Banri Kaieda (海江田 万里, Kaieda Banri; born 26 February 1949) is a Japanese politician who served as the Vice Speaker of…Banri Kaieda (海江田 万里, Kaieda Banri; born 26 February 1949) is a Japanese politician who served as the Vice Speaker of the House of Representatives of Japan from 2021 to 2024. A member of the House of Representatives of Japan, he also served as the President of the Democratic Party of Japan between 2012 and 2014. He is a former minister in the Kan cabinet.
Haruki Ihara (伊原 春樹, Ihara Haruki; born January 18, 1949) was a Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball player. He played…Haruki Ihara (伊原 春樹, Ihara Haruki; born January 18, 1949) was a Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball player. He played for the Nishitetsu Lions, and continued his entire career with them. From 2002 to 2003, he was the manager of the Seibu Lions, as well as the Orix BlueWave in 2004. His daughter, Natsuna Ihara, is a model and actress.
Masatoshi Muto (武藤 正敏, Mutō Masatoshi; born December 18, 1948) is a Japanese diplomatic analyst and former diplomat who…Masatoshi Muto (武藤 正敏, Mutō Masatoshi; born December 18, 1948) is a Japanese diplomatic analyst and former diplomat who served as the Japanese ambassador to South Korea from 2010 to 2012. He also served as the Japanese ambassador to Kuwait in the late 2000s and was the Japanese consul-general in Hawaii in the early 2000s. Starting in 2015, he is also an author.
Chiaki Kawamata (川又千秋, Kawamata Chiaki; born December 4, 1948 in Otaru, Hokkaidō, Japan) is a Japanese science fiction…Chiaki Kawamata (川又千秋, Kawamata Chiaki; born December 4, 1948 in Otaru, Hokkaidō, Japan) is a Japanese science fiction writer and critic. He has won both the Seiun Award and the Nihon SF Taisho Award. Kawamata is also noted for writing the story of the manga Emblem of Roto.
Toshio Tamogami (田母神 俊雄, Tamogami Toshio; born July 22, 1948) is a retired Japan Air Self-Defense Force general and…Toshio Tamogami (田母神 俊雄, Tamogami Toshio; born July 22, 1948) is a retired Japan Air Self-Defense Force general and politician. He served as the Chief of Staff of the Air Self-Defense Force from March 2007 until his dismissal in October 31, 2008. Tamogami was dismissed in 2008 due to a controversial essay he wrote. In the essay, he denied that Japan was an aggressor in World War II and claimed that Japan had been drawn into the war by Chiang Kai-shek and Franklin D. Roosevelt. He also argued that Japan's wartime actions were not acts of aggression but were justified as self-defense and efforts to "liberate Asia from Western colonialism." Tamogami turned to politics following his retirement from the military. In 2014 he ran as a candidate for governor of Tokyo and for the House of Representatives; in which he both lost. He was arrested in April 2016 for alleged violations of campaign finance laws (illegal payments to supporters) in relation to his gubernatorial campaign. He made a political comeback in 2024 by running for the Tokyo gubernatorial election, but placed fourth and performed worse compared to his 2014 run. He has been described as a "champion of Japan's right wing". He denies that women were forced by the Empire of Japan into sex work as "comfort women" and that the Nanjing Massacre occurred.
Ryūichi Kaneko (金子 隆一, Kaneko Ryūichi; May 18, 1948 – June 30, 2021) was a photography historian and critic, photobook…Ryūichi Kaneko (金子 隆一, Kaneko Ryūichi; May 18, 1948 – June 30, 2021) was a photography historian and critic, photobook collector, and curator. He also worked as a monk at the Shōgyōin (正行院) temple in the Taitō district of Tokyo while he researched the history of Japanese photography.
Yutaka Enatsu (江夏 豊, Enatsu Yutaka; born May 15, 1948) is a Japanese former pitcher regarded as one of the best…Yutaka Enatsu (江夏 豊, Enatsu Yutaka; born May 15, 1948) is a Japanese former pitcher regarded as one of the best Japanese strikeout pitchers of all-time. In 1968, he recorded 401 strikeouts, which is still the world record. Enatsu was a big player in the Black Mist Scandal which embroiled Japanese baseball from 1969 to 1971. In November 1970 he received a stern warning from the Central League president due to "involvement with persons in baseball gambling." He recorded nine consecutive strikeouts in one of the 1971 All-Star games, and 15 consecutive strikeouts in three of the All-Star games between 1970 and 1971. His consecutive strikeouts were broken up by Katsuya Nomura. The two records are still unbroken. A starting pitcher for the first part of his career, in 1977 he became a relief specialist, altogether accumulating 193 saves. While playing with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp in 1979, Enatsu was the Central League MVP, as he compiled a 9–5 record with a 2.67 ERA and 117 strikeouts in 104-2/3 innings. That year the Carp won the Central League pennant and the Japan Series. In 1981, with the Nippon-Ham Fighters, Enatsu was the Pacific League MVP, garnering 25 saves and a 2.82 ERA, as the Fighters won the Pacific League pennant. He is one of just two players to win the MVP in both leagues of NPB and the only one to do so until Michihiro Ogasawara. Enatsu joined the Milwaukee Brewers for spring training in 1985 at age 36 in an attempt to play Major League Baseball. Enatsu finished spring training with a 4.91 ERA in 11 innings and was among the team's final cuts before the season. He ranks fifth all-time in NPB history for strikeouts with 2,987. He has the most strikeouts of any player not in the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame.
