Aoba Fujino (藤野 あおば, Fujino Aoba; IPA: [ɸɯʑino aꜜoba]; born 27 January 2004) is a Japanese professional footballer who…Aoba Fujino (藤野 あおば, Fujino Aoba; IPA: [ɸɯʑino aꜜoba]; born 27 January 2004) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a forward for Women's Super League club Manchester City and the Japan national team.
Joel Chima Fujita (藤田 譲瑠 チマ, Fujita Joeru Chima; born 16 February 2002) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays…Joel Chima Fujita (藤田 譲瑠 チマ, Fujita Joeru Chima; born 16 February 2002) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for 2. Bundesliga club FC St. Pauli and the Japan national team.
Taiga Ishiura (石浦 大雅, Ishiura Taiga; born 22 November 2001) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a…Taiga Ishiura (石浦 大雅, Ishiura Taiga; born 22 November 2001) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for FC Ryukyu.
Hinako Tomitaka (冨髙 日向子, Tomitaka Hinako) (born 21 September 2000) is a Japanese freestyle skier who competes…Hinako Tomitaka (冨髙 日向子, Tomitaka Hinako) (born 21 September 2000) is a Japanese freestyle skier who competes internationally. She competed in the FIS Freestyle Ski and Snowboarding World Championships 2021, where she placed fifth in women's ski moguls. Competing at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Valtellina, Tomitaka finished in fourth place in the moguls, missing out on the bronze medal on a tiebreak.
Kota Yazawa (矢澤 宏太, Yazawa Kota; born August 2, 2000) is a professional baseball player for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham…Kota Yazawa (矢澤 宏太, Yazawa Kota; born August 2, 2000) is a professional baseball player for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball. He plays as a two-way player.
Ryuki Honda (本田竜輝, Honda Ryūki) is a Japanese professional wrestler working for the Japanese promotion All Japan Pro…Ryuki Honda (本田竜輝, Honda Ryūki) is a Japanese professional wrestler working for the Japanese promotion All Japan Pro Wrestling where he was formerly World Tag Team Champions in his first reign alongside Shotaro Ashino.
Miiku Iwasawa (岩澤 実育, Iwasawa Miiku; born 13 October 1999) is a Japanese professional volleyball player. She plays in…Miiku Iwasawa (岩澤 実育, Iwasawa Miiku; born 13 October 1999) is a Japanese professional volleyball player. She plays in the SV.League for Saitama Ageo Medics.
Mai Hontama (本玉真唯) (born 30 August 1999) is a Japanese tennis player. Hontama has a career-high singles ranking of…Mai Hontama (本玉真唯) (born 30 August 1999) is a Japanese tennis player. Hontama has a career-high singles ranking of world No. 105 by the WTA, achieved on 5 August 2024, and a career-high doubles ranking of No. 109, set on 6 November 2023.
Yuki Uchiyama (内山 由綺, Uchiyama Yuki) is a Japanese artistic gymnast, representing Japan at the 2016 Summer Olympics…Yuki Uchiyama (内山 由綺, Uchiyama Yuki) is a Japanese artistic gymnast, representing Japan at the 2016 Summer Olympics with the Japan women's national gymnastics team.
Zain Issaka (イサカ ゼイン, Issaka Zain; born 29 May 1997) is a Japanese footballer who plays as a defender for J1 League…Zain Issaka (イサカ ゼイン, Issaka Zain; born 29 May 1997) is a Japanese footballer who plays as a defender for J1 League club JEF United Chiba.
Akiyuki Yokoyama (横山 暁之, Yokoyama Akiyuki; born 26 March 1997) is a Japanese footballer currently playing as a…Akiyuki Yokoyama (横山 暁之, Yokoyama Akiyuki; born 26 March 1997) is a Japanese footballer currently playing as a midfielder for J2 League club Yokohama FC.
Hanami Sekine (関根 花観 (Sekine Hanami); born 26 February 1996) is a Japanese female long-distance runner who competes in…Hanami Sekine (関根 花観 (Sekine Hanami); born 26 February 1996) is a Japanese female long-distance runner who competes in track events. She competed for Japan at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Born in Tokyo, Sekine showed her promise for distance running by winning a leg at the Inter-Prefectural Women's Ekiden as a junior high school athlete. Her first international medal came over 3000 metres at the 2014 Asian Junior Athletics Championships, where she was silver medallist behind Kyrgyz athlete Darya Maslova. She continued to perform well in national ekiden competitions, winning her stage at the Inter-Prefectural race in 2014 and 2016, and coming runner-up at the All-Japan Women's Corporate Ekiden Championships in 2015. Sekine showed much improvement on the track in the 2016 season and at the 2016 Japan Championships in Athletics she set a personal best of 31:22.92 minutes to take second behind Ayuko Suzuki in the 10,000 metres, then placed third in the 5000 metres with another best of 15:24.74 minutes. She was chosen to represent Japan at the 2016 Summer Olympics over the longer distance. At the competition she was near the top of the field in the opening stages, but fell away as the leading pack took on a world record pace. She finished 20th, two places behind national rival Yuka Takashima.
