Sōta Nakamura (中村 草太, Sōta Nakamura; born 15 October 2002) is a Japanese footballer who plays as an attacking…Sōta Nakamura (中村 草太, Sōta Nakamura; born 15 October 2002) is a Japanese footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Ligue 1 club Le Havre on loan from Sanfrecce Hiroshima, and the Japan national team.
Ryūi Itō (伊藤 琉偉, Itō Ryūi; born September 11, 2002) is a Japanese professional baseball infielder for the Tokyo Yakult…Ryūi Itō (伊藤 琉偉, Itō Ryūi; born September 11, 2002) is a Japanese professional baseball infielder for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
Masaya Shibayama (柴山 昌也, Shibayama Masaya; born 2 July 2002) is a Japanese footballer who plays as a midfielder for J1…Masaya Shibayama (柴山 昌也, Shibayama Masaya; born 2 July 2002) is a Japanese footballer who plays as a midfielder for J1 League club Cerezo Osaka.
Ryo Ishii (石井 僚, Ishii Ryo; born 11 July 2000) is a Japanese footballer currently playing as a goalkeeper for J2 League…Ryo Ishii (石井 僚, Ishii Ryo; born 11 July 2000) is a Japanese footballer currently playing as a goalkeeper for J2 League club Yokohama FC.
Moe Tsukui (born 28 March 2000) is a Japanese rugby union player. She plays for Yokogawa Musashino Atlastars and for…Moe Tsukui (born 28 March 2000) is a Japanese rugby union player. She plays for Yokogawa Musashino Atlastars and for the Japanese national team. She competed for Japan at the 2017, 2021 and 2025 Women's Rugby World Cups.
Kazuya Maruyama (丸山 和郁, Maruyama Kazuya; born July 18, 1999) is a professional Japanese baseball player. He plays…Kazuya Maruyama (丸山 和郁, Maruyama Kazuya; born July 18, 1999) is a professional Japanese baseball player. He plays outfielder for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows.
Tsuyoshi Ogashiwa (小柏 剛, Ogashiwa Tsuyoshi; born 9 July 1998) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a…Tsuyoshi Ogashiwa (小柏 剛, Ogashiwa Tsuyoshi; born 9 July 1998) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a forward for J1 League club Gamba Osaka. Primarily known for his time at Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo, Ogashiwa moved to FC Tokyo in 2024.
Mayu Shimizu (清水麻有, born 19 January 1998) is a Japanese rugby union and sevens player. She competed for Japan at the…Mayu Shimizu (清水麻有, born 19 January 1998) is a Japanese rugby union and sevens player. She competed for Japan at the 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup. She also represented Japan at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Tomoyasu Yoshida (吉田 朋恭, Yoshida Tomoyasu; born 24 September 1997) is a Japanese footballer currently playing as a…Tomoyasu Yoshida (吉田 朋恭, Yoshida Tomoyasu; born 24 September 1997) is a Japanese footballer currently playing as a defender for FC Basara Hyogo.
Koji Ikeda (Japanese: 池田幸司, Ikeda Koji; born June 30, 1997) is a Japanese professional kickboxer, currently competing…Koji Ikeda (Japanese: 池田幸司, Ikeda Koji; born June 30, 1997) is a Japanese professional kickboxer, currently competing in the bantamweight divisions of K-1 and Krush. A professional competitor since 2019, Ikeda is the current Krush Bantamweight champion. As of April 2022, Combat Press ranks him as the eight best strawweight kickboxer in the world.
Takaya Inui (乾 貴哉, Inui Takaya; born May 12, 1996 in Gunma) is a Japanese football player who play as a Centre back…Takaya Inui (乾 貴哉, Inui Takaya; born May 12, 1996 in Gunma) is a Japanese football player who play as a Centre back, Left back and currently play for J2 League club, Tochigi City FC.
Ryo Takahashi (高橋 諒, Takahashi Ryō; born 16 July 1993) is a Japanese former footballer who played as a left winger or a…Ryo Takahashi (高橋 諒, Takahashi Ryō; born 16 July 1993) is a Japanese former footballer who played as a left winger or a left back.
Tomoyuki Shiraishi (白石 智之, Shiraishi Tomoyuki; born June 10, 1993) is a Japanese football player. He plays for Reilac…Tomoyuki Shiraishi (白石 智之, Shiraishi Tomoyuki; born June 10, 1993) is a Japanese football player. He plays for Reilac Shiga FC.