Shiro Asano (浅野 史郎, Asano Shirō; born 8 February 1948) is the former governor of Miyagi, Japan, and currently…Shiro Asano (浅野 史郎, Asano Shirō; born 8 February 1948) is the former governor of Miyagi, Japan, and currently university professor & political commentator.
Jō Kondō (近藤譲; surname Kondō; born 28 October 1947 in Tokyo) is a Japanese composer of contemporary classical music.…Jō Kondō (近藤譲; surname Kondō; born 28 October 1947 in Tokyo) is a Japanese composer of contemporary classical music. Kondo studied composition from 1968 to 1972 with Yoshio Hasegawa and Hiroaki Minami at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. He won the third prize and made his debut in Japan-Germany Contemporary Music Festival in 1969. He serves as Professor of Music at Ochanomizu University in Tokyo and also teaches at Tokyo University of Arts and Elisabeth University of Music in Hiroshima. His interests include hocket, the music of Ancient Greece, and strong differences in instrumental timbre, all of which are reflected in his compositions. The chamber version of his 1975 composition Sight Rhythmics reflects the latter in its unusual instrumentation of violin, banjo, steel drum, electric piano, and tuba, for example. His opera Hagoromo, based on a Noh play and premiered in Florence in 1994, is the unique case in which his music blends western techniques with oriental traditions. In 1978, he spent a year in New York City with a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation. While there, he became personally acquainted with a number of avant-garde American composers, including John Cage and especially Morton Feldman. Kondo's music has been performed by the London Sinfonietta, the Philharmonia Orchestra, the NHK Symphony Orchestra, the Arditti Quartet, NEXUS, the Balanescu Quartet, Aki Takahashi and the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group. His music has been recorded on the Hat Art, ALM, Fontec, and Deutsche Grammophon labels. His scores are published by the University of York Music Press and Edition Peters. Kondo's notable students include Linda Catlin Smith and Paul Newland. In 2024, he was designated a Person of Cultural Merit.
Taira Fujita (藤田 平, Fujita Taira; born October 19, 1947 in Wakayama, Wakayama, Japan) is a Japanese former Nippon…Taira Fujita (藤田 平, Fujita Taira; born October 19, 1947 in Wakayama, Wakayama, Japan) is a Japanese former Nippon Professional Baseball infielder.
Hiroshi Aramata (荒俣 宏, Aramata Hiroshi; born July 12, 1947) is a Japanese author, polymath, critic, translator and…Hiroshi Aramata (荒俣 宏, Aramata Hiroshi; born July 12, 1947) is a Japanese author, polymath, critic, translator and specialist in natural history, iconography and cartography. His most popular novel was Teito Monogatari (Tale of the Capitol), which has sold over 5 million copies in Japan alone.
Kōji Yamamoto (山本 浩二, Yamamoto Kōji; born October 25, 1946) is a Japanese former baseball player and manager of the…Kōji Yamamoto (山本 浩二, Yamamoto Kōji; born October 25, 1946) is a Japanese former baseball player and manager of the Hiroshima Toyo Carp of Japan's Central League. A four-time home run king having played for Hiroshima Carp throughout his career, Yamamoto contributed to the team winning five league championships including its first-ever in 1975, and three titles of Japan Series in 1979, 1980 and 1984. He recorded over 40 home runs for five years in a row from 1977. With 536 home runs, he is fourth on the NPB career list. He is known as the Mr. Red Helmet (ミスター赤ヘル, Misutā Akaheru), nicknamed after Hiroshima Carp's symbolic red colored helmet. Yamamoto managed Hiroshima Carp twice, between 1989 and 1993, and later between 2001 and 2005. He led the team to win Central League championship in 1991. He was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 2008, and is a member of the Meikyukai, or the "Golden Players Club."
