Miyoko Akaza (赤座 美代子, Akaza Miyoko; born February 10, 1944 in Aichi) is a Japanese actress. She was married to Toshiya…Miyoko Akaza (赤座 美代子, Akaza Miyoko; born February 10, 1944 in Aichi) is a Japanese actress. She was married to Toshiya Fujita.
Keisuke Ito (伊藤 圭祐, Itō Keisuke; 29 October 1943 – 5 December 2006) was a Japanese swimmer who competed in the 1964…Keisuke Ito (伊藤 圭祐, Itō Keisuke; 29 October 1943 – 5 December 2006) was a Japanese swimmer who competed in the 1964 Summer Olympics.
Taisuke Sato (佐藤 泰介, Satō Taisuke; born 27 September 1943) is a Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of Japan, a…Taisuke Sato (佐藤 泰介, Satō Taisuke; born 27 September 1943) is a Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of Japan, a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature).
Machiko Kinoshita Yamada (山田 満知子, Yamada Machiko; born June 26, 1943) is a figure skating coach and former Japanese…Machiko Kinoshita Yamada (山田 満知子, Yamada Machiko; born June 26, 1943) is a figure skating coach and former Japanese competitive figure skater.
Yoshiyuki Sakaki (榊 佳之, Sakaki Yoshiyuki) is a Japanese molecular biologist. He was the sixth president of Toyohashi…Yoshiyuki Sakaki (榊 佳之, Sakaki Yoshiyuki) is a Japanese molecular biologist. He was the sixth president of Toyohashi University of Technology and an emeritus professor of the University of Tokyo. Sakaki was born in Nagoya. He received a bachelor's degree in biochemistry from the University of Tokyo, and received a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Tokyo in 1971.
Toshihide Maskawa (or Masukawa) (益川 敏英, Masukawa Toshihide; 7 February 1940 – 23 July 2021) was a Japanese theoretical…Toshihide Maskawa (or Masukawa) (益川 敏英, Masukawa Toshihide; 7 February 1940 – 23 July 2021) was a Japanese theoretical physicist known for his work on CP-violation who was awarded one quarter of the 2008 Nobel Prize in Physics "for the discovery of the origin of the broken symmetry which predicts the existence of at least three families of quarks in nature."
Koichi Kato (加藤 紘一, Katō Kōichi; 17 June 1939 – 9 September 2016) was a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic…Koichi Kato (加藤 紘一, Katō Kōichi; 17 June 1939 – 9 September 2016) was a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party who held a seat in the House of Representatives in the National Diet for 13 terms between 1972 and 2012. Kato was elected to several districts in Yamagata Prefecture and served as the Director-General of the Japan Defense Agency from 1984 to 1986 and Chief Cabinet Secretary from 1991 to 1992. Kato was a leading member of the Kōchikai faction of the LDP aligned with Prime Ministers Masayoshi Ōhira, Zenkō Suzuki, and Kiichi Miyazawa. Kato lost his seat at the December 2012 general election, and his daughter Ayuko Kato was elected to the seat at the 2014 general election.
Uichiro Niwa (丹羽 宇一郎, Niwa Uichirō; January 29, 1939 – December 24, 2025) was a Japanese diplomat and businessman who…Uichiro Niwa (丹羽 宇一郎, Niwa Uichirō; January 29, 1939 – December 24, 2025) was a Japanese diplomat and businessman who served as the Ambassador of Japan to the People's Republic of China, president and chairman of Itochu Corporation, and chairman of the Society of Global Business (SGB).
Shingo Araki (荒木 伸吾, Araki Shingo; November 28, 1938 – December 1, 2011) was a Japanese animation artist and character…Shingo Araki (荒木 伸吾, Araki Shingo; November 28, 1938 – December 1, 2011) was a Japanese animation artist and character designer.
Masahiko Aoki (April 1, 1938 – July 15, 2015) was a Japanese economist, Tomoye and Henri Takahashi Professor Emeritus…Masahiko Aoki (April 1, 1938 – July 15, 2015) was a Japanese economist, Tomoye and Henri Takahashi Professor Emeritus of Japanese Studies in the Economics Department, and Senior Fellow of the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research and Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University. Aoki was known for his work in comparative institutional analysis, corporate governance, the theory of the firm, and comparative East Asian development.