Takuya Mitsuma (三ツ間卓也, Mitsuma Takuya; born July 22, 1992 in Takasaki, Gunma, Japan) is a Japanese baseball player. He…Takuya Mitsuma (三ツ間卓也, Mitsuma Takuya; born July 22, 1992 in Takasaki, Gunma, Japan) is a Japanese baseball player. He plays pitcher. He is currently a free agent having previously played for the Chunichi Dragons. Mitsuma is a descendant of Heian period poet, scholar and politician, Sugawara no Michizane through his mother.
Daichi Inui (乾 大知, Inui Daichi; born December 2, 1989) is a Japanese football player currently playing for Tochigi SC…Daichi Inui (乾 大知, Inui Daichi; born December 2, 1989) is a Japanese football player currently playing for Tochigi SC on loan from Matsumoto Yamaga FC.
Takuya Aoki (青木 拓矢, Aoki Takuya; born 16 September 1989) is a Japanese former professional footballer who played as a…Takuya Aoki (青木 拓矢, Aoki Takuya; born 16 September 1989) is a Japanese former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.
Megumi Kinukawa (絹川 愛, Kinukawa Megumi; born 7 August 1989) is a Japanese long-distance runner. She represented her…Megumi Kinukawa (絹川 愛, Kinukawa Megumi; born 7 August 1989) is a Japanese long-distance runner. She represented her country at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics in Osaka and is the Japanese high school and junior record holder for the 10,000 metres. Born in Takasaki, Gunma, she attended Sendai Ikue High School – an institution renowned for its athletic programme. Kinukawa made her first impact on the national junior circuit in 2006, as she won the junior race at the Fukuoka International Cross Country and was runner-up at the Chiba Cross Country two weeks later. This gained her a debut international selection at the 2006 IAAF World Cross Country Championships (also held in Fukuoka), where the sixteen-year-old came in fourteenth place and helped the Japanese girls to a team bronze medal. Turning to the track later that April, she ran a national junior record in the 10,000 metres at the Hyogo Relay Carnival, placing second behind Lucy Wangui with a mark of 31:35.27 minutes – raising her to eleventh on the all-time junior rankings. Kinukawa ran at the Fukuoka Cross Country in 2007 and became the first high school student to win the senior title at the competition. With the 2007 World Championships in Athletics to be held in Osaka, she opted to focus on her track performances and achieved the "A" standard for the 10,000 m in April. She took third place in the event at the Japanese Athletics Championships and earned her first senior selection as a result. At the World Championships in Osaka that August she came fourteenth in the women's 10,000 m, coming in as the second best Asian finisher behind compatriot Kayoko Fukushi. Kinukawa took to the roads at the end of the year to compete for the Japanese team at the Chiba International Ekiden. She played a key role in Japan's victory at the competition, winning the fourth stage and closing the gap on Catherine Kirui of then-leaders Kenya. She suffered a stress fracture injury to her foot in April 2008 and only returned to serious competition in 2009. The injury continued to affect her running and she managed only 56th place at the 2010 Chiba Cross Country. The 2011 season saw her return to form and breakthrough into the senior ranks with a win over 5000 m at the Japanese Athletics Championships and then a third-place finish on her half marathon debut at the Sapporo Half Marathon. At the 2011 World Championships in Athletics in Daegu she missed out on qualification in the 5000 m and finished last over 10,000 m. She was the only Japanese to reach the podium at the 2012 Chiba Cross Country in February, taking third behind Kenyan opposition, and repeated that placing at the Fukuoka meet.
Ryoichi Adachi (安達 了一, Adachi Ryōichi; born January 7, 1988) is a Japanese former professional baseball infielder. He…Ryoichi Adachi (安達 了一, Adachi Ryōichi; born January 7, 1988) is a Japanese former professional baseball infielder. He played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) from 2012 to 2024 for the Orix Buffaloes.
Yuma Asami (Japanese: 麻美 ゆま, Hepburn: Asami Yuma; born March 24, 1987), is a Japanese actress, singer, and a former…Yuma Asami (Japanese: 麻美 ゆま, Hepburn: Asami Yuma; born March 24, 1987), is a Japanese actress, singer, and a former adult video (AV) actress and model. Starring in more than 600 adult films between 2005 and 2013, Asami was widely recognized as one of Japan's most famous and acclaimed adult film actresses with her popularity resulting in mainstream media appearances as well. A leading actress of two major Japanese AV studios, Alice Japan and S1 No.1 Style, Asami was known for her youthful looks, large bust, and her natural onscreen charisma which was largely credited in helping her establish herself as Japan's top adult performer. Between 2008 and 2013, she was also a member of the idol group Ebisu Muscats, where she performed with numerous other famous AV actresses like Sola Aoi, Akiho Yoshizawa, Tina Yuzuki (Rio) and Aino Kishi. In 2013, she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Despite making a full recovery, Asami chose not to return to the AV industry and retired in May 2015. Currently she is an independent singer-songwriter.