Suguru Osako (大迫傑, Ōsako Suguru; born 23 May 1991) is a Japanese long-distance runner. He won the 10,000 metres gold…Suguru Osako (大迫傑, Ōsako Suguru; born 23 May 1991) is a Japanese long-distance runner. He won the 10,000 metres gold medal at the 2011 Summer Universiade in Shenzhen and holds the Asian junior record for the half marathon. He held the Japanese National Record for the marathon of 2:04:55 set at the 2025 Valencia Marathon where he finished fourth. Born in Machida, Tokyo, he attended Saku Chosei High School and began to establish himself nationally in 2010. He was the fastest in his stage at the Japanese High School Ekiden Championship and came second in the junior race at the Chiba Cross Country. This gained him a place on the Japanese junior team for the 2010 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, where he went on to finish in 32nd place. On the track that year he set a personal best of 28:35.75 minutes in Tokyo then finished eighth at the 2010 World Junior Championships in Athletics. After graduating from high school, he enrolled at Waseda University in late 2010. In November he ran at the Ageo City Half Marathon and set a Japanese and Asian junior record time of 1:01:47 hours to win the race. In 2011 he ran a 5000 metres track best of 13:31.27 minutes and came second over 10,000 metres at the Hyogo Relays. Osako was chosen to represent his country at the 2011 Summer Universiade, where he defeated Stephen Mokoka in the 10,000 m to take the gold medal, becoming the first Japanese since Yasuyuki Watanabe to win that title. At the start of the 2012 season he was the top Japanese finisher at the Chiba Cross Country (fourth overall) and had a narrow win at the Fukuoka Cross Country, beating Yuki Sato. Osako improved his track bests in 2012, running 3:42.68 minutes for the 1500 metres, 7:54.68 minutes for the 3000 metres and 27:56.94 minutes for the 10,000 m. He was runner-up to Charles Ndirangu at the 2013 Fukuoka Cross Country. He finished third in the 2018 Chicago Marathon with the national record at the time of 2:05:50 h, earning him 100 Million Yen. He finished fourth in the 2020 Tokyo Marathon where he broke his own national record with a time of 2:05:29. He is formerly a member of the Nike Oregon Project. He broke the Japanese national marathon record in the 2025 Valencia marathon, coming in 4th in 2:04:55
Daizo Sasaki (born 20 November 1990) is a Japanese kickboxer, currently competing in the super lightweight divisions of…Daizo Sasaki (born 20 November 1990) is a Japanese kickboxer, currently competing in the super lightweight divisions of Krush and K-1. He is the former Krush Super Lightweight champion, the former Krush Lightweight champion, the 2018 K-1 Super Lightweight Grand Prix finalist and a one-time K-1 World GP Super Lightweight title challenger. As of June 2022, Sasaki is the #6 ranked featherweight in the world according to Combat Press. He's been continuously ranked in the featherweight top ten since February 2021.
Hiroki Moriya (Japanese: 守屋 宏紀, Hepburn: Moriya Hiroki; born 16 October 1990 in Tokyo) is a Japanese tennis player. He…Hiroki Moriya (Japanese: 守屋 宏紀, Hepburn: Moriya Hiroki; born 16 October 1990 in Tokyo) is a Japanese tennis player. He achieved a career-high singles ranking of world No. 143 on 5 January 2015 and a doubles ranking of No. 224 achieved on 15 July 2019. Moriya has won three ATP Challenger Tour singles titles.
Takahiro Nakazato (中里 崇宏, Nakazato Takahiro; born March 29, 1990) is a Japanese football player who plays for YSCC…Takahiro Nakazato (中里 崇宏, Nakazato Takahiro; born March 29, 1990) is a Japanese football player who plays for YSCC Yokohama in the J3 League.
Yūichi Adachi (足立 祐一, Adachi Yūichi; born September 22, 1989 in Machida, Tokyo, Japan) is a professional Japanese…Yūichi Adachi (足立 祐一, Adachi Yūichi; born September 22, 1989 in Machida, Tokyo, Japan) is a professional Japanese baseball player. He plays catcher for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles.