Kimiko Tsukada (塚田 紀美子, Tsukada Kimiko; born October 26, 1937) is a retired Japanese artistic gymnast. She placed…Kimiko Tsukada (塚田 紀美子, Tsukada Kimiko; born October 26, 1937) is a retired Japanese artistic gymnast. She placed fourth with the Japanese team at the 1960 Summer Olympics, while her best individual result was 15th place on uneven bars.
Yoshito Kishi (岸 義人, Kishi Yoshito; 13 April 1937 – 9 January 2023) was a Japanese chemist who was the Morris Loeb…Yoshito Kishi (岸 義人, Kishi Yoshito; 13 April 1937 – 9 January 2023) was a Japanese chemist who was the Morris Loeb Professor of Chemistry at Harvard University. He was known for his contributions to the sciences of organic synthesis and total synthesis.
Hitomi Jinno (神野 眸, Jinno Hitomi; born 8 March 1937) is a Japanese former freestyle swimmer. She competed at the 1956…Hitomi Jinno (神野 眸, Jinno Hitomi; born 8 March 1937) is a Japanese former freestyle swimmer. She competed at the 1956 Summer Olympics and the 1960 Summer Olympics.
Shūsaku Arakawa (荒川 修作, Arakawa Shūsaku; July 6, 1936 – May 19, 2010) was a Japanese conceptual artist and architect.…Shūsaku Arakawa (荒川 修作, Arakawa Shūsaku; July 6, 1936 – May 19, 2010) was a Japanese conceptual artist and architect. He had a personal and artistic partnership with the writer and artist Madeline Gins that spanned more than four decades in which they collaborated on a diverse range of visual mediums, including: painting & printmaking, experimental filmmaking, performance art, and architectural & landscape design. Throughout his life, Arakawa frequently infused his works with philosophical ideas that considered art's intrinsic functions, human perceptions of the physical world, and the language of signs, symbols, and visual meanings. These thematic elements were based on the writings and theories authored by key figures in Science, Philosophy, and Art History: Leonardo da Vinci, Albert Einstein, and Ludwig Wittgenstein. Beginning in the 1960s, Arakawa's work attracted positive responses from the Western art world and led to his representation at numerous esteemed galleries and museums: the Dwan Gallery, Gagosian, The National Museum of Modern Art, Centre Pompidou, David Barnett Gallery, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Museum of Modern Art, New York. Arakawa and Gins founded The Reversible Destiny Foundation in which they designed architectural sites that were aimed toward the longevity of human life expectancy. Moreover, they established the Architectural Body Research Foundation in 1987 as a non-profit research group that stimulated multidisciplinary studies with renowned biologists, neuroscientists, quantum physicists, and medical doctors on the nature of life and death. Arakawa usually referred to himself by his surname only, which eventually came to be more commonly practiced by him during his career in the United States and Europe.
Kaneo Yokoe (Japanese: 横江金夫 Yokoe Kaneo; 3 January 1934 – 3 February 2025) was a Japanese politician. A member of the…Kaneo Yokoe (Japanese: 横江金夫 Yokoe Kaneo; 3 January 1934 – 3 February 2025) was a Japanese politician. A member of the Japan Socialist Party, he served in the House of Representatives from 1983 to 1986. Yokoe died in Nagoya on 3 February 2025, at the age of 91.
Toshio Matsumoto (松本 俊夫, Matsumoto Toshio) (25 March 1932 – 12 April 2017) was a Japanese film director and video…Toshio Matsumoto (松本 俊夫, Matsumoto Toshio) (25 March 1932 – 12 April 2017) was a Japanese film director and video artist.
Shigeru Amachi (天知 茂, Amachi Shigeru; 4 March 1931 – 27 July 1985) was a Japanese actor. He appeared in more than 120…Shigeru Amachi (天知 茂, Amachi Shigeru; 4 March 1931 – 27 July 1985) was a Japanese actor. He appeared in more than 120 films from 1953 to 1984.