Yumi Kida (貴田 裕美, Kida Yumi) (born 30 June 1985 in Akasaka, Tokyo) is a Japanese distance swimmer. At the 2012 Summer…Yumi Kida (貴田 裕美, Kida Yumi) (born 30 June 1985 in Akasaka, Tokyo) is a Japanese distance swimmer. At the 2012 Summer Olympics, she competed in the women's marathon 10 kilometre, finishing in 12th place. In 2019, she competed in the women's 10 km event at the 2019 World Aquatics Championships in Gwangju, South Korea. She finished in 22nd place.
Naoki Ishihara (石原 直樹, Ishihara Naoki; born 14 August 1984) is a Japanese former professional footballer who played as…Naoki Ishihara (石原 直樹, Ishihara Naoki; born 14 August 1984) is a Japanese former professional footballer who played as a forward. He started his career at Shonan Bellmare, before later playing for Omiya Ardija, Sanfrecce Hiroshima, Urawa Red Diamonds and Vegalta Sendai before announcing his retirement in March 2022. He made over 500 appearances at senior club level in Japan.
Takeshi Aoki (青木 剛, Aoki Takeshi; born 28 September 1982) is a Japanese football player. He played for Japan national…Takeshi Aoki (青木 剛, Aoki Takeshi; born 28 September 1982) is a Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team.
Kazumasa Kikuchi (菊地 和正, Kikuchi Kazumasa; born June 27, 1982) is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher. He…Kazumasa Kikuchi (菊地 和正, Kikuchi Kazumasa; born June 27, 1982) is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters and Yokohama DeNA BayStars.
Masato Shimizu (清水 真人, Shimizu Masato; born 26 February 1975) is a Japanese politician belonging to the Nikai Faction…Masato Shimizu (清水 真人, Shimizu Masato; born 26 February 1975) is a Japanese politician belonging to the Nikai Faction of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), serving his first term in the House of Councillors, representing Gumma Prefecture.
Masaumi Shimizu (清水 将海, Shimizu Masaumi; born January 9, 1975) is a Japanese former professional baseball catcher, and…Masaumi Shimizu (清水 将海, Shimizu Masaumi; born January 9, 1975) is a Japanese former professional baseball catcher, and current second squad battery coach for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He played in NPB for the Chiba Lotte Marines, Chunichi Dragons, and Hawks.
Reki Kawahara (川原 礫, Kawahara Reki; born August 18, 1974) is a Japanese novelist. He is best known as the creator of…Reki Kawahara (川原 礫, Kawahara Reki; born August 18, 1974) is a Japanese novelist. He is best known as the creator of Sword Art Online and Accel World, both of which have been adapted into anime series. He has been described as one of the most successful writers of light novels in the 2010s.
Hiroyuki Miura (三浦 弘行, Miura Hiroyuki; born February 13, 1974) is a Japanese professional shogi player, ranked 9-dan.…Hiroyuki Miura (三浦 弘行, Miura Hiroyuki; born February 13, 1974) is a Japanese professional shogi player, ranked 9-dan. He is a former Kisei title holder and became the first active Class A professional to lose to a computer when he lost to the GPS Shogi program in April 2013. In October 2016, he was falsely accused of cheating in the 29th Ryūō challenger controversy, which resulted in him losing the chance to play for the Ryūō title. A third-party investigative panel was convened and eventually cleared Miura of all charges. The panel's findings led to the resignation of the Japan Shogi Association's president as well as the dismissal of several board members.
Hiromi Amada (Japanese: 天田 ヒロミ; born May 10, 1973) is a retired Japanese heavyweight kickboxer and boxer from Gunma…Hiromi Amada (Japanese: 天田 ヒロミ; born May 10, 1973) is a retired Japanese heavyweight kickboxer and boxer from Gunma, Japan. A staple in the K-1 heavyweight division from 1999 to 2007, the company considered him one of its most talented Japanese fighters, second only to Musashi. He is also the first-ever HEAT Heavyweight Kickboxing Champion and holds notable victories over Freddy Kemayo, Makoto Uehara, and Rene Rooze.
Yutaka Aihara (相原 豊, Aihara Yutaka; born 18 December 1970) is a Japanese former gymnast who competed in the 1992 Summer…Yutaka Aihara (相原 豊, Aihara Yutaka; born 18 December 1970) is a Japanese former gymnast who competed in the 1992 Summer Olympics, winning a bronze medal in the team event. At the 1991 World Championships, he won a bronze medal on the vault.
