Akari Watanabe (Japanese: 渡邊 星, Watanabe Akari; born December 8, 2003), more popularly known by her ring name AKARI, is…Akari Watanabe (Japanese: 渡邊 星, Watanabe Akari; born December 8, 2003), more popularly known by her ring name AKARI, is a retired Japanese professional kickboxer. She was the 2021 RISE NEXT QUEEN Tournament winner and a two-time RISE Women's Mini Flyweight title challenger. Between November 2023 and May 2024, she was ranked as one of the ten best women's strawweight kickboxers in the world.
Tetsuya Izuchi (井土徹也, Izuchi Tetsuya) is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist currently signed to…Tetsuya Izuchi (井土徹也, Izuchi Tetsuya) is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist currently signed to Gleat, where he is a former G-Infinity Champion and a member of Black Generation International. He is also known for his tenure with Pro Wrestling Heat Up.
Yuki Egawa (江川 優生, Egawa Yūki) is a Japanese kickboxer, currently competing in the super featherweight division of K-1.…Yuki Egawa (江川 優生, Egawa Yūki) is a Japanese kickboxer, currently competing in the super featherweight division of K-1. A professional competitor since 2013, he is the former Krush Featherweight and K-1 Featherweight champion. Combat Press ranked him as a top ten super flyweight between September 2020, when he peaked at #2, and July 2021. He was furthermore ranked the #2 strawweight in August 2020.
Tatsuki Seko (瀬古 樹, Seko Tatsuki; born 22 December 1997) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as defensive…Tatsuki Seko (瀬古 樹, Seko Tatsuki; born 22 December 1997) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as defensive midfielder for J1 League club Urawa Red Diamonds.
Satoru Oki (大木 暁, Ōki Satoru; born December 8, 1992 in Tokyo) is a Japanese football player. He plays for Tochigi Uva…Satoru Oki (大木 暁, Ōki Satoru; born December 8, 1992 in Tokyo) is a Japanese football player. He plays for Tochigi Uva FC.
Sōjirō Higuchi (Japanese: 樋口 壮士朗, Hepburn: Higuchi Sōjirō; born September 19, 1992), best known as Jiro "Ikemen"…Sōjirō Higuchi (Japanese: 樋口 壮士朗, Hepburn: Higuchi Sōjirō; born September 19, 1992), best known as Jiro "Ikemen" Kuroshio (黒潮"イケメン"二郎, Kuroshio "Ikemen" Jirō) and currently performing as Kuroshio Tokyo Japan (黒潮TOKYOジャパン, Kuroshio Tōkyō Japan), is a Japanese professional wrestler and Internet personality. Higuchi is known for his work in the Wrestle-1 promotion, where he was a former Wrestle-1 Result Champion and Wrestle-1 Tag Team Champion before leaving the promotion in January 2019. He worked for WWE from 2020 until his release in 2023, performing for the NXT brand under the ring name Ikemen Jiro, where he notably formed a tag team with Kushida known as Jacket Time. Higuchi portrays an ikemen character, reflected in his aliases, ring attire and mannerisms. Since his release from WWE in 2023, he has gone under the ring name Kuroshio Tokyo Japan, retaining his ikemen character in the process.
Fumiya Osawa (born 11 September 1991) is a Japanese kickboxer, currently fighting in the lightweight division of K-1…Fumiya Osawa (born 11 September 1991) is a Japanese kickboxer, currently fighting in the lightweight division of K-1 and Krush, where he is the former Krush Lightweight champion. Osawa is the 2018 K-1 Lightweight Grand Prix finalist.
Ryo Akiyoshi (秋吉 亮, Akiyoshi Ryō; born 21 March 1989 in Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher who…Ryo Akiyoshi (秋吉 亮, Akiyoshi Ryō; born 21 March 1989 in Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has previously played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, and Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks.
Kim Song-yong, also known as Kimu Sonyon (キム ソンヨン; Korean: 김성용; Hanja: 金成勇; born February 26, 1987) is a former…Kim Song-yong, also known as Kimu Sonyon (キム ソンヨン; Korean: 김성용; Hanja: 金成勇; born February 26, 1987) is a former professional footballer who played as a striker. Born in Japan, he represented the North Korea at international level.
Shota Oba (大場 翔太, Ōba Shōta; born June 27, 1985) is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher. He played in…Shota Oba (大場 翔太, Ōba Shōta; born June 27, 1985) is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks from 2008 to 2014.