Toshiki Kaifu (海部 俊樹, Kaifu Toshiki; 2 January 1931 – 9 January 2022) was a Japanese politician who served as prime…Toshiki Kaifu (海部 俊樹, Kaifu Toshiki; 2 January 1931 – 9 January 2022) was a Japanese politician who served as prime minister of Japan from 1989 to 1991. Born in Nagoya, Kaifu graduated from Waseda University and was first elected to the Diet in 1960 as a member of the Liberal Democratic Party. He served as education minister from 1976 to 1977 under Takeo Fukuda, and from 1985 to 1986 under Yasuhiro Nakasone. In 1989, Kaifu became prime minister after the resignations of the last two premiers, Noboru Takeshita and Sosuke Uno, amid various scandals; he was chosen in part because of his clean image. During his tenure, Kaifu worked to improve relations with China and made large financial contributions to the coalition in the Persian Gulf War. After his attempts at political reform were unsuccessful, Kaifu resigned as prime minister in 1991 and was replaced by Kiichi Miyazawa.
Shōmei Tōmatsu (東松 照明, Tōmatsu Shōmei; January 16, 1930 – December 14, 2012) was a Japanese photographer. He is known…Shōmei Tōmatsu (東松 照明, Tōmatsu Shōmei; January 16, 1930 – December 14, 2012) was a Japanese photographer. He is known primarily for his images that depict the impact of World War II on Japan and the subsequent occupation of U.S. forces. As one of the leading postwar photographers, Tōmatsu is attributed with influencing the younger generations of photographers including those associated with the magazine Provoke (Takuma Nakahira and Daido Moriyama).
Sanpei Satō (サトウサンペイ, Satō Sanpei; 11 September 1929 - 31 July 2021) was a Japanese manga artist best known for…Sanpei Satō (サトウサンペイ, Satō Sanpei; 11 September 1929 - 31 July 2021) was a Japanese manga artist best known for salaryman manga such as Fuji Santarō and Dotanba's Manners. He was born as Yukikazu Satō (佐藤 幸一, Satō Yukikazu) in Nagoya, but grew up from a young age in Ōsaka after his father built and managed a clock manufacturing plant there as part of the family business. When Satō was in junior high, he worked at a munitions plant during World War II. After studying dyeing at Kyoto Technical College, he was hired at Daimaru where he started in clothing sales and quickly moved into advertising department. In 1953, he made his manga debut in the Shin Ōsaka newspaper. Only four years later, he quit his job at Daimaru in order to work full time as a manga artist. He moved to Tokyo in 1961. Both Satō and his works have received multiple awards and recognition, including the Bungeishunjū Manga Award in 1966, the Tokyo Metropolitan Cultural Honor Award in 1991, the Medal of Honor from the Emperor of Japan in 1997, the Order of the Rising Sun in 1996, and the Special Award at the Japan Cartoonists Association Awards in 2017. Satō died in 2021 from aspiration pneumonia at age 91.
Tatsuro Toyoda (Japanese: 豊田達郎, Hepburn: Toyoda Tatsurō; June 1, 1930 – Deсember 30, 2017) was the brother of Shoichiro…Tatsuro Toyoda (Japanese: 豊田達郎, Hepburn: Toyoda Tatsurō; June 1, 1930 – Deсember 30, 2017) was the brother of Shoichiro and the son of Toyota Motor Corporation founder, Kiichiro Toyoda.
Shōbun Inoue (井上 昭文, Inoue Shōbun; 22 August 1927 – 28 January 2013) was a Japanese actor. Inoue started his acting…Shōbun Inoue (井上 昭文, Inoue Shōbun; 22 August 1927 – 28 January 2013) was a Japanese actor. Inoue started his acting career at the Haiyuza Theatre Company. Later, he signed his contract with Nikkatsu film company.
Akio Sato (佐藤 昭夫, Satō Akio; 15 August 1927 – 23 October 2007) was a Japanese politician. He represented the Kyoto…Akio Sato (佐藤 昭夫, Satō Akio; 15 August 1927 – 23 October 2007) was a Japanese politician. He represented the Kyoto at-large district in the House of Councillors of the Diet of Japan, serving two terms from 1977 until 1989 as a member of the Japanese Communist Party. Sato was born in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture and graduated from the Department of Science at the University of Kyoto. He was employed as a high school teacher before entering politics. He died of pneumonia in Uji, Kyoto at the age of 80 on 23 October 2007.