Yū Kobayashi (小林 悠, Kobayashi Yū; born 23 September 1987) is a Japanese football player currently playing for Kawasaki…Yū Kobayashi (小林 悠, Kobayashi Yū; born 23 September 1987) is a Japanese football player currently playing for Kawasaki Frontale and the Japan national team.
Yota Akimoto (秋元 陽太, Akimoto Yōta; born July 11, 1987 in Machida, Tokyo) is a Japanese footballer. He currently plays…Yota Akimoto (秋元 陽太, Akimoto Yōta; born July 11, 1987 in Machida, Tokyo) is a Japanese footballer. He currently plays for Ehime FC on loan from Shonan Bellmare.
Moe Kaifuchi (海渕 萌, Kaifuchi Moe; born 16 June 1986 in Hachiōji, Tokyo) is a Japanese slalom canoer. At the 2012 Summer…Moe Kaifuchi (海渕 萌, Kaifuchi Moe; born 16 June 1986 in Hachiōji, Tokyo) is a Japanese slalom canoer. At the 2012 Summer Olympics she competed in the K-1 event, finishing 19th in the heats, failing to qualify for the semifinals.
Masashi Takeda (竹田 誠志, Takeda Masashi; born August 13, 1985) is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial…Masashi Takeda (竹田 誠志, Takeda Masashi; born August 13, 1985) is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist, primarily working for Big Japan Pro Wrestling (BJW) in the Deathmatch division. Takeda also competes as a freelancer for Freedoms and occasionally, All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW).
Kitataiki Akeyoshi (北太樹 明義, born 5 October 1982) is a Japanese former professional sumo wrestler from Machida City…Kitataiki Akeyoshi (北太樹 明義, born 5 October 1982) is a Japanese former professional sumo wrestler from Machida City, Tokyo, Japan. Making his debut in March 1998, he reached the top division for the first time in September 2008, returning in January 2010. He won two second division jūryō championships in his career. His highest rank was maegashira 2. He retired in January 2018 and became an elder of the Japan Sumo Association under the name of Onogawa.
Kazma Sakamoto (born 1 October 1982) is a Japanese professional wrestler. He originally started his career working for…Kazma Sakamoto (born 1 October 1982) is a Japanese professional wrestler. He originally started his career working for Kaientai Dojo in Japan, where he became a one-time Strongest-K Champion and a three-time Strongest-K Tag Team Champion alongside Ryota Chikuzen, Kengo Mashimo and Miyawaki. He spent two years working for WWE, as well as for its development brands, Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW) and NXT. After his release from WWE, he returned to Japan working as a freelancer for Kaientai Dojo (K-Dojo), Pro Wrestling Zero1 (Zero1) and Wrestle-1 (W-1), the latter of which he signed for in 2015. A year later, his contract with Wrestle-1 expired, and he returned to freelancing work, later appearing for Pro Wrestling Noah (Noah), Dragon Gate (DG) and Gleat.
Mitsuhiro Seki (関 光博, Seki Mitsuhiro; born May 8, 1982) is a Japanese footballer. Seki previously played for Roasso…Mitsuhiro Seki (関 光博, Seki Mitsuhiro; born May 8, 1982) is a Japanese footballer. Seki previously played for Roasso Kumamoto in the J2 League.
Tadahiro Ogino (荻野 忠寛, Ogino Tadahiro; born April 26, 1982 in Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball…Tadahiro Ogino (荻野 忠寛, Ogino Tadahiro; born April 26, 1982 in Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball with the Chiba Lotte Marines in Japan's Pacific League.
Yurie Kanuma (鹿沼 由理恵, Kanuma Yurie; born May 20, 1981) is a Japanese former biathlete, cross-country skier and cyclist.…Yurie Kanuma (鹿沼 由理恵, Kanuma Yurie; born May 20, 1981) is a Japanese former biathlete, cross-country skier and cyclist. She represented Japan at the 2010 Winter Paralympics and the 2016 Summer Paralympics. As a cyclist, she competed in para-cycling tandem road and track events.
Naoyuki Daigo (醍醐 直幸, Daigo Naoyuki; born 18 January 1981 in Tokyo) is a retired male high jumper from Japan. His…Naoyuki Daigo (醍醐 直幸, Daigo Naoyuki; born 18 January 1981 in Tokyo) is a retired male high jumper from Japan. His personal best jump is 2.33 metres, achieved in July 2006 in Kobe. This was the Japanese record until February 2019, when Naoto Tobe broke it by two centimetres.
