Ren Omagari (大曲錬, Omagari Ren; born May 21, 1998 in Yanagawa, Fukuoka, Japan) is a professional Japanese baseball…Ren Omagari (大曲錬, Omagari Ren; born May 21, 1998 in Yanagawa, Fukuoka, Japan) is a professional Japanese baseball player. He is a pitcher for the Saitama Seibu Lions of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
Masato Sakai (坂井 聖人, Sakai Masato; born 6 June 1995) is a Japanese swimmer who specializes in the men's 200 metre…Masato Sakai (坂井 聖人, Sakai Masato; born 6 June 1995) is a Japanese swimmer who specializes in the men's 200 metre butterfly. He won the silver medal in the men's 200 metre butterfly event at the 2016 Summer Olympics. Sakai was in 6th position at the 150 mark, and finished 0.04 seconds behind Michael Phelps. At the 2015 World Aquatics Championships in Kazan, Sakai finished 4th in the 200 metre butterfly, 0.14 seconds outside the medals.
Takuto Iguchi (井口 卓人, Iguchi Takuto; born 13 February 1988) is a Japanese racing driver who currently competes in Super…Takuto Iguchi (井口 卓人, Iguchi Takuto; born 13 February 1988) is a Japanese racing driver who currently competes in Super GT for R&D Sport. Alongside teammate Hideki Yamauchi, he was champion of the 2021 Super GT Series in the GT300 class; he has also previously competed in Formula Nippon and as a factory driver for Toyota.
Kotoshōgiku Kazuhiro (Japanese: 琴奨菊 和弘; born 30 January 1984 as Kazuhiro Kikutsugi (菊次 一弘, Kikutsugi Kazuhiro) in…Kotoshōgiku Kazuhiro (Japanese: 琴奨菊 和弘; born 30 January 1984 as Kazuhiro Kikutsugi (菊次 一弘, Kikutsugi Kazuhiro) in Yanagawa, Fukuoka) is a Japanese former professional sumo wrestler. Wrestling for Sadogatake stable, he made his professional debut in 2002, and reached the top division in 2005. In 2011 he achieved the standard for promotion to the second highest rank of ōzeki by winning 33 bouts over three tournaments, and was formally promoted by the Japan Sumo Association on 28 September. On 24 January 2016 he became the first Japanese-born wrestler in ten years to win a top-division tournament. He had a long-standing rivalry with Kisenosato against whom he fought a record 66 times, the most between two wrestlers in sumo history. He continued to fight after losing his ōzeki rank in January 2017, and in March 2020 became the oldest active sekitori. He announced his retirement from active competition on 14 November 2020. Kotoshōgiku earned seven special prizes in his career, won one top division tournament, and was runner-up in three others.
Satoshi Tsumabuki (妻夫木聡, Tsumabuki Satoshi; born December 13, 1980) is a Japanese actor. His breakthrough film was…Satoshi Tsumabuki (妻夫木聡, Tsumabuki Satoshi; born December 13, 1980) is a Japanese actor. His breakthrough film was Waterboys for which he was nominated for the "Best Actor" award at the Japanese Academy Awards, and won the "Newcomer of the Year" prize. He is also the bassist and lead singer of the Japanese band Basking Lite.
Takehiro Watanabe (渡辺 武弘, Watanabe Takehiro; born 16 December 1961) is a Japanese table tennis player. He competed at…Takehiro Watanabe (渡辺 武弘, Watanabe Takehiro; born 16 December 1961) is a Japanese table tennis player. He competed at the 1988 Summer Olympics and the 1992 Summer Olympics.
Hideaki Tokunaga (德永 英明, Tokunaga Hideaki; born February 27, 1961 in Yanagawa, Fukuoka) is a Japanese pop…Hideaki Tokunaga (德永 英明, Tokunaga Hideaki; born February 27, 1961 in Yanagawa, Fukuoka) is a Japanese pop singer-songwriter. Although Tokunaga failed to pass the test of Star Tanjō! in 1982, he debuted as a recording singer in 1986. After he released hit songs such as "Yume o Shinjite" (the first ending theme of the anime series Dragon Quest) and "Kowarekake no Radio" in 1990, his single "Wednesday Moon" reached No. 1 on Oricon weekly charts in 1991. He was also known for Vocalist album series, comprising his covers of female songs. Vocalist, Vocalist 2, Vocalist 3 and Vocalist 4 were released in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2010 respectively. Tokunaga is the first male artist to have at least one album to reach the number-one position on the Japanese Oricon weekly charts for four decades (1980s, 1990s, 2000s and 2010s). Tokunaga also composed other singers' songs such as KinKi Kids' "Eien Ni" (from their 2007 album Phi). Tokunaga gained high popularity in Hong Kong due to huge number of songs covered in Cantonese version by superstars such as Alan Tam, Leslie Cheung, Jackie Cheung, and Leon Lai.