Chumei Watanabe (渡辺 宙明（ちゅうめい ）, Watanabe Chūmei), born Michiaki Watanabe (渡辺 宙明（みちあき）, Watanabe Michiaki), (August 19…Chumei Watanabe (渡辺 宙明（ちゅうめい ）, Watanabe Chūmei), born Michiaki Watanabe (渡辺 宙明（みちあき）, Watanabe Michiaki), (August 19, 1925 – June 23, 2022) was a Japanese film score and television score composer. He worked on various tokusatsu shows and mecha anime.
Shoichiro Toyoda (Japanese: 豊田 章一郞, Hepburn: Toyoda Shōichirō; 27 February 1925 – 14 February 2023) was a Japanese…Shoichiro Toyoda (Japanese: 豊田 章一郞, Hepburn: Toyoda Shōichirō; 27 February 1925 – 14 February 2023) was a Japanese business executive who served as chairman of Toyota Motor Corporation from 1992 to 1999, as well as chairman of the influential Japan Business Federation (日本経済団体連合会, Nippon Keidanren) from 1994 to 1998. Under Toyoda's leadership, Toyota started manufacturing vehicles overseas and undertook the development of the Lexus brand. He was the grandson of the Toyoda Automatic Loom Works founder Sakichi Toyoda and the son of the Toyota Motor founder Kiichiro Toyoda.
Akio Morita (盛田 昭夫, Morita Akio; January 26, 1921 – October 3, 1999) was a Japanese entrepreneur and co-founder of Sony…Akio Morita (盛田 昭夫, Morita Akio; January 26, 1921 – October 3, 1999) was a Japanese entrepreneur and co-founder of Sony along with Masaru Ibuka.
Kazuo Iwama (岩間 和夫, Iwama Kazuo; 1919–1982) was a Japanese engineer who became the president of Sony. Iwama was born in…Kazuo Iwama (岩間 和夫, Iwama Kazuo; 1919–1982) was a Japanese engineer who became the president of Sony. Iwama was born in Nagoya and studied geophysics. He worked in a seismology laboratory at the University of Tokyo until 1946, when Akio Morita hired him to work at a predecessor of Sony. By 1950, he was a director of the company. At Sony, he helped introduce the first Japanese transistor radio in 1954, and the first transistor television set in 1960. He headed the Sony Corporation of America from 1971 to 1973, and became president of Sony from 1976 until his death of colon cancer on August 25, 1982.
Jirō Noguchi (野口二郎, Noguchi Jirō) (January 6, 1920 – May 21, 2007) was a Japanese baseball pitcher and…Jirō Noguchi (野口二郎, Noguchi Jirō) (January 6, 1920 – May 21, 2007) was a Japanese baseball pitcher and outfielder/infielder who played 13 seasons in the Japanese Baseball League and then Nippon Professional Baseball, from 1939 to 1952. A two-way player who really excelled at pitching, Noguchi was a six-time 20-game winner, a three-time 30-game winner, and once won 40 games in a season. His 1.96 career earned run average is second all-time. As a batter, Noguchi had a 31-game hitting streak, a Japanese professional baseball record which stood for 25 years. He was elected to the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989. Noguchi was one of four brothers who played professional baseball in Japan.
Akira Noguchi (野口明, Noguchi Akira) (August 6, 1917 – October 5, 1996) was a Japanese baseball pitcher, infielder…Akira Noguchi (野口明, Noguchi Akira) (August 6, 1917 – October 5, 1996) was a Japanese baseball pitcher, infielder, catcher, and manager who played 15 total seasons in the Japanese Baseball League and then Nippon Professional Baseball, during the period 1936 to 1955. The rare two-way player, Noguchi was particularly unusual in that he excelled in the specialized positions of both pitcher and catcher. A four-time All-Star and a two-time Best Nine Award-winner, Noguchi was the eldest of four brothers who played professional baseball in Japan.
Ichirō Arishima (有島 一郎, Arishima Ichirō; March 1, 1916 – July 20, 1987) was a Japanese comedian and actor. Nicknamed…Ichirō Arishima (有島 一郎, Arishima Ichirō; March 1, 1916 – July 20, 1987) was a Japanese comedian and actor. Nicknamed "The Japanese Chaplin", he is best known outside Japan for his appearance as Tako, the promoter of King Kong in King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962).