Sakio Chiba (千葉 幸生, Chiba Sakio; born February 11, 1979) is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 7-dan. He is…Sakio Chiba (千葉 幸生, Chiba Sakio; born February 11, 1979) is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 7-dan. He is also an executive director of the Japan Shogi Association.
Ryuki Ueyama (born 17 April 1976 in Tokyo) is a Japanese mixed martial artist who most recently competed in the…Ryuki Ueyama (born 17 April 1976 in Tokyo) is a Japanese mixed martial artist who most recently competed in the Lightweight division. He has fought for organizations such as Fighting Network RINGS, DEEP, Pancrase, Hero's and Pride FC.
Daisuke Suzuki (鈴木 大介, Suzuki Daisuke; born July 11, 1974) is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 9-dan. He is…Daisuke Suzuki (鈴木 大介, Suzuki Daisuke; born July 11, 1974) is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 9-dan. He is a former executive director of the Japan Shogi Association. Suzuki is also the first professional shogi player to be awarded professional status by the Japan Professional Mahjong League (JPML) and become a professional mahjong player.
Satoru Tanigawa (谷川 聡, Tanigawa Satoru; born 5 July 1972 in Tokyo) is a retired Japanese athlete who specialised in the…Satoru Tanigawa (谷川 聡, Tanigawa Satoru; born 5 July 1972 in Tokyo) is a retired Japanese athlete who specialised in the 110 metres hurdles. He represented his country at the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics reaching the second round on both occasions. His personal best of 13.39 (+1.5 m/s), set in the heats of the 2004 Olympic Games, is the current national record.
Shinji Fujiyoshi (藤吉 信次, Fujiyoshi Shinji; born April 3, 1970) is a Japanese football manager and former player. He is…Shinji Fujiyoshi (藤吉 信次, Fujiyoshi Shinji; born April 3, 1970) is a Japanese football manager and former player. He is currently manager of Fukui United.
Michiya Haruhata (春畑道哉, Haruhata Michiya; born November 5, 1966) is a Japanese musical composer, guitarist and music…Michiya Haruhata (春畑道哉, Haruhata Michiya; born November 5, 1966) is a Japanese musical composer, guitarist and music producer under Sony Music Entertainment Japan. He is a member of the pop rock band Tube.
Satoshi Tajiri (Japanese: 田尻 智, Hepburn: Tajiri Satoshi; born August 28, 1965) is a Japanese video game designer and…Satoshi Tajiri (Japanese: 田尻 智, Hepburn: Tajiri Satoshi; born August 28, 1965) is a Japanese video game designer and director who is the creator of the Pokémon franchise and the co-founder and president of video game developer Game Freak. A fan of arcade games in his youth, Tajiri wrote for and edited his own video gaming fanzine Game Freak with Ken Sugimori, before evolving it into a development company of the same name. Tajiri claims that the joining of two Game Boys via a link cable inspired him to create a game which embodied the collection and companionship of his childhood hobby, insect collecting. The game, which became Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green, took six years to complete and went on to spark a multibillion-dollar franchise which reinvigorated Nintendo's handheld gaming scene. Tajiri continued to work as director for the Pokémon series until the development of Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, when he changed his role to executive producer, which he holds to this day. Tajiri has also worked for other Game Freak projects.
Osamu Nakamura (中村 修, Nakamura Osamu; born November 7, 1962) is a Japanese professional shogi player, ranked 9-dan. He…Osamu Nakamura (中村 修, Nakamura Osamu; born November 7, 1962) is a Japanese professional shogi player, ranked 9-dan. He is a two-time winner of the Ōshō title, and the current president of the Professional Shogi Players Group.
Megumi Toyoguchi (豊口 めぐみ, Toyoguchi Megumi; born January 2, 1978) is a Japanese voice actress. Some of her starring…Megumi Toyoguchi (豊口 めぐみ, Toyoguchi Megumi; born January 2, 1978) is a Japanese voice actress. Some of her starring roles are Yao Sakurakouji in Miami Guns, Ran Kotobuki in Super Gals!, Winry Rockbell in Fullmetal Alchemist (first anime), Sei Sato in Maria-sama ga Miteru, Hikari (Dawn) in Pokémon, Revy in Black Lagoon, Seiren/Ellen Kurokawa/Cure Beat in Suite Precure and Miriallia Haw in Mobile Suit Gundam SEED & Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny. In video games, she voiced Paine in Final Fantasy X-2, Junko Enoshima in Danganronpa, Rosie in Valkyria Chronicles, Yukari Takeba in Persona 3 (which was adapted into a film series) and Aqua in Kingdom Hearts.
