斗真, Kuroda Toma; born December 31, 2000) is a Japanese kickboxer. He is a former K-1…Toma Kuroda (Japanese: 黒田 斗真, Kuroda Toma; born December 31, 2000) is a Japanese kickboxer. He is a former K-1 Bantamweight champion. He is also the 2021 K-1 Japan Bantamweight Grand Prix and 2022 K-1 World Bantamweight Grand Prix winner. Combat Press ranks him as the No. 5 strawweight in the world, as of August 2021. Between June and July 2021, he was ranked as the No. 7 Flyweight kickboxer in the world.
Kaishu Sano (佐野 海舟, Sano Kaishū; born 30 December 2000) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a defensive…Kaishu Sano (佐野 海舟, Sano Kaishū; born 30 December 2000) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Bundesliga club Mainz 05 and the Japan national team.
Niji no Conquistador (虹のコンキスタドール, Niji no Konkisutadōru; Rainbow Conquistador) is a Japanese girl group formed in 2014.…Niji no Conquistador (虹のコンキスタドール, Niji no Konkisutadōru; Rainbow Conquistador) is a Japanese girl group formed in 2014. The group's themes are illustration, cosplay, and voice acting. It was originally managed by the illustration website Pixiv as a part of the Tsukudol! Project (つくドル！プロジェクト, Tsukudoru! Purojekuto) before passing to Dear Stage.
Airi Miyakawa (宮川愛李, Miyakawa Airi), is a Japanese singer-songwriter who debuted in 2019 and is currently signed to NiM…Airi Miyakawa (宮川愛李, Miyakawa Airi), is a Japanese singer-songwriter who debuted in 2019 and is currently signed to NiM RECORDS label, a subsidiary of B Zone. She is the younger sister of fellow singer Taisei Miyakawa.
Kyōsuke Mashiko (益子京右, Mashiko Kyoright; born December 27, 2000) is a Japanese professional baseball player. He is a…Kyōsuke Mashiko (益子京右, Mashiko Kyoright; born December 27, 2000) is a Japanese professional baseball player. He is a catcher for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). Mashiko also played for the Brisbane Bandits of the Australian Baseball League (ABL).
Megu Hamada (Japanese: 浜田 芽来, born 27 December 2000) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a forward for…Megu Hamada (Japanese: 浜田 芽来, born 27 December 2000) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a forward for RB Omiya Ardija Women in the WE League and the Japan national team. She was part of the Japan squad that won the women's football gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games.
