Yoshiteru Suzuki (鈴木 善照, Suzuki Yoshiteru; born 8 October 1909) was a Japanese rower. He competed in the men's eight…Yoshiteru Suzuki (鈴木 善照, Suzuki Yoshiteru; born 8 October 1909) was a Japanese rower. He competed in the men's eight event at the 1936 Summer Olympics.
Yutaka Katayama (片山 豊, Katayama Yutaka; born Yutaka Asoh; 15 September 1909 – 19 February 2015), also known as Mr. K…Yutaka Katayama (片山 豊, Katayama Yutaka; born Yutaka Asoh; 15 September 1909 – 19 February 2015), also known as Mr. K, was a Japanese automotive executive who was employed by Nissan and served as the first president of Nissan Motor Corporation U.S.A. Katayama expanded Nissan's focus from economy vehicles towards sportier vehicles, and is regarded by Datsun/Nissan Z Car enthusiasts as the father of the Z-Car, as well as the Datsun 510.
Hideo Sakai (堺井 秀雄, Sakai Hideo; June 10, 1909 – June 3, 1996) was a Japanese football player. He played for Japan…Hideo Sakai (堺井 秀雄, Sakai Hideo; June 10, 1909 – June 3, 1996) was a Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team.
Saizo Saito (斎藤 才三, Saitō Saizō; September 24, 1908 – 2004) was a Japanese football player. He played for Japan…Saizo Saito (斎藤 才三, Saitō Saizō; September 24, 1908 – 2004) was a Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team.
Masaru Ibuka (井深 大 Ibuka Masaru; April 11, 1908 – December 19, 1997) was a Japanese electronics industrialist and…Masaru Ibuka (井深 大 Ibuka Masaru; April 11, 1908 – December 19, 1997) was a Japanese electronics industrialist and co-founder of Sony, along with Akio Morita.
Masahiro Makino (マキノ 雅弘, Makino Masahiro; February 29, 1908 – October 29, 1993) was a Japanese film director. He…Masahiro Makino (マキノ 雅弘, Makino Masahiro; February 29, 1908 – October 29, 1993) was a Japanese film director. He directed more than 260 films, primarily in the chanbara and yakuza genres. His real name was Masatada (正唯), but he took the stage name Masahiro, the kanji for which he changed multiple times (including 雅広, 正博, and 雅裕).
Mamoru Shinozaki (篠崎 護, Shinozaki Mamoru; February 1908 – 1991) was a journalist for Dentsu (later Dōmei) and spy for…Mamoru Shinozaki (篠崎 護, Shinozaki Mamoru; February 1908 – 1991) was a journalist for Dentsu (later Dōmei) and spy for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in pre-war years, a military executive in Japanese-occupied Singapore, and a businessman and writer in post-war years. He is known for the Shinozaki Case in 1940, and for his testimony in the war crimes trial in 1947 for the Sook Ching massacre. He was also known for his autobiography, which related the history of Japanese-occupied Singapore and was criticized by many researchers and Singaporean residents for his self-praise and for alleged lies and distortions of many historical facts.
Teiichi Nishi (西貞一, 31 August 1907 – 3 February 2001) was a Japanese sprinter. He competed in the men's 200 metres and…Teiichi Nishi (西貞一, 31 August 1907 – 3 February 2001) was a Japanese sprinter. He competed in the men's 200 metres and the men's 4 x 400 meters relay events at the 1932 Summer Olympics.
Yamada Koun Zenshin (山田 耕雲, Yamada Kōun; 1907—1989), or Koun Yamada, was a Japanese Buddhist who was the leader of the…Yamada Koun Zenshin (山田 耕雲, Yamada Kōun; 1907—1989), or Koun Yamada, was a Japanese Buddhist who was the leader of the Sanbo Kyodan lineage of Zen Buddhism, the Dharma heir of his teacher Yasutani Haku'un Ryoko. Yamada was appointed the leader of the Sanbo Kyodan in 1967, 1970 or 1973 and continued to differentiate the lineage from other Japanese Zen traditions by deemphasising the separation between laypeople and the ordained—just as his teacher Yasutani had done. Yamada was also instrumental in bringing Christians to the practice of Zen that “by the end of Yamada’s teaching career approximately one quarter of the participants at his sesshins were Christians.”