Kōichi Tabuchi (田淵 幸一, Tabuchi Kōichi; born September 24, 1946) is a Japanese former professional baseball player…Kōichi Tabuchi (田淵 幸一, Tabuchi Kōichi; born September 24, 1946) is a Japanese former professional baseball player, manager, and commentator. During his career, Tabuchi played for the Hanshin Tigers and the Seibu Lions. Tabuchi played catcher for the Hanshin Tigers from 1969 and 1978, where his combination with pitcher Yutaka Enatsu was called the "Golden Battery". Always a long-range hitter, Tabuchi was nicknamed home run artist because of the high-in-the-sky, long trajectory of his home runs. Although his career total of 474 home runs is far below Sadaharu Oh's 868, his frequency nearly matched Oh's. Tabuchi hit a home run once every 12.41 at-bats, while Oh did once every 10.66. In this statistic he is second only to Oh among sluggers who have logged 300 or more home runs. Known as Mr. Tiger (along with Fumio Fujimura, Minoru Murayama, and Masayuki Kakefu), Tabuchi has served as the chairman of Hanshin Tigers Old Boys' Committee since November 2009.
Mariko Bando (坂東 眞理子, Bandō Mariko) is a Japanese writer, critic, and former bureaucrat. Bando started her career in…Mariko Bando (坂東 眞理子, Bandō Mariko) is a Japanese writer, critic, and former bureaucrat. Bando started her career in the Prime Minister's office, later becoming a consul general and the first director general of the Japanese Cabinet Office's Gender Equality Bureau. Her 2006 book The Dignity of a Woman has sold more than three million copies in Japan. She is currently the president and chancellor of Showa Women's University.
Kazuo Nishii (西井一夫, Nishii Kazuo; 1946–2001) was a Japanese magazine editor and photography critic. Nishii was born in…Kazuo Nishii (西井一夫, Nishii Kazuo; 1946–2001) was a Japanese magazine editor and photography critic. Nishii was born in Tokyo in 1946. He graduated in economics from Keio University in 1968, and shortly after this moved to the company publishing Mainichi Shimbun, rising via stints at Sunday Mainichi and Mainich Graph to become editor in chief of Camera Mainichi from 1983 until the magazine folded in 1985. After the demise of Camera Mainichi, Nishii worked as an editor for various book-publishing projects of Mainichi Shinbun-sha. Nishii first proposed the Society of Photography Award and played a major role in setting it up.
Yukio Hattori (服部 幸應, Hattori Yukio; 16 December 1945 – 4 October 2024) was a Japanese television personality who was…Yukio Hattori (服部 幸應, Hattori Yukio; 16 December 1945 – 4 October 2024) was a Japanese television personality who was best known as an expert commentator on the television show Iron Chef. Hattori was also the fifth president of the Hattori Nutrition College; the Iron Chef end credits mention that the program is "produced in cooperation with" the College. Hattori received a PhD from Showa University.
Yukio Okamoto (Japanese: 岡本 行夫, Okamoto Yukio; 23 November 1945 – 24 April 2020) was a Japanese diplomat, diplomatic…Yukio Okamoto (Japanese: 岡本 行夫, Okamoto Yukio; 23 November 1945 – 24 April 2020) was a Japanese diplomat, diplomatic analyst, and proponent of strong economic and political Japan–United States relations. Okamoto guided Japanese and American diplomatic relations throughout the 1980s, during an era when both countries simultaneously competed for economic influence on the global stage. He served as a diplomatic advisor and analyst for several Japanese prime ministers, including Ryutaro Hashimoto from 1996 to 1998 and Junichiro Koizumi from 2003 until 2004.
Manabu Miyazaki (宮崎 学, Miyazaki Manabu; 25 October 1945 – 30 March 2022) was a Japanese writer, social critic and…Manabu Miyazaki (宮崎 学, Miyazaki Manabu; 25 October 1945 – 30 March 2022) was a Japanese writer, social critic and public figure. He is the author of several best-selling books in Japan. His autobiography Toppamono sold 600,000 copies and has since been translated into English. In 1985, Miyazaki was named by the Tokyo police as the prime suspect in the Glico Morinaga case, a 17-month saga of kidnapping and corporate extortion. He was later cleared.