Eiji Toyoda (豊田 英二, Toyoda Eiji; 12 September 1913 – 17 September 2013) was a Japanese engineer and industrialist. He…Eiji Toyoda (豊田 英二, Toyoda Eiji; 12 September 1913 – 17 September 2013) was a Japanese engineer and industrialist. He was largely responsible for bringing Toyota Motor Corporation to profitability and worldwide prominence during his tenure as president and later, as chairman. He was succeeded as the president of Toyota by Shoichiro Toyoda.
Saburō Ienaga (家永 三郎, Ienaga Saburō; September 3, 1913 – November 29, 2002) was a Japanese historian. In 1953, the…Saburō Ienaga (家永 三郎, Ienaga Saburō; September 3, 1913 – November 29, 2002) was a Japanese historian. In 1953, the Japanese Ministry of Education published a textbook by Ienaga, but censored what they said were factual errors and matters of opinion, regarding Japanese war crimes. Ienaga undertook a series of lawsuits against the Ministry for violation of his freedom of speech. He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999 and 2001 by Noam Chomsky among others. He also recorded the history of the Japanese resistance in World War II in his book The Pacific War, 1931–1945.
Shigeto Tsuru (都留 重人, Tsuru Shigeto; March 6, 1912 – February 5, 2006) was a Japanese economist. He was widely honoured…Shigeto Tsuru (都留 重人, Tsuru Shigeto; March 6, 1912 – February 5, 2006) was a Japanese economist. He was widely honoured for his scholarship, including the Presidency of the International Economic Association. A pivotal figure in post-war Japanese economic thought, Shigeto Tsuru is widely recognized for his authoritative analysis of Japan's rapid economic reconstruction following its total defeat in World War II, and creator of the concept of creative defeat. He provided both a comprehensive chronology of the recovery process and a distinctive interpretation of the modern Japanese economy. Tsuru critically concluded that while Japan's creative and inspired response to its post-war challenges led to unprecedented economic success, this very success simultaneously generated a new set of persistent and complex problems within its structure.
Kenkichi Sugimoto (杉本健吉) (September 20, 1905 in Nagoya – February 10, 2004 in Nagoya) was a Japanese artist. He was…Kenkichi Sugimoto (杉本健吉) (September 20, 1905 in Nagoya – February 10, 2004 in Nagoya) was a Japanese artist. He was known as an oil painter, illustrator, and graphic designer. In 1987 the Meitetsu railroad company opened the Sugimoto Art Museum in Mihama, Aichi.
Fuji Okamoto (岡本 不二, Okamoto Fuji; July 4, 1905 in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan – January 4, 1984) was a Japanese boxer who…Fuji Okamoto (岡本 不二, Okamoto Fuji; July 4, 1905 in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan – January 4, 1984) was a Japanese boxer who competed in the 1928 Summer Olympics. In 1928 he was eliminated in the second round of the bantamweight class after losing his fight to Frank Traynor of Ireland.
Kiyoo Wadati (和達 清夫, Wadachi Kiyoo; September 8, 1902 – January 5, 1995) was an early seismologist at the Central…Kiyoo Wadati (和達 清夫, Wadachi Kiyoo; September 8, 1902 – January 5, 1995) was an early seismologist at the Central Meteorological Observatory of Japan (now known as the Japan Meteorological Agency), researching deep (subduction zone) earthquakes. His name is attached to the Wadati–Benioff zone. It was Wadati's 1928 paper on shallow and deep earthquakes, comparing maximum below surface displacement against distance from the epicentre, which led Charles Richter to develop his earthquake magnitude scale in 1935.