Seijuro Arafune (荒舩 清十郎, Arafune Seijūrō; 9 March 1907 – 25 November 1980) was a Japanese politician and a Minister of…Seijuro Arafune (荒舩 清十郎, Arafune Seijūrō; 9 March 1907 – 25 November 1980) was a Japanese politician and a Minister of Transport. He was a member of Liberal Democratic Party. Arafune resigned the Minister of Transport 1966 after a political scandal where he had taken two businessmen with him on a trip paid for by the Japanese govermnement, and ordered the National Railways to create an express stop in his home town.
Koji Kobayashi (February 17, 1907 – November 30, 1996) was a Japanese engineer and businessman known for his…Koji Kobayashi (February 17, 1907 – November 30, 1996) was a Japanese engineer and businessman known for his contributions to the electronics industry. He served as the president of NEC from 1964 until 1976 and then as chairman until 1988.
Haru Nishioka (西岡ハル, Nishioka Haru; 21 December 1905 – 30 November 1983) was a Japanese businesswoman and politician…Haru Nishioka (西岡ハル, Nishioka Haru; 21 December 1905 – 30 November 1983) was a Japanese businesswoman and politician who was a member of the House of Councillors.
Motohiko Ban (1 January 1905 – 3 September 1998) was a Japanese ski jumper. He competed in the individual event at the…Motohiko Ban (1 January 1905 – 3 September 1998) was a Japanese ski jumper. He competed in the individual event at the 1928 Winter Olympics.
Jirō Yoshihara (吉原 治良, Yoshihara Jirō; January 1, 1905 – February 10, 1972) was a Japanese painter, art educator…Jirō Yoshihara (吉原 治良, Yoshihara Jirō; January 1, 1905 – February 10, 1972) was a Japanese painter, art educator, curator, and businessman. Mainly known for his gestural abstract impasto paintings from the 1950s and Zen-painting inspired hard-edge Circles beginning in the 1960s, Yoshihara's oeuvre also encompasses drawings, murals, sculptures, calligraphy, ink wash paintings, ceramics, watercolors, and stage design. Yoshihara was a key figure of postwar Japanese art and culture through his work as painter, art educator, promoter of the arts, and networker between the arts, commerce, and industry in the Kansai region and beyond, and, especially, as the leader of the postwar avant-garde art collective Gutai Art Association, which he co-founded in 1954. Under Yoshihara's guidance, Gutai explored radically experimental approaches, including outdoor exhibitions, performances, onstage presentations, and interactive works. Fueled by Yoshihara's global ambitions, Gutai developed artistic strategies to communicate internationally and insert themselves into a globalizing art world. Aside from his artistic activities, Yoshihara was involved in the management and direction of his family's cooking oil business Yoshihara Oil Mill, Ltd.
Taikichiro Mori (森 泰吉郎, Mori Taikichirō, 1 March 1904 – 30 January 1993) was a Japanese businessman who founded Mori…Taikichiro Mori (森 泰吉郎, Mori Taikichirō, 1 March 1904 – 30 January 1993) was a Japanese businessman who founded Mori Building Company. Forbes ranked him as the richest man in the world during 1991-92, with a net worth of $15 billion in 1991 (approximately equivalent to $30.7 billion in today's value as of 2024). His sons, Minoru and Akira, headed Mori Building and the Mori Trust, respectively, and his granddaughter Miwako Date now runs the Mori Trust in her father's place.
Takeo Akuta (芥田 武夫, Akuta Takeo; October 20, 1903 – September 5, 1987) was a Japanese baseball player and manager who…Takeo Akuta (芥田 武夫, Akuta Takeo; October 20, 1903 – September 5, 1987) was a Japanese baseball player and manager who was a member of the Japanese Baseball League. Akuta was born October 20, 1903 in Himeji, Japan. On September 24, 1952 Akuta took over as the manager of the Kintetsu Pearls, of the Japan Pacific League. In 1988 he was posthumously elected to the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame.