Yuji Kasama (born 2 July 1959) is a Japanese former volleyball player. Kasama competed in the men's tournament at the…Yuji Kasama (born 2 July 1959) is a Japanese former volleyball player. Kasama competed in the men's tournament at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, where he finished in tenth place. He competed at the 1986 Goodwill Games in Moscow and won a bronze medal.
Issei Koga (古賀 一成, Koga Issei; born 30 July 1947) is a retired Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of Japan…Issei Koga (古賀 一成, Koga Issei; born 30 July 1947) is a retired Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of Japan, who served as a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Yanagawa, Fukuoka and graduate of the University of Tokyo, he was a bureaucrat at the Ministry of Construction from 1971 to 1988. He was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time in 1990.
Koriki Jojima (城島光力, Jōjima Kōriki; 1 January 1947) is a Japanese politician who served four terms in the House of…Koriki Jojima (城島光力, Jōjima Kōriki; 1 January 1947) is a Japanese politician who served four terms in the House of Representatives and was Minister of Finance from 1 October to 26 December 2012.
Isamu Sonoda (園田 勇, Sonoda Isamu; 4 November 1946 – 16 July 2026) was a Japanese Olympic champion judoka who competed…Isamu Sonoda (園田 勇, Sonoda Isamu; 4 November 1946 – 16 July 2026) was a Japanese Olympic champion judoka who competed in the middleweight division (–80 kg) at the 1976 Summer Olympics.
Wataru Hiromatsu (廣松 渉, August 11, 1933 – May 22, 1994) was a Japanese philosopher. He was a professor emeritus at the…Wataru Hiromatsu (廣松 渉, August 11, 1933 – May 22, 1994) was a Japanese philosopher. He was a professor emeritus at the University of Tokyo. His pen name was Gyōshō Kadomatsu (門松暁鐘).
Iwata Nakayama (中山 岩太, Nakayama Iwata; August 3, 1895 – January 20, 1949) was a Japanese avant-garde photographer.…Iwata Nakayama (中山 岩太, Nakayama Iwata; August 3, 1895 – January 20, 1949) was a Japanese avant-garde photographer. Nakayama was born in Yanagawa, Fukuoka (Japan). His wife, Nakayama Masako (中山正子) became an English language educator after their years aboard. His father was an inventor who held a patent for a fire extinguisher. Iwata moved to Tokyo and was educated at the private school Kyohoku-Chūgakkō. After graduating, he entered Tokyo University of the Arts as the first student of its photography course. After learning artistic and commercial techniques there, he moved to the United States in 1918 as an overseas student of California State University, sent by the Japanese government. However he quit studying and began to work at a photo studio run by Tōyō Kikuchi (菊池東陽) in New York City.
Unryū Kyūkichi (Japanese: 雲龍 久吉; 1822 – June 15, 1890; name also read as Unryū Hisakichi) was a Japanese sumo wrestler…Unryū Kyūkichi (Japanese: 雲龍 久吉; 1822 – June 15, 1890; name also read as Unryū Hisakichi) was a Japanese sumo wrestler from Yanagawa, Chikugo Province. He was the sport's 10th yokozuna. Although the name of the style of the yokozuna 's in-ring ceremony is named after him, the fact that he himself practiced this style is highly debated.
Takashi Uesugi (上杉 隆, Uesugi Takashi; born May 3, 1968), is a Japanese freelance journalist and former research…Takashi Uesugi (上杉 隆, Uesugi Takashi; born May 3, 1968), is a Japanese freelance journalist and former research assistant for the New York Times, born in Fukuoka Prefecture and raised in Tokyo. He is also former aide to Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Kunio Hatoyama, and author of numerous books, most recently The Collapse of Journalism (ジャーナリズム崩壊). He also wrote a book about the first Abe administration, The Collapse of the Residence (Kantei Hokai (官邸崩壊)), published in August 2007. He took up the post of Secretary-General of NHK Party in August 2019, but resigned in March 2021.