Kaela Kimura (木村 カエラ, Kimura Kaera; born Kaela Rie Kimura (木村 カエラ りえ, Kimura Kaera Rie); born October 24, 1984), is a…Kaela Kimura (木村 カエラ, Kimura Kaera; born Kaela Rie Kimura (木村 カエラ りえ, Kimura Kaera Rie); born October 24, 1984), is a Japanese pop rock singer, lyricist, fashion model and television presenter.
Tetsuya Naito (内藤哲也, Naitō Tetsuya; born June 22, 1982) is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is working as a…Tetsuya Naito (内藤哲也, Naitō Tetsuya; born June 22, 1982) is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is working as a freelancer, primarily for Pro Wrestling Noah, where he is the leader of Los Tranquilos de Japon and the current GHC Heavyweight Champion in his first reign. He is best known for his 21-year run in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) from 2004 to 2025, and is largely regarded as one of the greatest and most popular wrestlers in the company's history. Naito began training for a professional wrestling career in 2000, initially under Animal Hamaguchi before joining NJPW in 2004, where he underwent further training and progressively rose to main event status. Although NJPW aimed to establish him as a top star by 2014, his clean cut babyface persona caused significant fan backlash, leading to his planned main event match at Wrestle Kingdom, NJPW's biggest event, to be demoted. This, and a stay in the Mexican stable Los Ingobernables through NJPW's partnership with Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL), would lead Naito to reinvent himself as an antihero leading his own stable, Los Ingobernables de Japon. Despite its villainous tendencies, this new gimmick immediately led him to new heights of popularity, and he would win the company's top prize, the IWGP Heavyweight Championship five times, while finally main-eventing Wrestle Kingdom five separate times. He departed NJPW in 2025 and proceed to continue to work as a freelancer on the independent scene and for Pro Wrestling Noah, where formed the spin-off stable Los Tranquilos de Japon. In NJPW, Naito is also the winner of the 2013, 2017 and 2023 editions of the G1 Climax, NJPW's premier singles tournament, and of the 2016 New Japan Cup. Other accomplishments include being the first person to hold the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships at the same time, a feat he accomplished twice, and being together with partner Yujiro Takahashi as No Limit the first team to have held both the company's heavyweight and junior heavyweight tag titles. He was awarded Tokyo Sports's MVP Award, the publication's highest honor, in 2016, 2017, 2020, and 2023.
Kokichi Akune (阿久根 鋼吉, Akune Kokichi; born June 22, 1974) is a retired Nippon Professional Baseball infielder with the…Kokichi Akune (阿久根 鋼吉, Akune Kokichi; born June 22, 1974) is a retired Nippon Professional Baseball infielder with the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters.
SMAP (Japanese: スマップ, Hepburn: Sumappu) was a Japanese boy band, composed of Masahiro Nakai, Takuya Kimura, Goro…SMAP (Japanese: スマップ, Hepburn: Sumappu) was a Japanese boy band, composed of Masahiro Nakai, Takuya Kimura, Goro Inagaki, Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, and Shingo Katori. The group was created in 1988 by music producer Johnny Kitagawa, founder of Johnny & Associates, originally as a six-piece with Katsuyuki Mori, until his departure from the band in 1996. The name stands for "Sports Music Assemble People". After making their debut in 1991, the group took the Japanese entertainment industry by storm, becoming one of the most successful boy bands in Asia. The group is often referred to as a "national treasure" and a "fortune and property of the country" in Japan. SMAP was regarded as an iconic group in Japan, after achieving an unprecedented level of success in numerous genres in the entertainment industry, including music, television, film, radio, and theater, as a group and individually. SMAP was credited for changing the Japanese entertainment and music industry, in terms of prolonging longevity of boy bands and broadening careers by creating new opportunities for bands that followed. After starting out as a typical boy band, with a fan base predominantly of female teens, they gradually transformed into a band with a wider audience, expanding their fan base to preteens, male adults, and even the elderly, after their success as actors and television personalities. SMAP released 55 singles, all of which reached the top 10 in the charts, 22 consecutive number-one singles, and 33 number-one singles in total. The band has had 24 top-10 albums and 14 number-one albums. "Sekai ni Hitotsu Dake no Hana", released in 2003, is the best selling single in the 21st century and the third best selling single in Japanese history and has become the most recognized song in Japan, as it appears in text books used in school and children are taught to learn the song at a young age. Other best selling singles by the group include, "Beyond the Night Sky", "Lion Heart", "Shake", "Aoi Inazuma", which also have become some of the most popular songs in Japan. Throughout their career, the band has sold over 38.5 million records in Japan alone. In April 1996, the group launched their weekly variety show, SMAP×SMAP, which quickly gained high ratings and became one of the most famous television shows in Japan. The distinct format of the program has received widespread critical praise. The show ranked No. 1 in the annual household share ratings in 1996, 1997, 1999–2002, 2006, and 2016, making it the most watched television show in Japan. The episode that aired in January 2002 is currently ranked No. 7 for the most watched Japanese variety show in history, with 34.2 million viewers. It is the eighth longest-running prime-time television program in Japan, as of 2016. SMAP officially disbanded on December 31, 2016.