Hidesaburō Shōda (正田 英三郎, Shōda Hidesaburō; 21 September 1903 – 18 June 1999) was a Japanese businessman. He served as…Hidesaburō Shōda (正田 英三郎, Shōda Hidesaburō; 21 September 1903 – 18 June 1999) was a Japanese businessman. He served as the president and later honorary chairman of Nisshin Seifun Group, the country's largest flour milling company. He was the father of Empress Michiko, is the father in law of Emperor Akihito, and the maternal grandfather of Emperor Naruhito. He was the third son of Teiichiro Shōda, the founder of the Nisshin Seifun Group. The Shōda family is prominent in both industrial and academic circles.
Tsunao Okumura (奥村 綱雄, Okumura Tsunao) (5 March 1903 – 7 November 1972) was the president of Nomura Securities from…Tsunao Okumura (奥村 綱雄, Okumura Tsunao) (5 March 1903 – 7 November 1972) was the president of Nomura Securities from 1948 to 1959. He served as the King of Japanese stockbroking in the 1950s. Born as the son of a wealthy confectioner, Okumura exhibited little ambition early in life. At the age of nineteen, he enrolled in Kyoto University where he enjoyed the luxuries afforded to a privileged student as such. His father granted him a monthly allowance of 100 Yen, a substantial sum in an era where twenty yen could provide a comfortable lifestyle. Preferring leisure over academics pursuits, he dedicated much of his time frequenting Kyoto's dance halls, with his affluent peers. Despite graduating with mediocre grades and facing initial rejection from banks such as Mitsubishi, Mitsui, and Yamaguchi, Okumura secured a position in Nomura's research department through personal connections.
Toshio Iue (井植 歳男, Iue Toshio; 28 December 1902 – 16 July 1969) was a Japanese inventor and industrialist who founded…Toshio Iue (井植 歳男, Iue Toshio; 28 December 1902 – 16 July 1969) was a Japanese inventor and industrialist who founded Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. Prior to the founding of Sanyo, he played an influential role in the growth and development of Matsushita Electric Works, working closely alongside his brother-in-law and lifetime confidant, Konosuke Matsushita.
Nobutake Ōkōchi (大河内 信威, Ōkōchi Nobutake; 24 July 1902 – 12 July 1990) was a Japanese art historian, critic and…Nobutake Ōkōchi (大河内 信威, Ōkōchi Nobutake; 24 July 1902 – 12 July 1990) was a Japanese art historian, critic and businessman who served as the fifth president of the Japan Ceramics Association from 1984 to 1990. Before that, he was also a sympathiser for the cause of the Japanese Communist Party.
Tome "Tomi" Torihama (鳥濱 トメ) (June 20, 1902 – April 22, 1992）was a Japanese woman who was the owner of a restaurant…Tome "Tomi" Torihama (鳥濱 トメ) (June 20, 1902 – April 22, 1992）was a Japanese woman who was the owner of a restaurant called "Tomiya Shokudo" in Chiran, Kagoshima that served kamikaze pilots before their final missions. She is called the "Mother of Kamikazes".
Yanosuke Hirai (平井 弥之助, Hirai Yanosuke; May 16, 1902 – February 21, 1986) was a Japanese civil engineer and corporate…Yanosuke Hirai (平井 弥之助, Hirai Yanosuke; May 16, 1902 – February 21, 1986) was a Japanese civil engineer and corporate executive in the electric power industry. He developed electric power generation in the Tohoku region during the Shōwa era with unusual foresight and a deep sense of responsibility. 25 years after his death, Hirai’s foresight protected lives and environment from the March 11, 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. The Onagawa Nuclear Power Plant (Miyagi Prefecture), designed and built under his watch, was the sole plant in the region that fully resisted the disaster of March 11, 2011: all of its three reactors successfully withstood the seismic event and subsequent tsunami, shutting down safely as designed and virtually without any incident. The site of the plant even ended up providing a refuge for three months to more than 300 neighboring people who had lost their homes.