Misako Enoki (榎 美沙子, Enoki Misako; born 23 January 1945) is a Japanese feminist, pharmacist, and politician. She helped…Misako Enoki (榎 美沙子, Enoki Misako; born 23 January 1945) is a Japanese feminist, pharmacist, and politician. She helped launch and became a symbol of the feminist movement in Japan when she organized activists to push for the legalization of the birth control pill. As a sign of respect for her elderly parents, Enoki was compelled to marry at the age of 24. She married physician Natsuo Kiuchi, retaining her maiden name. Enoki began her involvement with the Japanese women's liberation translation group known as Wolf Group (Urufu no Kai). She distributed a pamphlet calling for the legalization of the birth control pill, initially using the group's name, angering group members who did not share her position. Enoki attended the Ribu Conference of May 1972, recruiting women to form a protest group called Chūpiren ([ja: 中ピ連]; sometimes known as Pink Panthers or pink helmets) as a radical wing of the Japanese feminist movement. Chūpiren was an abbreviation for Chūzetsu Kinshi Hō ni Hantai Shi Piru Kaikin o Yōkyū Suru Josei Kaihō Rengō (Women's Liberation Federation for Opposing the Abortion Prohibition Law and Lifting the Pill Ban). The group organized well-attended demonstrations for a series of campaigns addressing the concerns of women. Chūpiren was concerned with legal rights in divorce and marriage, access to birth control, abortion, and equal pay. Wearing pink hard hats to ensure maximal media attention, the demonstrators marched in white military-style uniforms. They held protest rallies and sit-ins and took part in publicity stunts such as confronting unfaithful husbands in their offices. The male-dominated media gave coverage to Chūpiren but did not take them seriously, instead ridiculing the movement. Enoki debated with Japanese feminist Mitsu Tanaka, who did not think that Chūpiren could be considered part of uuman ribu, the Japanese women's liberation movement. Enoki was not well trusted in the ribu and members of Chūpiren were critical of her style of leadership. Enoki formed the Japan Woman's Party (Nihon Joseitō) for the 1977 House of Councillors election. The party put forward 10 to 12 candidates in the election and fared poorly, receiving only 0.4 per cent of the popular vote. Following the election, Chūpiren was disbanded and Enoki left public life. Enoki's husband lent her $38,000 to help finance the 1977 political campaign of the Japan Women's Party. They struck a bargain where she would resume housework at their apartment in suburban Tokyo and he would write off $2,670 of the loan for each month of housework.
Peeco (ピーコ, Pīko; born Katsuaki Sugiura (杉浦 克昭, Sugiura Katsuaki), 18 January 1945 - 3 September 2024) was a Japanese…Peeco (ピーコ, Pīko; born Katsuaki Sugiura (杉浦 克昭, Sugiura Katsuaki), 18 January 1945 - 3 September 2024) was a Japanese tarento, fashion critic, journalist, and chanson singer. His younger identical twin brother is film critic Osugi, they both came out gay during their debut and took his advantage as a tarento and commentator. On 20 October 2024, it was announced that Peeco had died on 3 September of that year due to sepsis as a result of multiple organ failure.
Saburo Kawamoto (川本 三郎, Kawamoto Saburō; born 15 July 1944) is a Japanese film and literary critic, as well as a…Saburo Kawamoto (川本 三郎, Kawamoto Saburō; born 15 July 1944) is a Japanese film and literary critic, as well as a professor at Rikkyo University. After graduation from the University of Tokyo, he worked for the Asahi Newspaper company before leaving in 1972 to become a critic. He was one critic who helped to discover the talents of Haruki Murakami. He won the Suntory Prize for his book Taishū Genei in 1991, the Yomiuri Literature Award for Kafū and Tokyo in 1997, and the Itō Sei Literature Award for Hakushu Bōkei in 2012. Around 1970 he became close to a student radical when covering him as a journalist. When that student attacked an officer of the Japanese Self-Defence Force in Asaka, Saitama, killing him, Kawamoto was arrested for spoliation of evidence. He was convicted and given a sentence of probation. He was fired from the Asahi Newspaper company. Thereafter, he became a freelance writer. Nobuhiro Yamashita's film, My Back Page, is based on Kawamoto's essay about this affair.
Tokuji "Atsushi" Nagaike (長池 徳士, born February 21, 1944) is a Japanese former professional baseball outfielder in…Tokuji "Atsushi" Nagaike (長池 徳士, born February 21, 1944) is a Japanese former professional baseball outfielder in Nippon Professional Baseball. He played 14 seasons in NPB, all for the Hankyu Braves, from 1966 to 1979. A two-time Pacific League Most Valuable Player and seven-time Best Nine Award-winner, Nagaike was one of his era's best players in Japan's Pacific League. In 1967, Nagaike hit .281 with 27 home runs and 78 RBI and was given a Best Nine Award as an outfielder. In 1969, Nagaike hit .316 with 95 runs scored, 41 home runs, 101 RBI, 21 stolen bases, and a 1.005 OPS, to win the Pacific League MVP Award. That year he led the Pacific League in runs, home runs, and RBI, and won his second Best Nine Award. Nagaike won another Best Nine Award in 1970 with 28 home runs and 102 RBI to go along with a .309 batting average. In 1971 he hit .317 with 40 home runs and 114 RBI, to go with a 1.022 OPS, to win his second Pacific League MVP Award and third Best Nine Award. Nagaikie's 87 runs scored led the league. That year he also had a then-league record 32-game hitting streak. He surpassed 40 home runs and 1.000 OPS each of the following two seasons, with his .290 average, 41 home runs and 95 RBI in 1972 earning him another Best Nine Award. His 1973 stats of 43 home runs and 109 RBI, to go with a .313 average garnered Nagaike his sixth Best Nine Award. In 1975, the Pacific League instituted the designated hitter. Nagaike hit 25 home runs that season and became the very first player to win the Best Nine Award in the DH position. It was his seventh and final Best Nine Award. Late in his career, as he became a part-time player, Nagaike's Braves won three straight Japan Series championships, in 1975, 1976, and 1977. After retiring as a player, Nagaike stayed on as a coach in the NPB through the 1980s and 1990s. Despite his accomplishments, he has not made the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame, falling short on the ballot as late as 2025.