Bin Akao (赤尾敏, Akao Bin; 15 January 1899 – 6 February 1990) was a Japanese far-right (uyoku) politician who served as a…Bin Akao (赤尾敏, Akao Bin; 15 January 1899 – 6 February 1990) was a Japanese far-right (uyoku) politician who served as a member of the House of Representatives of Japan during World War II. He was arrested 25 times for political activities. Akao was cofounder and first president of the Kenkokukai and became one of the leading ultranationalists in Japan during the 1920s. Akao was elected to the House of Representatives as an independent in 1942 and espoused a unique type of Japanese nationalism characterized by support for the United States and opposition to the Pacific War. Akao founded and became the first president of the far-right Greater Japan Patriotic Party in 1951 and continued to adamantly champion pro-United States, pro-British, and radical anti-communist stances in post-war Japan. He was known for his fiery street corner speeches, often delivered from noise trucks adorned with the Japanese flag, American flag, and Union Jack. He never held a salaried job, entering politics in his early twenties, and continued street activism into his nineties. Members of the Greater Japan Patriotic Party, both aged 17, were responsible for the 1960 assassination of Japan Socialist Party chairman Inejirō Asanuma and the Shimanaka incident. Akao, who was present at the Hibiya Public Hall when Otoya Yamaguchi fatally stabbed Asanuma, publicly praised the act; newsreel footage from Mainichi News recorded him saying the assassin "did well" and calling him "great," while a contemporary report quoted him describing Yamaguchi as "a paragon of Japanese virtue" and Asanuma’s death as "heaven-sent punishment." Akao was questioned and temporarily arrested in connection with both incidents, but was never charged with directing either attack.
Shinichi Suzuki (鈴木 鎮一, Suzuki Shin'ichi; 17 October 1898 – 26 January 1998) was a Japanese violinist, philosopher…Shinichi Suzuki (鈴木 鎮一, Suzuki Shin'ichi; 17 October 1898 – 26 January 1998) was a Japanese violinist, philosopher, composer, and educator and the founder of the international Suzuki method of music education and developed a philosophy for educating people of all ages and abilities. An influential pedagogue in music education of children, he often spoke of the ability of all children to learn things well, especially in the right environment, and of developing the heart and building the character of music students through their music education. Before his time, it was rare for children to be formally taught classical instruments from an early age and even more rare for children to be accepted by a music teacher without an audition or entrance examination. Not only did he endeavor to teach children the violin from infancy and early childhood, his school in Matsumoto also did not screen applicants for their ability for admittance. Suzuki was also responsible for the early training of some of the earliest Japanese violinists to be successfully appointed to prominent western classical music organizations. During his lifetime, he received several honorary doctorates in music including from the New England Conservatory of Music (1956), and the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music. He was proclaimed a Living National Treasure of Japan, and in 1993 he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Kiichiro Toyoda (Japanese: 豊田 喜一郎（とよだ きいちろう）, Hepburn: Toyoda Kiichirō; 11 June 1894 – 27 March 1952) was a Japanese…Kiichiro Toyoda (Japanese: 豊田 喜一郎（とよだ きいちろう）, Hepburn: Toyoda Kiichirō; 11 June 1894 – 27 March 1952) was a Japanese engineer and businessman, and the son of Toyoda Loom Works founder Sakichi Toyoda. His decision to change Toyoda's focus from automatic loom manufacturing into automobile manufacturing created what later became Toyota.
Shōzō Sakurai (桜井省三, Sakurai Shōzō; June 27, 1889 – July 7, 1985) was a lieutenant general in the Imperial Japanese…Shōzō Sakurai (桜井省三, Sakurai Shōzō; June 27, 1889 – July 7, 1985) was a lieutenant general in the Imperial Japanese Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II.
Tokujiro Kanamori (金森 徳次郎, Kanamori Tokujirō; 17 March 1886 – 16 June 1959) was a Japanese politician. He was a major…Tokujiro Kanamori (金森 徳次郎, Kanamori Tokujirō; 17 March 1886 – 16 June 1959) was a Japanese politician. He was a major figure in the implementation of the postwar Japanese Constitution. Kanamori was born in 1886 in Aichi Prefecture. He graduated from Tokyo University in 1912 with a degree in Law, and started work for the Ministry of Finance. In 1924, he was appointed as Director of the new Cabinet Legislation Bureau (the first person to hold this post) and he subsequently became Director-General of the Bureau a decade later. He was, however, pressured into resigning only two years later, due to sympathies with the controversial "Emperor Organ" theory proposed by Tatsukichi Minobe. Nevertheless, he remained a respected constitutional scholar, who had published several books on the Meiji Constitution. He was consulted on the wording of the new constitution by Toshio Irie. His election to the House of Peers in 1946 marked the start of his return to politics. He was elected as Minister of State in the first cabinet of Shigeru Yoshida, and in this capacity argued forcefully in favour of the new postwar constitution. In the course of 114 days of debate, Kanamori responded to over a thousand questions, with extensive responses that took up to one and a half hours. After the implementation of the new legislation, Kanamori helped to form the Kenpō Fukyū Kai (Constitution Popularization Society) in December 1946, and published books and tracts to spread awareness of the new laws throughout the population. In 1948 he became the first librarian of the National Diet Library, a post he held until his death in 1959.