Jirō Shirasu (白洲 次郎, Shirasu Jirō; 17 February 1902 – 28 November 1985) was a Japanese businessman and official. He was…Jirō Shirasu (白洲 次郎, Shirasu Jirō; 17 February 1902 – 28 November 1985) was a Japanese businessman and official. He was a confidant of Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida and served as a liaison between Japanese cabinet and the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers during the American occupation of Japan.
Eiji Tsuburaya (Japanese: 円谷 英二, Hepburn: Tsuburaya Eiji; July 7, 1901 – January 25, 1970) was a Japanese special…Eiji Tsuburaya (Japanese: 円谷 英二, Hepburn: Tsuburaya Eiji; July 7, 1901 – January 25, 1970) was a Japanese special effects director, filmmaker, and cinematographer. A co-creator of the Godzilla and Ultraman franchises, he is considered one of the most important and influential figures in the history of cinema. Tsuburaya is known as the "Father of Tokusatsu", having pioneered Japan's special effects industry and introduced several technological developments in film productions. In a career spanning five decades, Tsuburaya worked on approximately 250 films—including globally renowned features directed by Ishirō Honda, Hiroshi Inagaki, and Akira Kurosawa—and earned six Japan Technical Awards. Following a brief stint as an inventor, Tsuburaya was employed by Japanese cinema pioneer Yoshirō Edamasa in 1919 and began his career working as an assistant cinematographer on Edamasa's A Tune of Pity. Thereafter, he worked as an assistant cinematographer on several films, including Teinosuke Kinugasa's A Page of Madness (1926). At the age of thirty-two, Tsuburaya watched King Kong, which greatly influenced him to work in special effects. Tsuburaya completed the first iron shooting crane in October 1934, and an adaptation of the crane is still in use across the globe today. After filming his directorial debut on the cruiser Asama in the Pacific Ocean, he worked on Princess Kaguya (1935), one of Japan's first major films to incorporate special effects. His first majorly successful film in effects, The Daughter of the Samurai (1937), remarkably featured the first full-scale rear projection. In 1937, Tsuburaya was employed by Toho and established the company's effects department. Tsuburaya directed the effects for The War at Sea from Hawaii to Malaya in 1942, which became the highest-grossing Japanese film in history upon its release. His elaborate effects were believed to be behind the film's major success, and he won an award for his work from the Japan Motion Picture Cinematographers Association. In 1948, however, Tsuburaya was purged from Toho by the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers because of his involvement in propaganda films during World War II. Thus, he founded Tsuburaya Special Technology Laboratory with his eldest son Hajime and worked without credit at major Japanese studios outside Toho, creating effects for films such as Daiei's The Invisible Man Appears (1949), widely regarded as the first Japanese science fiction film. In 1950, Tsuburaya returned to Toho alongside his effects crew from Tsuburaya Special Technology Laboratory. At age fifty-three, he gained international recognition and won his first Japan Technical Award for Special Skill for directing the effects in Ishirō Honda's kaiju film Godzilla (1954). He served as the effects director for Toho's string of financially successful tokusatsu films that followed, including, Rodan (1956), The Mysterians (1957), The Three Treasures (1959), Mothra, The Last War (both 1961), and King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962). In April 1963, Tsuburaya founded Tsuburaya Special Effects Productions; his company would go onto produce the television shows Ultra Q, Ultraman (both 1966), Ultraseven (1967–1968), and Mighty Jack (1968). Ultra Q and Ultraman were extremely successful upon their 1966 broadcast, with Ultra Q making him a household name in Japan and gaining him more attention from the media who dubbed him the "God of Tokusatsu". While he spent his late years working on several Toho films and operating his company, Tsuburaya's health began to decline, and he died in 1970.