Taizo Kawada (川田 太三; February 20, 1944 – July 25, 2026) was a Japanese golf critic and designer. He is known for…Taizo Kawada (川田 太三; February 20, 1944 – July 25, 2026) was a Japanese golf critic and designer. He is known for designing many gold clubs across Japan including the Narita Golf Club in Chiba Prefecture and the Hananoki Golf Club in Gifu Prefecture. He served as the referee of Men's major golf championships.
Masahiro Doi (土井 正博, Doi Masahiro) (born December 8, 1943) is a Japanese former professional baseball outfielder in…Masahiro Doi (土井 正博, Doi Masahiro) (born December 8, 1943) is a Japanese former professional baseball outfielder in Nippon Professional Baseball. He played for the Kintetsu Buffaloes from 1962 to 1974 and the Taiheiyo Club / Crown Lighter / Seibu Lions from 1975 to 1981. In a career that spanned 20 years, the slugger was selected to 15 All-Star games and was named to the Best Nine Award three times (1967, 1968, 1978). Over four decades after his retirement, Doi ranks 10th all-time in hits in Japanese baseball history with 2,452. He last served as the batting coach for the Chunichi Dragons.
Nobukatsu Fujioka (藤岡 信勝, Fujioka Nobukatsu) (born 1943) is both a founder and vice president of the Japanese Society…Nobukatsu Fujioka (藤岡 信勝, Fujioka Nobukatsu) (born 1943) is both a founder and vice president of the Japanese Society for History Textbook Reform (新しい歴史教科書を作る会 atarashii rekishi kyōkasho wo tsukuru kai, abbreviated 作る会 Tsukurukai), now headed by Nishio Kanji). He was once a professor at the Tokyo University and later moved to Takushoku University. He is now retired. He was born in Iwamizawa, Hokkaido, and raised in Shibecha, Hokkaido. He is noted for his efforts at removing from Japanese textbooks accounts of wartime atrocities committed by Japan during the Second World War. He is considered to be a conservative and a nationalist, and he has been quoted as saying that he "stand(s) for a viewpoint of history with an emphasis on national interest," and that the study of Japanese history is "subject to the ultimate moral imperative of whether or not it serves to inculcate a sense of pride in being Japanese." He has also said that to "write [a history] based only on verified historical truths makes...[it] insipid and dry. I had no choice but to write from my own imagination to a great extent." In the early 1990s, Fujioka founded the Liberal View of History Study Group, which advocated "correcting history" by promoting a "positive view" of Japanese history and removing all references to what he referred to as "dark history." By 1995, he had created the Association for Advancement of Unbiased View of History (自由主義史観研究会, jiyūshugi shikan kenkyūkai) and the committee to Write New History Textbooks. Among Japan's top ten bestsellers in 1997 were two volumes edited by Fujioka, History The Textbooks Do Not Teach and Shameful Modern History. In late 1996, Fujioka and his followers joined with others to form the Japanese Society for History Textbook Reform (Tsukurukai, now headed by Nishio Kanji). This group authored The New History Textbook, which was one of eight junior high school history textbooks authorized by the Ministry of Education in April 2001. In December 2000, a draft textbook circulated by the Society and shown on national television elicited criticism from many Japanese historians and teachers. He is an assenter of the negationist film The Truth about Nanjing.
Toshiyuki Maesaka (前坂 俊之, Maesaka Toshiyuki) is a Japanese freelance journalist, a former senior researcher of Mainichi…Toshiyuki Maesaka (前坂 俊之, Maesaka Toshiyuki) is a Japanese freelance journalist, a former senior researcher of Mainichi Shimbun Newspaper, and a professor emeritus at the University of Shizuoka.