Michiji Tajima (Japanese: 田島道治) (July 2, 1885 – December 2, 1968) was a Japanese businessman and educator. He was Grand…Michiji Tajima (Japanese: 田島道治) (July 2, 1885 – December 2, 1968) was a Japanese businessman and educator. He was Grand Steward of the Imperial Household Office (June 5, 1948 – May 31, 1949) and continued as Grand Steward of its successor, the Imperial Household Agency (June 1, 1949 – December 16, 1953). He graduated from the University of Tokyo. Documents written by Tajima and made public by the Japanese broadcaster NHK in 2019 suggest that Emperor Hirohito sought to apologize to the Japanese people for the damage caused during World War II. These include 18 notebooks, as well as a 1948 draft for an apology speech written in preparation for Japan gaining independence from Allied occupation in April 1952, which included phrases such as "deep shame" due to "my fault" (for the war). However, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida sought to avoid all mention of the war by Hirohito, and the passage referencing the emperor's "remorse" was dropped altogether.
Japanese supercentenarians are citizens, residents or emigrants from Japan who have attained or surpassed the age of…Japanese supercentenarians are citizens, residents or emigrants from Japan who have attained or surpassed the age of 110 years. As of January 2015, the Gerontology Research Group (GRG) had validated the longevity claims of 263 Japanese supercentenarians, most of whom are women. As of 18 October 2026, the oldest-known living Japanese person is Fuyo Kishimoto (born in Hamasaka on 20 December 1911), who is aged 114 years, 302 days. The oldest verified Japanese and Asian person ever is Kane Tanaka (1903–2022), who lived to the age of 119 years and 107 days, making her the second-oldest validated person ever as well. Japan was also home to the world's oldest man ever, Jiroemon Kimura (1897–2013), who lived to the age of 116 years and 54 days.
Iwane Matsui (松井 石根, Matsui Iwane; July 27, 1878 – December 23, 1948) was a Japanese general in the Imperial Japanese…Iwane Matsui (松井 石根, Matsui Iwane; July 27, 1878 – December 23, 1948) was a Japanese general in the Imperial Japanese Army and the commander of the expeditionary force sent to China in 1937. He was convicted of war crimes and executed by the Allies for his involvement in the Nanjing Massacre. Born in Nagoya, Matsui chose a military career and served in combat during the Russo-Japanese War (1904–05). He volunteered for an overseas assignment there shortly after graduating from the Army War College in 1906. As Matsui rose through the ranks, he earned a reputation as the Japanese Army's foremost expert on China, and he was an ardent advocate of pan-Asianism. He played a key role in founding the influential Greater Asia Association. Matsui retired from active duty in 1935 but was called back into service in August 1937 at the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War to lead the Japanese forces engaged in the Battle of Shanghai. After winning the battle Matsui succeeded in convincing Japan's high command to advance on the Chinese capital city of Nanjing. The troops under his command who captured Nanjing on December 13 were responsible for the notorious Nanjing Massacre. Matsui finally retired from the army in 1938. Following Japan's defeat in World War II he was convicted of war crimes at the International Military Tribunal for the Far East (IMTFE) and executed by hanging. He and other convicted war criminals were enshrined at Yasukuni Shrine in 1978, an act that has stirred controversy.
Ryukichi Inada (稲田 龍吉, Inada Ryūkichi; March 18, 1874 – February 27, 1950) was a Japanese physician, prominent…Ryukichi Inada (稲田 龍吉, Inada Ryūkichi; March 18, 1874 – February 27, 1950) was a Japanese physician, prominent academic, and bacteriologist researcher. He discovered the Weil's disease pathogen. In addition to his life's work in early 20th-century Japanese medical education, he was a pioneer in Japanese clinical cardiology and oncology.