Takeshi Mitarai (御手洗 毅, Mitarai Takeshi; 11 March 1901 – 12 October 1984) was one of the founders of Canon Inc. He…Takeshi Mitarai (御手洗 毅, Mitarai Takeshi; 11 March 1901 – 12 October 1984) was one of the founders of Canon Inc. He established Canon in 1937 along with Goro Yoshida, Saburo Uchida and Takeo Maeda.
Yoshishige Ashihara (芦原 義重, Ashihara Yoshishige; March 4, 1901 – July 12, 2003) was a Japanese businessman in the Shōwa…Yoshishige Ashihara (芦原 義重, Ashihara Yoshishige; March 4, 1901 – July 12, 2003) was a Japanese businessman in the Shōwa period, president of Kansai Electric Power Company. In 1997 he received the highest distinction of the Scout Association of Japan, the Golden Pheasant Award.
Kenichiro Komai (駒井 健一郎, Komai Ken'ichirō; December 17, 1900 – October 2, 1986) was a Japanese business executive, who…Kenichiro Komai (駒井 健一郎, Komai Ken'ichirō; December 17, 1900 – October 2, 1986) was a Japanese business executive, who served as the third president of Hitachi from 1961 to 1971.
Jōsei Toda (戸田 城聖, Toda Jōsei; 11 February 1900 – 2 April 1958) was a teacher, peace activist and second president of…Jōsei Toda (戸田 城聖, Toda Jōsei; 11 February 1900 – 2 April 1958) was a teacher, peace activist and second president of Soka Gakkai from 1951 to 1958. Imprisoned for two years during World War II under violating the Peace Preservation Law and the charge of lèse-majesté from against the war, he emerged from prison intent on rebuilding the Soka Gakkai. He has been described as the architect of the Soka Gakkai, the person chiefly responsible for its existence today. Toda was the disciple of Tsunesaburō Makiguchi and mentor of Daisaku Ikeda, respectively the first and third presidents of the Soka Gakkai. He used the term "human revolution" to embrace Makiguchi's thoughts on the pursuits of education and happiness in life as "inextricably connected in a lifelong journey toward continual self-development." Toda's leadership in building the Soka Gakkai is the theme of Ikeda's 12-volume roman à clef, "The Human Revolution" ("Ningen kakumei")
Yoshio Hattori (服部 敬雄, Hattori Yoshio; December 10, 1899 Yamagata Prefecture - March 14, 1991) was a Japanese…Yoshio Hattori (服部 敬雄, Hattori Yoshio; December 10, 1899 Yamagata Prefecture - March 14, 1991) was a Japanese businessman.
Kizo Yasui (安居 喜造, Yasui Kizō; December 2, 1899 – September 30, 1983) was a Japanese corporate executive. He held the…Kizo Yasui (安居 喜造, Yasui Kizō; December 2, 1899 – September 30, 1983) was a Japanese corporate executive. He held the positions of the chairman of the board of directors of Toray Industries, vice-president of Mitsui Bank, president of Mitsui Petrochemicals Industries, vice-chairman of Nihon Keidanren (Japan Business Federation), chairman of Japan Chemical Fibers Association and others. He was also general manager of Tokyo Metropolis of Ise Shrine Revered Board. He dedicated himself to reconstructing Japanese National Railways as the 4th chairman of audit committee thereof. He received Grand Cordon of the Order of the Sacred Treasure in 1979.