Ryōta Komatsu (小松亮太, Komatsu Ryōta) (born October 30, 1973) is a Japanese bandoneón player. He has collaborated with…Ryōta Komatsu (小松亮太, Komatsu Ryōta) (born October 30, 1973) is a Japanese bandoneón player. He has collaborated with Japanese violinist Taro Hakase in his own album La Trampera (2001), and with Bajofondo in their album Mar Dulce.
Mika Akino (秋野 美佳, Akino Mika), better known as Akino, (born October 24, 1973, in Tokyo, Japan) is a female Japanese…Mika Akino (秋野 美佳, Akino Mika), better known as Akino, (born October 24, 1973, in Tokyo, Japan) is a female Japanese joshi wrestler, signed to Oz Academy. Billed from Honshū, she started late in the sport and didn't debut until the age of 24. Trained by Mariko Yoshida, she proved to have an innate ring presence and excelled at the sport.
Takayuki Shimizu (清水 隆行, Shimizu Takayuki; born October 23, 1973, in Tokyo, Japan) is a former professional baseball…Takayuki Shimizu (清水 隆行, Shimizu Takayuki; born October 23, 1973, in Tokyo, Japan) is a former professional baseball outfielder for Nippon Professional Baseball. He was the Number 3 draft pick by the Yomiuri Giants in 1996 and played for them until 2008. After retiring as a player, he was a Giants coach.
Ai Kobayashi (小林 愛, Kobayashi Ai; born May 25, 1973) is a Japanese actress and voice actress. She is known for her work…Ai Kobayashi (小林 愛, Kobayashi Ai; born May 25, 1973) is a Japanese actress and voice actress. She is known for her work in anime, animated films, video games, and dubbing of foreign media. Kobayashi has been active since the early 1990s and is affiliated with Office Osawa.
Kozo Takeda (Japanese: 武田幸三 Japanese pronunciation: [takeda koːzoː]; born December 27, 1972) is a Japanese actor and…Kozo Takeda (Japanese: 武田幸三 Japanese pronunciation: [takeda koːzoː]; born December 27, 1972) is a Japanese actor and former welterweight kickboxer who was competing in K-1 MAX. He won Rajadamnern Stadium champion at welterweight in Muay Thai on January 21, 2001. He has made both the Welterweight and Super Welterweight Rajadamnern Stadium rankings. He is currently a chief adviser of International Sohgoh Budo Federation (ISBF) and he was certified as black belt of the 5th dan in karate by ISBF.
Takeshi Kawakami (川上 猛, Kawakami Takeshi; born July 12, 1972) is a Japanese retired professional shogi player who…Takeshi Kawakami (川上 猛, Kawakami Takeshi; born July 12, 1972) is a Japanese retired professional shogi player who achieved the rank of 7-dan.
Keiji Gotoh (後藤圭二, Gotō Keiji; born November 4, 1968) is a Japanese anime director, character designer, manga artist…Keiji Gotoh (後藤圭二, Gotō Keiji; born November 4, 1968) is a Japanese anime director, character designer, manga artist, and member of three man production team gímik whose works include Kiddy Grade and Uta Kata.
Michiro Sato (佐藤 道朗, Satō Michirō; born January 1967 in Tokyo, Japan) is an avant-garde composer, singer, synthesizer…Michiro Sato (佐藤 道朗, Satō Michirō; born January 1967 in Tokyo, Japan) is an avant-garde composer, singer, synthesizer player, and member of the rock band Factor.