Yoshiyuki Shimizu (清水 祥之, Shimizu Yoshiyuki; born 21 November 1969) is a Japanese speed skater. He competed in three…Yoshiyuki Shimizu (清水 祥之, Shimizu Yoshiyuki; born 21 November 1969) is a Japanese speed skater. He competed in three events at the 1988 Winter Olympics.
Kotonishiki Katsuhiro (born June 8, 1968 as Hideyuki Matsuzawa) is a former sumo wrestler from Takasaki, Gunma…Kotonishiki Katsuhiro (born June 8, 1968 as Hideyuki Matsuzawa) is a former sumo wrestler from Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture, Japan. He began his career in 1984, reaching the top makuuchi division in 1989. He won two top division tournament titles from the maegashira ranks (the only wrestler ever to do so), the first in 1991 and the second in 1998. His highest rank was sekiwake, which he held 21 times. He earned eighteen special prizes during his career, second on the all-time list, and defeated yokozuna eight times when ranked as a maegashira. He retired in 2000 and after a long stint as a sumo coach at Oguruma stable, took the vacant elder name Asahiyama and branched out to form his own stable of the same name.
Yutaka Higuchi (桶口 豊, Higuchi Yutaka; born January 24, 1967 in Takasaki, Gunma), nicknamed "U-ta", is a Japanese…Yutaka Higuchi (桶口 豊, Higuchi Yutaka; born January 24, 1967 in Takasaki, Gunma), nicknamed "U-ta", is a Japanese musician. Known as the bassist of the rock band Buck-Tick since 1983. He is the younger brother of Toll Yagami, Buck-Tick's drummer.
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.
Takashi Higuchi (Japanese: 樋口隆, Hepburn: Higuchi Takashi; born August 19, 1962 in Takasaki, Gunma), known exclusively…Takashi Higuchi (Japanese: 樋口隆, Hepburn: Higuchi Takashi; born August 19, 1962 in Takasaki, Gunma), known exclusively by his stage name Toll Yagami (ヤガミ トール, Yagami Tōru), is a Japanese musician, best known as the drummer of the rock band Buck-Tick since 1985. He is the older brother of Yutaka Higuchi, Buck-Tick's bassist.
Tomoyasu Hotei (布袋 寅泰, Hotei Tomoyasu; born February 1, 1962), also known simply as Hotei ( HOH-tay), is a Japanese…Tomoyasu Hotei (布袋 寅泰, Hotei Tomoyasu; born February 1, 1962), also known simply as Hotei ( HOH-tay), is a Japanese musician, singer-songwriter, composer, record producer and actor. With a career spanning more than 40 years, Hotei claims record sales of over 40 million copies and has collaborated with artists from around the world. Hotei first rose to prominence in the 1980s as the guitarist for Boøwy, one of Japan's most popular rock bands, before starting a solo career. In 2003, he was ranked number 70 on HMV's list of the 100 most important Japanese pop acts. He ranked second in a 2011 poll on who the Japanese people thought was the best guitarist to represent Japan. An iconic artist in his native Japan, he moved to London in 2005 and continues to perform and release music globally. Hotei's song "Battle Without Honor or Humanity" has been featured in numerous films, commercials, video games, and events, including Quentin Tarantino's feature film Kill Bill.
Tadashi Mihara (三原 正, Mihara Tadashi; born 30 March 1955) is a Japanese former professional boxer who competed as a…Tadashi Mihara (三原 正, Mihara Tadashi; born 30 March 1955) is a Japanese former professional boxer who competed as a light middleweight throughout his career. Mihara began his boxing career when he was a third grader of the high school. He won the title of the All-Japan Amateur Boxing Championships in the light middleweight division in 1977. He also got the group title of the university league as a captain of the Nihon University boxing club. He experienced 38 matches during his amateur career; winning 28 (15 by knockout) and losing 10. After that, as a professional, Mihara fought 25 times between 1978 and 1985; winning 24 (15 by knockout) and losing 1. He won his first title in his fifth contest as a professional, beating Jae-Keum Lim for the OPBF title, a belt that he defended six times until he returned it. In June 1981, he won via a fifth-round knockout, in the undercard of Ayub Kalule vs. Sugar Ray Leonard, at the Reliant Astrodome, Houston. Since Leonard vacated the title after this, Mihara fought against Rocky Fratto for the vacant WBA world junior middleweight title in Rochester, New York on November 7, 1981. Mihara knocked him down by his right cross in the fourth round, and won the title via a majority decision. Judge Harold Lederman scored the fight a draw. Afterwards he said of Mihara, "There's no doubt that he's got a good jaw. He really got tagged a couple of times. I thought Fratto was going to knock him out." He lost his title after suffering a knockout during his first defence, against Davey Moore at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium on February 2, 1982. His lumbago became chronic from these days. Following this loss, Mihara won the Japanese junior middleweight title and defended it six times until June 1984, then returned it. He fought for a final time in March 1985, beating Tricky Kawaguchi by a unanimous decision.