Minolta Co., Ltd. (ミノルタ, Minoruta) was a Japanese manufacturer of cameras, lenses, camera accessories, binoculars…Minolta Co., Ltd. (ミノルタ, Minoruta) was a Japanese manufacturer of cameras, lenses, camera accessories, binoculars, photocopiers, fax machines, and laser printers. Minolta Co., Ltd., which is also known simply as Minolta, was founded in Osaka, Japan, in 1928 as Nichi-Doku Shashinki Shōten (日独写真機商店; meaning Japanese-German camera shop). In 1931, the company adopted Minolta for their cameras, an acronym for the German phrase "Mechanismus, Instrumente, Optik, und Linsen von Tashima". Between 1937 and 1962 they became known as Chiyoda Kōgaku Seikō K.K. (千代田光学精工㈱, meaning Chiyoda Optics and Precision Industry Co., Ltd.) before adopting the Minolta name as their final company iteration. The Minolta 'Rising Sun' logo was designed by Saul Bass in 1981. Minolta made the first integrated autofocus 35mm SLR camera system with the Alpha α/Maxxum 7000/AF in 1985. In 2003, Minolta merged with Konica to form Konica Minolta. On 19 January 2006, Konica Minolta announced that it was leaving the camera and photo business, and that it would sell a portion of its SLR camera business to Sony as part of its move to pull completely out of the business of selling cameras and photographic film. Between 2015 and 2016, Konica Minolta lost the rights to the Minolta US trademark for photographic equipment in a trial against JMM Lee Properties LLC, citing Trademark abandonment. Assuming control of several Minolta Trademarks in photographic industries by 2017, JMM Lee began licensing the name to Elite Brands Inc. This is an example of zombie trademarking
Tadahiko Shimazu (島津 忠彦, Shimazu Tadahiko; 30 August 1899 – 12 May 1980) or Tadahiko Shimadzu (Shimadzu Tadahiko) was a…Tadahiko Shimazu (島津 忠彦, Shimazu Tadahiko; 30 August 1899 – 12 May 1980) or Tadahiko Shimadzu (Shimadzu Tadahiko) was a Japanese politician who served as a member of the National Diet.
Saburō Matsukata (松方 三郎, Matsukata Saburō; August 1, 1899 – September 15, 1973) of Japan, a journalist, businessman and…Saburō Matsukata (松方 三郎, Matsukata Saburō; August 1, 1899 – September 15, 1973) of Japan, a journalist, businessman and mountaineer, served on the World Scout Committee of the World Organization of the Scout Movement and was the sixth President of the Boy Scouts of Japan, contributing to the success of the 13th World Scout Jamboree held August 2 to 10, 1971 on the western side of Mount Fuji.
Minoru Shirota (代田 稔, Shirota Minoru; 23 April 1899 – 10 March 1982) was a Japanese microbiologist who made pioneering…Minoru Shirota (代田 稔, Shirota Minoru; 23 April 1899 – 10 March 1982) was a Japanese microbiologist who made pioneering research on gut microbiota and developed the first commercial probiotic. In the 1930, he identified a strain of lactic acid bacteria that is part of normal gut flora that he originally called Lactobacillus casei Shirota, which appeared to help contain the growth of harmful bacteria in the gut. The species was later reclassified as Lactobacillus paracasei. Using his novel bacterium, Shirota produced the first probiotic yogurt, named Yakult in 1935. The commercial success of the beverage led to the establishment of the company Yakult Honsha and its subsidiary research organisation Yakult Central Institute in 1935.
Kenjiro Takayanagi (高柳 健次郎, Takayanagi Kenjirō; January 20, 1899 in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka – July 23, 1990 in Yokosuka)…Kenjiro Takayanagi (高柳 健次郎, Takayanagi Kenjirō; January 20, 1899 in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka – July 23, 1990 in Yokosuka) was a Japanese engineer and a pioneer in the development of television and video tape recorders. Although he failed to gain much recognition in the West, he built the world's first all-electronic television receiver, and is referred to as "the father of Japanese television".
Tadashi Katakura (片倉 衷, Katakura Tadashi; 18 May 1898 – 23 July 1991) was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army…Tadashi Katakura (片倉 衷, Katakura Tadashi; 18 May 1898 – 23 July 1991) was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II. Katakura was a prominent member of the Tōsei-ha faction and as a consequence was a target of the Kōdō-ha faction in the 26 February Incident in 1936, and indeed sustained a head wound at the time. He was on the staff of the Burma Area Army. He was chief of staff of the Thirty-third Army from 8 April 1944 to 19 June 1944. He was commander of the 202nd Division.
