Keisuke Ōsako (大迫 敬介, Ōsako Keisuke; born 28 July 1999) is a Japanese footballer who currently plays as a goalkeeper…Keisuke Ōsako (大迫 敬介, Ōsako Keisuke; born 28 July 1999) is a Japanese footballer who currently plays as a goalkeeper for J1 League club Sanfrecce Hiroshima and the Japan national team.
Kirara Shiraishi (白石 黄良々, Kirara Shiraishi; born 31 May 1996) is a Japanese athlete. He competed in the men's 200…Kirara Shiraishi (白石 黄良々, Kirara Shiraishi; born 31 May 1996) is a Japanese athlete. He competed in the men's 200 metres event at the 2019 World Athletics Championships.
Hitomi Miyauchi (宮内ひとみ, Hitomi Miyaūchi; born October 17, 1992), is a Japanese gravure idol and actress who won "Miss…Hitomi Miyauchi (宮内ひとみ, Hitomi Miyaūchi; born October 17, 1992), is a Japanese gravure idol and actress who won "Miss Magazine 2008". Formerly known by the stage name Nanami Sakuraba, she announced in November 2024 that she would be leaving Sweet Power and continuing her career under her real name.
Takeshi Hosoyamada (細山田 武史, Hosoyamada Takeshi; born April 29, 1986 in Izumi, Kagoshima, Japan) is a professional…Takeshi Hosoyamada (細山田 武史, Hosoyamada Takeshi; born April 29, 1986 in Izumi, Kagoshima, Japan) is a professional Japanese baseball player. He plays catcher for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks.
Takanotsuru Shinichi (born 18 June 1976 as Shinichi Sekiyama) is a former sumo wrestler from Izumi, Kagoshima, Japan.…Takanotsuru Shinichi (born 18 June 1976 as Shinichi Sekiyama) is a former sumo wrestler from Izumi, Kagoshima, Japan. He made his professional debut in March 1992, and reached the top division in January 2003. His highest rank was maegashira 8. He retired in May 2006 and became an elder in the Japan Sumo Association coaching at Naruto stable.
Keiko Utoku (宇徳敬子, Utoku Keiko; born April 7, 1967 in Izumi, Kagoshima, Japan) is a Japanese singer and songwriter…Keiko Utoku (宇徳敬子, Utoku Keiko; born April 7, 1967 in Izumi, Kagoshima, Japan) is a Japanese singer and songwriter under UK Sweet label.
Kazuyuki Yukawa (Japanese: 湯川一行 Yukawa Kazuyuki; 15 August 1949 – 4 April 2025) was a Japanese politician. A member of…Kazuyuki Yukawa (Japanese: 湯川一行 Yukawa Kazuyuki; 15 August 1949 – 4 April 2025) was a Japanese politician. A member of the Liberal Democratic Party, he served in the House of Representatives from 2012 to 2014. Yukawa died of aspiration pneumonia in Izumi, on 4 April 2025, at the age of 75.
Yūichirō Itō (伊藤 祐一郎, Itō Yūichirō; born 17 November 1947) is a Japanese politician and former governor of Kagoshima…Yūichirō Itō (伊藤 祐一郎, Itō Yūichirō; born 17 November 1947) is a Japanese politician and former governor of Kagoshima Prefecture in Japan. A native of Izumi, Kagoshima and graduate of the University of Tokyo with the Bachelor of Laws in June 1971, he had worked at the Ministry of Home Affairs since 1972 before elected governor. He served three terms as governor from 2004 until 2016. In July 2016 he sought a fourth term but was defeated by Satoshi Mitazono.
Yasuaki Maeda (前田 靖昭, Maeda Yasuaki; 27 May 1947 – 16 December 2023), known professionally as Kenpachiro Satsuma (薩摩…Yasuaki Maeda (前田 靖昭, Maeda Yasuaki; 27 May 1947 – 16 December 2023), known professionally as Kenpachiro Satsuma (薩摩 剣八郎, Satsuma Kenpachirō), was a Japanese actor and stuntman. He is best known for portraying Godzilla in all seven of the Heisei films. Born in Kagoshima Prefecture, Satsuma began his acting career in the 1960s with small roles in samurai films. In 1971 he was offered the role of the smog monster antagonist Hedorah in Godzilla vs. Hedorah, opposite Haruo Nakajima as Godzilla. He went on to play Gigan in two further Godzilla films. When Nakajima retired from the Godzilla role in 1972, substitutes were hired between 1973 and 1975 until Satsuma took over permanently in 1984. His portrayal took the character away from the humor of the character's portrayals over the past decades, returning to the more animalistic Godzilla persona of the original 1954 film. While filming Godzilla movies, Satsuma would regularly pass out on the set due to lack of oxygen while wearing the poorly ventilated and heavy rubber suits. This was especially a problem during the production of Godzilla vs. Destoroyah, in which the steam effect on the suit (meant to represent Godzilla undergoing a nuclear meltdown) was achieved using pure carbon dioxide. He also authored books detailing his experiences working on Godzilla movies and Pulgasari (1985). Satsuma opposed CGI versions of Godzilla, and reportedly walked out of a screening of the 1998 American adaptation because he felt that it took the life out of the character. He stated that he actually preferred Pulgasari to the 1998 Godzilla film. Satsuma's final role was in the 2023 film Den Ace Chaos. He died from pneumonia on 16 December 2023, at the age of 76.
Yoshiro Sotokoba (外木場 義郎, Sotokoba Yoshiro; born June 1, 1945 in Izumi, Kagoshima, Japan) is a Japanese former Nippon…Yoshiro Sotokoba (外木場 義郎, Sotokoba Yoshiro; born June 1, 1945 in Izumi, Kagoshima, Japan) is a Japanese former Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher. Sotokoba threw a perfect game in 1968. He was also inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 2013.
Hiroyuki Sakai (坂井 宏行, Sakai Hiroyuki; born April 2, 1942) is a French-Japanese chef who specializes in French cuisine.…Hiroyuki Sakai (坂井 宏行, Sakai Hiroyuki; born April 2, 1942) is a French-Japanese chef who specializes in French cuisine. Sakai is best known as the second, final, and longest-serving Iron Chef French on the Japanese television show Iron Chef, first appearing at the beginning of 1994 (after Yutaka Ishinabe retired) and continuing to appear over the show's nine further seasons. Sakai has the third best winning percentage of the Iron Chefs, trailing only his Iron Chef French predecessor, Yutaka Ishinabe and the first Iron Chef Japanese Rokusaburo Michiba. He was named the "King of Iron Chefs" after emerging victorious from the show's grand finale, a tournament involving all the active Iron Chefs. He went on to defeat the top chef in the world, Alain Passard, in the final Long-Gang Chicken battle. His record on Iron Chef is 70–15–1. His television trademark is a red French chef's costume; he rises into Kitchen Stadium holding a yonashi ("Western Pear") in his hand. He is often described as the "Delacroix of French cuisine" because of the presentation of his dishes. His formidable record in fish challenges led to fans of the show giving him the nickname, "Seafood Sakai".