Teruhiko Yumura (湯村 輝彦, Yumura Teruhiko; born November 1, 1942) is a Japanese illustrator, designer, cartoonist and…Teruhiko Yumura (湯村 輝彦, Yumura Teruhiko; born November 1, 1942) is a Japanese illustrator, designer, cartoonist and music critic. He is one of the exemplars of the heta-uma illustration aesthetic. Born in Hakuzu, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo (currently Nishi-Shinjuku), he signed works under the pen names "Terry Johnson" (Gonzo), "FLAMINGO TERRY", "FRAMINA TERRENO GONZO", "TERRINO FLAMINI 'GONZAREZ" and "KURUZURU Terumanta". Yumura is known by the nickname "King Terry". Yumura studied at Tama Art University and drew covers for the magazine Garo in the 1970s and 1980s. He collaborated with copywriter Shigesato Itoi in short comics such as Penguin Shuffle and Jonetsu Penguin no Gohan. He also collaborated with the American magazines Wet and Raw. Yumura's comics were influenced by Japanese and American pop culture; his artwork is characterized by crudely done drawings made in a conscious, deliberate manner. This style became known as heta-uma (bad but good).
Shinichiro Kurimoto (栗本 慎一郎, Kurimoto Shin'ichirō; born 1941 in Tokyo) is a Japanese author and former politician. He…Shinichiro Kurimoto (栗本 慎一郎, Kurimoto Shin'ichirō; born 1941 in Tokyo) is a Japanese author and former politician. He is also an economic anthropologist who introduced the ideas of Karl Polanyi and his younger brother Michael Polanyi to Japan. He was a professor at universities including Meiji University and Northwestern University. During the 1980s his works were categorized in Japan as "new academism", alongside works by Akira Asada, Kojin Karatani and Shigehiko Hasumi. He was politically affiliated with the Liberal Democratic Party, as well as the Internet Breakthrough Party of Japan. He frequently acted as a judge in the television show Iron Chef, appearing in 109 episodes.
Motoharu Kurosawa (黒澤元治, Kurosawa Motoharu; born 6 August 1940), nicknamed "Gan-san", is a retired professional…Motoharu Kurosawa (黒澤元治, Kurosawa Motoharu; born 6 August 1940), nicknamed "Gan-san", is a retired professional Japanese racing driver. He is the patriarch of a racing family; his three sons, Takuya, Haruki, and Tsubasa, are all racing drivers.
Isao Harimoto (張本 勲, Harimoto Isao; June 19, 1940 – September 9, 2026) was a Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball…Isao Harimoto (張本 勲, Harimoto Isao; June 19, 1940 – September 9, 2026) was a Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball player. Over his 23-season playing career in Nippon Professional Baseball, Harimoto played for the Toei Flyers/Nittaku Home Flyers/Nippon-Ham Fighters, the Yomiuri Giants and the Lotte Orions. He is the holder of the record for most hits in the Japanese professional leagues. An ethnic Korean, his birth name was Jang Hun (Korean: 장훈; Hanja: 張勳). Harimoto spent his life as a resident of Japan and adopted a Japanese name, but remained a Korean citizen, thus making him a Zainichi Korean for many years. An accident from youth forced Harimoto into becoming a left-hander, and when he became interested in baseball, he dedicated himself to adjust to playing the field and batting that resulted in him making the majors in 1959. As a rookie, he batted .275 in 125 games with 115 hits on his way to being named the Pacific League Rookie of the Year. His career furthered the following season, where he earned his first All-Star selection and Best Nine Award. In the entire decade of the 1960s, he was named among the Best Nine in every season. He won the batting title in 1961, batting .336 while collecting 159 hits and 24 home runs. He had the first of his four 30-HR seasons in 1962, which saw the Flyers win their first ever Pacific League pennant along him winning the league MVP Award. The Flyers won their first Japan Series that year in seven games for what ended up being Harimoto's first and only championship. Harimoto would continue to rack up All-Star selections and batting championships for the team, which included seven total batting championships from 1961 to 1974 before he was traded in 1975 to the Yomiuri Giants. He was named to the Best Nine two further times with the Giants, with his 16th and final one occurring in 1977 at the age of 37. He departed the team for the Lotte Orions in 1980 on the precipice of Japanese history. That season, he became the first player in Japanese baseball history with 3,000 career hits, doing so in May. He later hit his 500th career home run that year to become the first Japanese player with 500 home runs and 300 stolen bases. One of the most well-rounded hitters in NPB history, in 23 seasons of play, he had sixteen 20-HR seasons along with five seasons of at least 20 stolen bases while batting .300 in sixteen different seasons. He was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1990 and during his post-playing career worked as a television baseball analyst.