Shoichi Arai (荒井 昌一 Arai Shōichi) (December 19, 1965 – May 16, 2002) was a Japanese professional wrestling promoter.…Shoichi Arai (荒井 昌一 Arai Shōichi) (December 19, 1965 – May 16, 2002) was a Japanese professional wrestling promoter. Arai ran Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling from 1995 until its closure in 2002.
Manabu Suzuki (Shinjitai: 鈴木 学, Suzuki Manabu; born Tokyo, Japan, March 20, 1963) is a former racing driver…Manabu Suzuki (Shinjitai: 鈴木 学, Suzuki Manabu; born Tokyo, Japan, March 20, 1963) is a former racing driver, journalist, sport announcer and radio and TV presenter for the automotive industry. He is a Japanese citizen and is nicknamed Mana-P (マナP in katakana). Suzuki competed in the Formula Toyota and Saurus Cup until the mid nineties. When he left circuit racing behind, he became well known for working with Option as a writer and presenter for the magazine's offshoot video magazine, Video Option and Drift Tengoku. Suzuki was best known as one of the three original key judges (the other being Keiichi Tsuchiya and Manabu Orido, which Orido left at the end of the 2004 season to compete for 2005, while Tsuchiya left D1 with Daijro Inada due to irresponsible management) in the D1 Grand Prix series. He adds many comic expressions during commentary to keep the crowds entertained during the races. He also hosts various issues of the Option DVD where he is discussing cars. He often exclaims "giri giri", which means "little little" in Japanese. This phrase is used to express an instance where the "drift" is extremely close or a driver is almost in a position where he/she is going to crash. Suzuki is also involved in car designs, appearing on a segment in Drift Tengoku on DIY graphics and even working on the paint scheme and decals for Orido's 2005 RS*R Toyota Supra JZA80 and Yasuyuki Kazama's 2006 DG-5 Nissan Silvia S15.
Michio Takahashi (高橋 道雄, Takahashi Michio; born April 23, 1960) is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 9-dan.…Michio Takahashi (高橋 道雄, Takahashi Michio; born April 23, 1960) is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 9-dan. He is a former holder of the Tenth Dan, Ōi, and Kiō titles.
Naoki Takashima (Japanese: 高島直樹 Takashima Naoki; 13 May 1950 – 2 October 2023) was a Japanese politician. A member of…Naoki Takashima (Japanese: 高島直樹 Takashima Naoki; 13 May 1950 – 2 October 2023) was a Japanese politician. A member of the Liberal Democratic Party, he served as President of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly from 2014 to 2015. Takashima died on 2 October 2023, at the age of 73.
Ichirō Kamoshita (鴨下 一郎, Kamoshita Ichirō; born 16 January 1949) is a Japanese politician and doctor, who served as…Ichirō Kamoshita (鴨下 一郎, Kamoshita Ichirō; born 16 January 1949) is a Japanese politician and doctor, who served as Minister of the Environment in Yasuo Fukuda's cabinet. Born in Adachi, Tokyo, he graduated from Nihon University, earning a medical degree. In 1993, he was elected for the first time as a member of the Japan New Party. In December 1997, he joined the Liberal Democratic Party. He represented Tokyo's 13th district in the House of Representatives.
Mayumi Ogawa (小川眞由美; December 11, 1939 – March 26, 2026) was a Japanese actress. She won the award for best supporting…Mayumi Ogawa (小川眞由美; December 11, 1939 – March 26, 2026) was a Japanese actress. She won the award for best supporting actress at the 3rd Japan Academy Prize and at the 4th Hochi Film Award for Vengeance Is Mine and The Three Undelivered Letters. In 2008, Ogawa got ordained as a Shingon Buddhist nun. In an interview with J-Cast News, she mentioned that during her tonsure ceremony, only one strand of hair was pulled out. Ogawa remained involved in the entertainment industry in later life. Ogawa died from coronary artery disease on March 26, 2026, at the age of 86. Her death was not announced publicly until August 9.
Udagawa Katsutarō (born Hideo Udagawa; December 3, 1939 – July 24, 1989) was a sumo wrestler from Adachi, Tokyo, Japan.…Udagawa Katsutarō (born Hideo Udagawa; December 3, 1939 – July 24, 1989) was a sumo wrestler from Adachi, Tokyo, Japan. He made his professional debut in September 1954 and reached the top division in January 1960. His highest rank was maegashira 3. Upon retirement from active competition he became an elder in the Japan Sumo Association under a series of different names, since he didn't own a toshiyori-kabu of his own. He left the Sumo Association in October 1977.