Aiichirō Fujiyama (藤山 愛一郎, Fujiyama Aiichirō; May 22, 1897 – February 22, 1985) was a Japanese politician of the…Aiichirō Fujiyama (藤山 愛一郎, Fujiyama Aiichirō; May 22, 1897 – February 22, 1985) was a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party and business executive. A business executive who symbolized "big business" in Japan as president of Dai Nippon Sugar Manufacturing Co. and executive officer of Nitto Chemical Industry Co., he used his influence to bring about the fall of Prime Minister Hideki Tōjō in 1944. After Japan's World War II surrender, Fujiyama was imprisoned without a trial for three years, having been accused of "war crimes". After his release he represented Japan at the 1951 UNESCO meeting in Paris and later served as Chairman of Japan Airlines (1951–1953). In 1955 and 1956, Fujiyama, who was Chairman of the Japan Chamber of Commerce at the time, strongly supported Nobusuke Kishi as a successor to Ichirō Hatoyama to the President of the Liberal Democratic Party, according to a report by the Central Intelligence Agency. Fujiyama was elected to Parliament in 1957 and was reelected five times. As Foreign Minister in the cabinet of Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi (1957–1960), he headed Japan's first delegation to the United Nations (1957), helped revise the U.S.–Japan Security Treaty (1960), and promoted the restoration of diplomatic relations between Japan and China. He also served in the cabinet of Kishi's successor Hayato Ikeda as Director of Japan's Economic Planning Agency. During the 1960s, he controlled a personal faction within the LDP, closely aligned with the Kishi faction, and ran unsuccessfully several times for presidency of the LDP. In 1970, Fujiyama made an unsanctioned trip to the People's Republic of China in an effort to expand Japanese trade relations with China.
Toshiwo Doko (土光 敏夫 Dokō Toshio; September 15, 1896 – August 4, 1988) was a Japanese engineer born in Mitsu District…Toshiwo Doko (土光 敏夫 Dokō Toshio; September 15, 1896 – August 4, 1988) was a Japanese engineer born in Mitsu District, Okayama, Manager, President and Chairman of Ishikawajima Heavy Industry (IHI) and Toshiba.
Viscount Keizō Shibusawa (渋沢 敬三, Shibusawa Keizō; 25 August 1896 – 25 October 1963) was a Japanese businessman, central…Viscount Keizō Shibusawa (渋沢 敬三, Shibusawa Keizō; 25 August 1896 – 25 October 1963) was a Japanese businessman, central banker, politician, philanthropist, and folklorist. He served as the 16th Governor of the Bank of Japan and later as Minister of Finance in the immediate postwar government of Kijūrō Shidehara.
Kisaku Maekawa (前川 喜作, Maekawa Kisaku; 1893–1986) was a Japanese industrialist and philanthropist who founded Mayekawa…Kisaku Maekawa (前川 喜作, Maekawa Kisaku; 1893–1986) was a Japanese industrialist and philanthropist who founded Mayekawa Manufacturing Company in Tokyo, Japan in 1924. A graduate of Japan's Waseda University, he also founded the all-male Dormitory Wakeijuku through his philanthropic work. 1920: Graduated from Waseda University School of Science and Engineering 1924: Founded Mayekawa Manufacturing Ltd. Supplied imperial Japan with war supplies. 1948: Councilor of Waseda University (Later trustee) 1955: Established the Wakeijuku Foundation
Kōnosuke Matsushita (松下 幸之助, Matsushita Kōnosuke; 27 November 1894 – 27 April 1989) was a Japanese industrialist who…Kōnosuke Matsushita (松下 幸之助, Matsushita Kōnosuke; 27 November 1894 – 27 April 1989) was a Japanese industrialist who founded Panasonic, the largest Japanese consumer electronics company. Matsushita is referred to as the "God of Management" in Japan.
Sunao Okamoto (岡本 忠, Okamoto Sunao; 1 September 1894 – 2 September 1955) was a Japanese male tennis player who…Sunao Okamoto (岡本 忠, Okamoto Sunao; 1 September 1894 – 2 September 1955) was a Japanese male tennis player who represented Japan in the Davis Cup and the Olympic Games. He competed at both the Wimbledon Championships and U.S. National Championships in 1924. He won 9 career singles titles at tournaments maninly played in India.