Takashi Tachibana (立花 隆, Tachibana Takashi; 28 May 1940 – 30 April 2021, Nagasaki) was a Japanese journalist. He was…Takashi Tachibana (立花 隆, Tachibana Takashi; 28 May 1940 – 30 April 2021, Nagasaki) was a Japanese journalist. He was known for his articles on Japanese social problems.
Kunimitsu Takahashi (Shinjitai: 高橋 国光, Takahashi Kunimitsu; 29 January 1940 – 16 March 2022) was a Japanese…Kunimitsu Takahashi (Shinjitai: 高橋 国光, Takahashi Kunimitsu; 29 January 1940 – 16 March 2022) was a Japanese professional motorcycle road racer, racing driver, and team manager. Nicknamed "Kuni-san", he is known as the "father of drifting". Takahashi's racing career lasted from 1958 to 1999. He competed on motorcycles between 1958 and 1963, during which he became the first Japanese rider to win a World Grand Prix, taking four world-level wins in total. Injuries sustained in a crash in 1962 led to him switching to four-wheels in 1965, after which he won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in class, become a four-time All-Japan Sports Prototype Champion, and won in Japanese Top Formula, JTC, and JGTC. His final victory as a driver came in 1999 at the age of 59. Takahashi's racing team, Team Kunimitsu, has won multiple championships in Super GT. He was the chairman of the GT Association, the organizers of the Super GT series, from 1993 to 2007.
Masahiko Tsugawa (津川 雅彦, Tsugawa Masahiko), born Masahiko Katō (加藤 雅彦 Katō Masahiko; January 2, 1940 – August 4, 2018)…Masahiko Tsugawa (津川 雅彦, Tsugawa Masahiko), born Masahiko Katō (加藤 雅彦 Katō Masahiko; January 2, 1940 – August 4, 2018) was a Japanese actor and director.
Kōsei Ono (小野 耕世, Ono Kōsei; born November 28, 1939) is a Japanese film critic, cartoon critic, comic translator and…Kōsei Ono (小野 耕世, Ono Kōsei; born November 28, 1939) is a Japanese film critic, cartoon critic, comic translator and overseas comic / animation researcher. Ono is the leading authority on the publication, research and introduction of overseas comics (gaikoku manga) in Japan. From 1963 to 1974 he worked for NHK. He is a visiting professor in the Asia Department of Kokushikan University, a board member of the Japan Society for Studies in Manga and Comic Art, and a member of ASIFA JAPAN, the Japan Cartoonists Association, and the Japan Science Fiction Writer's Club.
Hiroshi Osada (長田弘, 1939–2015) was a Japanese poet and author known for his contributions to contemporary literature…Hiroshi Osada (長田弘, 1939–2015) was a Japanese poet and author known for his contributions to contemporary literature and children's literature.
Motoo Andoh (安藤 統男, Andō Motoo) (born April 8, 1939) is a Japanese former baseball player. He played for the Hanshin…Motoo Andoh (安藤 統男, Andō Motoo) (born April 8, 1939) is a Japanese former baseball player. He played for the Hanshin Tigers from 1962 to 1973 and served as their manager from 1982 to 1984.
Susumu Nishibe (西部 邁; 15 March 1939 – 21 January 2018) was a Japanese critic, conservative and economist. He was a…Susumu Nishibe (西部 邁; 15 March 1939 – 21 January 2018) was a Japanese critic, conservative and economist. He was a professor of Socioeconomics at University of Tokyo. He criticized modern economics, progressivism, and rationalism, and advocated theories on mass society, conservatism, and the independence of Japan from the United States.
Minoru Kamata (鎌田実, Kamata Minoru; 8 March 1939 – 1 August 2019) was a Japanese professional baseball second baseman.…Minoru Kamata (鎌田実, Kamata Minoru; 8 March 1939 – 1 August 2019) was a Japanese professional baseball second baseman. He played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Osaka/Hanshin Tigers (1957–1966; 1970–1972) and Kintetsu Buffaloes (1967–1969). Kamata was known for defense, and was particularly adept at jump throws and backhand tosses, the latter of which was rare in Nippon Professional Baseball. In retirement, Kamata became a youth baseball coach, benefactor, and baseball commentator. Kamata was diagnosed with lung cancer in May 2019, hospitalized for treatment in July, and died of the disease in an Ashiya, Hyōgo hospital on 1 August 2019.
Hiroshi Gondoh (権藤 博, Gondō Hiroshi; born December 2, 1938) is a Japanese former Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher…Hiroshi Gondoh (権藤 博, Gondō Hiroshi; born December 2, 1938) is a Japanese former Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher and manager. He played his entire career with the Chunichi Dragons. In his rookie season, he collected numerous accolades, including the Central League Rookie of the Year Award and the Eiji Sawamura Award. In 1998, Gondoh became the manager of the Yokohama BayStars and led them to a Japan Series title in his first year. He was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 2019.