Katsumoto Saotome (早乙女勝元, Saotome Katsumoto; March 26, 1932 – May 10, 2022) was a Japanese writer, children's book…Katsumoto Saotome (早乙女勝元, Saotome Katsumoto; March 26, 1932 – May 10, 2022) was a Japanese writer, children's book author, and pacifist. His work has been crucial in raising awareness of war dead, such as air raids. As a member of "Burnt-out ruins generation" (Also known as Yakeato Generation (1930–1945)), Saotome dedicated his life to documenting and preserving the stories of Asia-Pacific War in World War II, such as civilian victims of firebombs in Kanto Region including Tokyo Prefecture between March and August 1945. He was one of a leading voice in ensuring Japanese civilian victims of air raids were not forgotten by Japanese history of Japanese government. He published his numerous books and documentary films, with private funds, established a museum in eastern Tokyo to memorialized war victims and ensure their experiences were not forgotten.
Takeshi Kitano (北野 武, Kitano Takeshi; born 18 January 1947), also known as Beat Takeshi (ビートたけし, Bīto Takeshi) in…Takeshi Kitano (北野 武, Kitano Takeshi; born 18 January 1947), also known as Beat Takeshi (ビートたけし, Bīto Takeshi) in Japan, is a Japanese comedian, actor, and filmmaker. While he is known primarily as a comedian and TV host in his native Japan, he is better known abroad for his work as a filmmaker and actor as well as TV host. During his time as a student at Meiji University, he became a comedian at the strip theater France-za in Asakusa, Tokyo. In 1973, he formed a comedy duo called Two Beat with Kiyoshi Kaneko, who later became Beat Kiyoshi. Kitano adopted the stage name Beat Takeshi. Riding the wave of the comedy boom, he gained popularity with satirical and sharp-tongued black humor. In the 1980s, he appeared in TV shows such as Oretachi Hyōkin-zoku which recorded the highest viewership rating of 29.1%, and Takeshi's Castle which recorded 24.7%, becoming explosively popular on television. He gained recognition as an actor in director Nagisa Ōshima's film Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983). In 1989, he made his directorial debut with the film Violent Cop after Kinji Fukasaku stepped down. He won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival for his film Hana-bi (1997), becoming the third Japanese director to receive this honor after Akira Kurosawa and Hiroshi Inagaki. In October 2017, Kitano completed his Outrage crime trilogy with the release of Outrage Coda. He is also known internationally for hosting the game show Takeshi's Castle (1986–1990) and starring in the film Battle Royale (2000). He has received critical acclaim for his idiosyncratic cinematic work, winning numerous awards with Japanese film critic Nagaharu Yodogawa having once dubbed him "the true successor" to influential filmmaker Akira Kurosawa. Many of Kitano's films are dramas about yakuza gangsters or the police. Described by critics as using an acting style that is highly deadpan or a camera style that approaches near-stasis, Kitano often uses long takes during which little appears to be happening, or editing that cuts immediately to the aftermath of an event. Many of his films express a bleak worldview, but are also filled with humor and affection for their characters.
Ai Orikasa (折笠 愛, Orikasa Ai; born Kikue Orikasa (折笠 きく江, Orikasa Kikue) on December 12, 1963) is a Japanese actress…Ai Orikasa (折笠 愛, Orikasa Ai; born Kikue Orikasa (折笠 きく江, Orikasa Kikue) on December 12, 1963) is a Japanese actress, voice actress, and singer. She has played a variety of characters, from young girls to women and boys. In her leading roles, she often voiced boys, and has also voiced mothers. She voiced Hagu-Hagu in the TV series Haō Taikei Ryū Knight and Shizuka's mother Michiko Minamoto in Doraemon, and also provided the Japanese dub voice for Jessica Rabbit in Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
Hiroki Takahashi (高橋 広樹, Takahashi Hiroki) is a Japanese actor, voice actor, and singer. His major roles include Eiji…Hiroki Takahashi (高橋 広樹, Takahashi Hiroki) is a Japanese actor, voice actor, and singer. His major roles include Eiji Kikumaru in The Prince of Tennis, Tobias in Pokémon, Kenji Harima in School Rumble, Hisoka in Hunter × Hunter (1999), Katsuya Jonouchi in Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters, and Takato Saijō in Dakaichi. On video games, he voiced Ryu in the Street Fighter series.