Shinzō Ōya (大屋 晋三, Ōya Shinzō; 5 July 1894 – 9 March 1980) was an entrepreneur and politician, who served as Minister…Shinzō Ōya (大屋 晋三, Ōya Shinzō; 5 July 1894 – 9 March 1980) was an entrepreneur and politician, who served as Minister of Commerce and Industry in post-war Japan. Ōya was born in what is now part of the town of Meiwa in Gunma Prefecture, where his father was a high school principal and his grandfather had been a samurai in the service of Kawagoe Domain. He graduated from what later became Hitotsubashi University in 1918. On graduation he joined the zaibatsu Suzuki Shoten, and from 1925 went to work for Teijin, eventually becoming its president in November 1945. In his early career, he was praised as a charismatic manager, who introduced new synthetic fibers which made Teijin a market leader in the fabric industry. However, he later was criticized for over-diversification, and for his refusal to surrender authority over the company despite his obvious mental decline in old age, which led Teijin to the brink of bankruptcy. In 1947, Ōya was elected to a seat in the Diet of Japan in 1947 Upper House election from the Osaka electoral district, and was reelected for a second term, serving until June 1956 under Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) banner. From 19 October 1948 – 16 February 1949, he was Minister of Commerce and Industry under the 2nd Shigeru Yoshida administration, as well as interim Minister of Finance from 14 December 1948 to 16 February 1949. During the 3rd Yoshida administration, Ōya served as Minister of Transport from 16 February 1949 to 28 June 1950. Ōya was married to the singer and writer Masako Ōya.
Masataka Taketsuru (竹鶴 政孝, Taketsuru Masataka; 20 June 1894 – 29 August 1979) was a Japanese chemist and businessman…Masataka Taketsuru (竹鶴 政孝, Taketsuru Masataka; 20 June 1894 – 29 August 1979) was a Japanese chemist and businessman who helped establish whisky production in Japan and founded Nikka Whisky Distilling. Born to a family that had owned a sake brewery since 1733, he traveled to Scotland in 1918 to study organic chemistry and distilling. After graduating, Taketsuru joined Settsu Shuzō, a prominent Japanese liquor company founded in the early 1900s, known for producing alcohol including whisky. With a plan to make Japanese whisky, Settsu Shuzo had sent him to Scotland to study the art of whisky production. He then returned to Japan, where he worked at Kotobukiya (later Suntory) and helped establish Japan’s first commercial whisky distillery at Yamazaki under founder Shinjiro Torii. In 1934, he founded his own company, Dai Nippon Kaju Co., Ltd., initially producing fruit juice in Hokkaido before beginning whisky production; the company later became known as Nikka Whisky from a contraction of the juice company name.
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.
Yukio Tomeoka (留岡 幸男, Tomeoka Yukio; 16 April 1894 – 3 May 1981) was a Japanese bureaucrat, police official, and later…Yukio Tomeoka (留岡 幸男, Tomeoka Yukio; 16 April 1894 – 3 May 1981) was a Japanese bureaucrat, police official, and later lawyer. A career official of the Home Ministry, he served as Governor of Akita Prefecture, Director-General of the ministry's Local Affairs Bureau, Superintendent-General of the Metropolitan Police, and finally as Director-General of the Hokkaidō Agency.
Kōgorō Uemura (植村 甲午郎, Uemura Kōgorō; February 12, 1894 – August 1, 1978) was a Japanese businessman from the early…Kōgorō Uemura (植村 甲午郎, Uemura Kōgorō; February 12, 1894 – August 1, 1978) was a Japanese businessman from the early Shōwa period (1920s–1970s). The chief of Nippon Keidanren in 1968, he served as President of the Sapporo Olympic Organizing Committee, and served as Chairman of the National Board of the Boy Scouts of Japan.