Takuma Nakahira (中平 卓馬, Nakahira Takuma; July 6, 1938 – September 1, 2015) was a Japanese photographer, critic, and…Takuma Nakahira (中平 卓馬, Nakahira Takuma; July 6, 1938 – September 1, 2015) was a Japanese photographer, critic, and theorist. He was a member of the seminal photography collective Provoke, played a central role in developing the theorization of landscape discourse (fūkei-ron), and was one of the most prominent voices in 1970s Japanese photography.
Akihito Kondo (近藤 昭仁, Kondo Akihito; 1 April 1938 – 27 March 2019) was a Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher.…Akihito Kondo (近藤 昭仁, Kondo Akihito; 1 April 1938 – 27 March 2019) was a Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher. He played for the Taiyō Whales from 1960 to 1973. Kondo was named the Japan Series Most Valuable Player in 1960. He later managed the Yokohama BayStars from 1993 to 1995 and the Chiba Lotte Marines in 1997 and 1998. He died on 27 March 2019, at age 80.
Tetsuya Yoneda (Japanese: 米田 哲也, born March 3, 1938) is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher who spent most…Tetsuya Yoneda (Japanese: 米田 哲也, born March 3, 1938) is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher who spent most of his career with the Hankyu Braves in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball. He was so tough that he was known as Gasoline Tank and also Human Tank. Yoneda was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 2000.
Kazuhisa Inao (稲尾 和久, Inao Kazuhisa; June 10, 1937 – November 13, 2007) was a Japanese pitcher and manager in Nippon…Kazuhisa Inao (稲尾 和久, Inao Kazuhisa; June 10, 1937 – November 13, 2007) was a Japanese pitcher and manager in Nippon Professional Baseball. He played all of his professional seasons for the Nishitetsu Lions. In the 1956 Japan Series, he won all three of his starts to deliver the Lions their first championship. He was given the Fighting Spirit Award, becoming the first (and so far only) player to be given the award for the winning team. In 1957, he won 20 consecutive games and both of his Japan Series starts in another championship run. In the 1958 Japan Series, tasked to save his team from a 3–0 series deficit, he started four consecutive games and won all of them to become the first NPB team to overcome a 3–0 series deficit, and Inao even hit a home in the Game 5 victory as the Lions won their third straight title; he was named Series MVP for his efforts (he was the second player to have won Japan Series MVP and Fighting Spirit Award for a career). He was the Pacific League's Most Valuable Player in 1957 and 1958. He had 42 wins in 1961. Fans called his great success "God, Buddha, Inao". In 1964, he injured his shoulder but came back to full-time pitching, mainly in relief the next season. He retired as a player in 1969, and went on to manage the Nishitetsu Lions from 1970 to 1974. He was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993. His number 24 was retired by the Saitama Seibu Lions on April 30, 2012.
Kaoru Nakamaru (中丸 薫, Nakamaru Kaoru; born 23 May 1937) is a Japanese journalist, television interviewer, and author…Kaoru Nakamaru (中丸 薫, Nakamaru Kaoru; born 23 May 1937) is a Japanese journalist, television interviewer, and author with a background in international politics.
Minoru Betsuyaku (別役 実, Betsuyaku Minoru; 1937 – March 3, 2020) was one of Japan's most prominent postwar playwrights…Minoru Betsuyaku (別役 実, Betsuyaku Minoru; 1937 – March 3, 2020) was one of Japan's most prominent postwar playwrights, novelists, and essayists, associated with the Angura ("underground") theater movement in Japan. He won a name for himself as a writer in the "nonsense" genre and helped lay the foundations of the Japanese "theater of the absurd." His works focused on the aftermath of the war and especially the nuclear holocaust.
Hiromi Wada (和田 博実, Wada Hiromi; March 26, 1937 – June 22, 2009) was a Japanese professional baseball catcher. He spent…Hiromi Wada (和田 博実, Wada Hiromi; March 26, 1937 – June 22, 2009) was a Japanese professional baseball catcher. He spent most of his career with the Nishitetsu Lions of Nippon Professional Baseball, and died of pancreatic cancer in Fukuoka in 2009.
Toshiharu Ueda (上田 利治, Ueda Toshiharu; January 18, 1937 – July 1, 2017) was a professional Japanese baseball player…Toshiharu Ueda (上田 利治, Ueda Toshiharu; January 18, 1937 – July 1, 2017) was a professional Japanese baseball player, coach, and manager. In 20 seasons as a manager, he won 1,322 games and led the Hankyu Braves to three Japan Series titles (which included their first championship in 1975) to go along with five Pacific League pennants. He is one of six managers to win the Japan Series three times in NPB history. He was elected to the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003.