Hirofumi Nakasone (中曽根 弘文, Nakasone Hirofumi; born 28 November 1945) is a Japanese politician who served as a Minister…Hirofumi Nakasone (中曽根 弘文, Nakasone Hirofumi; born 28 November 1945) is a Japanese politician who served as a Minister for Foreign Affairs from September 2008 to September 2009. A member of Liberal Democratic Party, he also served as a Minister of Education under Prime Ministers Keizō Obuchi and Yoshirō Mori. He is the son of former Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone.
Fujio Masuoka (舛岡 富士雄, Masuoka Fujio; born May 8, 1943) is a Japanese engineer, who has worked for Toshiba and Tohoku…Fujio Masuoka (舛岡 富士雄, Masuoka Fujio; born May 8, 1943) is a Japanese engineer, who has worked for Toshiba and Tohoku University, and is currently chief technical officer (CTO) of Unisantis Electronics. He is best known as the inventor of flash memory, including the development of both the NOR flash and NAND flash types in the 1980s. He also invented the first gate-all-around (GAA) MOSFET (GAAFET) transistor, an early non-planar 3D transistor, in 1988.
Kiyoshi Ōkubo (大久保 清, Ōkubo Kiyoshi; January 17, 1935 – January 22, 1976) was a Japanese serial killer. Between March…Kiyoshi Ōkubo (大久保 清, Ōkubo Kiyoshi; January 17, 1935 – January 22, 1976) was a Japanese serial killer. Between March 31, 1971, and May 10, 1971, he raped and murdered eight girls and women. He used a pen name, Tanigawa Ivan (谷川伊凡).
Nobuyuki Aihara (相原 信行, Aihara Nobuyuki; December 16, 1934 – July 16, 2013) was a Japanese gymnast. He was the father…Nobuyuki Aihara (相原 信行, Aihara Nobuyuki; December 16, 1934 – July 16, 2013) was a Japanese gymnast. He was the father of Yutaka Aihara, also a gymnast. Nobuyuki competed at the 1956 Olympics and won a silver medal in floor exercise and a silver medal in the team competition. Four years later he won gold medals in these events. Aihara took up gymnastic at the age of 15 while studying at the Nippon Sport Science University. He was coached by his future teammate Masao Takemoto. In 1964 he married Toshiko Shirasu-Aihara, a fellow gymnast. Because of an injury he missed the Tokyo Olympics that year, and soon retired to become a gymnastics coach. In 1979 he founded the Aihara Gymnastics Club. Aihara died of pneumonia on July 16, 2013, at the age of 78.
Keiju Kobayashi (小林桂樹, Kobayashi Keiju; 23 November 1923 – 16 September 2010) was a Japanese actor who appeared in 253…Keiju Kobayashi (小林桂樹, Kobayashi Keiju; 23 November 1923 – 16 September 2010) was a Japanese actor who appeared in 253 films in a career spanning 67 years. Born in Gunma Prefecture, he began acting at the Nikkatsu studio after dropping out of Nihon University and made his film debut in 1942. In 1956 he moved to Toho film company. In a career that spanned 65 years, he appeared in over 250 films, most famously in the "Company President" (Shachō) comedy films made at Toho, where he worked alongside Hisaya Morishige, Daisuke Katō, Norihei Miki, and others. There he helped define the popular image of the postwar salaryman. He also won many awards for his acting, including best actor awards at the Mainichi Film Awards for The Naked General in 1958 (where he played Kiyoshi Yamashita), for Kuroi gashū in 1960, and for The Elegant Life of Mr Everyman in 1963. Kobayashi appeared in films made by such notable directors as Akira Kurosawa, Yasujirō Ozu, Mikio Naruse, and Kihachi Okamoto. He continued to give powerful performances after largely moving to television in the late 1960s. He also portrayed the voice of the "Shirō Nishi" in the original Japanese version of the Studio Ghibli anime film Whisper of the Heart in 1995. He died on 16 September 2010 of heart failure at the age of 86.
