Katsushi Tao (田尾 克史, Tao Katsushi; born 1 May 1963) is a Japanese ski jumper. He competed in the normal hill and large…Katsushi Tao (田尾 克史, Tao Katsushi; born 1 May 1963) is a Japanese ski jumper. He competed in the normal hill and large hill events at the 1988 Winter Olympics.
Yuko Takada Keller (高田ケラー有子, Yuko Takada Keller; born May 1, 1958) is an artist, curator and essayist based in…Yuko Takada Keller (高田ケラー有子, Yuko Takada Keller; born May 1, 1958) is an artist, curator and essayist based in Helsinge, Denmark since 1997. The first exhibition in Denmark was in 1996, container '96 in Copenhagen. She started her art activities in 1982 with woolen tapestries, though, 1985, she traveled around Northern Europe to change her art expression to be hanging sculpture. She creates delicate and ethereal hanging sculptures using tracing paper. After she moved to Denmark in 1997, she primarily exhibits her works in cultural centers and other public spaces, excelling in site-specific installations. In addition to showcasing her own creations, she also works as a curator, organizing exhibitions that introduce numerous Japanese artists to Denmark. Notably, the exhibition "Japanese Suppleness" that she curated was a great success, as Queen Margrethe II visited and guided her exhibition tour. She has also collaborated with musicians in the context of her exhibitions. In recent years, while continuing to use laminated tracing paper, she has incorporated elements of light into her works, utilizing mirror sheets, holographic sheets, and other flexible materials that enhance durability for the public space. She has also written some essays in Japanese newspapers, magazines etc. From 2004 to 2010, she wrote essays for JMM (Japanese Mail Media) as a Japanese citizen residing abroad. Her book about Danish child rearing was published in 2005, from NHK Publishing Co., Ltd. As a volunteer, she has been supporting the school exchange project between Nordstjerneskolen in Helsinge, where her son used to be a student, and the primary school and junior high school in Miyama, Kyoto, Japan, since 2016. Additionally, she contributes to cultural exchange between the two countries through art workshops and by introducing lifestyles and social backgrounds.
Kow Otani (大谷 幸, Ōtani Kō; born May 1, 1957) is a Japanese composer. He is best known for creating the soundtracks for…Kow Otani (大谷 幸, Ōtani Kō; born May 1, 1957) is a Japanese composer. He is best known for creating the soundtracks for the Heisei Gamera trilogy, Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack, Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, and Shadow of the Colossus.
Hiroshi Ogawa (小川 宏, Ogawa Hiroshi; born May 1, 1957), better known as Rossy Ogawa (ロッシー小川, Rosshī Ogawa), is a…Hiroshi Ogawa (小川 宏, Ogawa Hiroshi; born May 1, 1957), better known as Rossy Ogawa (ロッシー小川, Rosshī Ogawa), is a Japanese businessman and professional wrestling promoter. He is the founder and the current head booker of Dream Star Fighting Marigold. He is one of the three founders and former executive producer of the Japanese professional wrestling promotion World Wonder Ring Stardom. Ogawa is often regarded as being instrumental in the modern popularization of women's pro wrestling in Japan.
Kazuro Watanabe (渡辺 和郎, Watanabe Kazurō; born May 1, 1955) is a Japanese amateur astronomer and prolific discoverer of…Kazuro Watanabe (渡辺 和郎, Watanabe Kazurō; born May 1, 1955) is a Japanese amateur astronomer and prolific discoverer of minor planets. He was born in Hokkaidō, Japan and is a member of the Astronomical Society of Japan as well as of the Oriental Astronomical Association. Through publications and the direction of junior associates, this asteroid hunter has been responsible for the discovery of nearly 700 asteroids, many of them in association with Kin Endate. He is the author or co-author of the Japanese publications Asteroid Hunter (小惑星ハンター), Celestial Body Photography Manual (天体写真マニュアル), The Celestial Sky of Our Dreams (僕らの夢の星空), as well as others. He is also a frequent contributor to the Japanese periodical Monthly Astronomical Guide (月刊天文ガイド). The minor planet 4155 Watanabe has been named in his honor.
Kuniko Tanioka (谷岡 郁子, Tanioka Kuniko; born 1954) is a Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of Japan, a member…Kuniko Tanioka (谷岡 郁子, Tanioka Kuniko; born 1954) is a Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of Japan, a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Osaka Prefecture, she graduated from the University of Toronto in Ontario, Canada and gained a bachelor's degree in developmental biology. She was elected to the House of Councillors for the first time in 2007. She is president of Shigakkan University.
Akihiro Maeta (前田 昭博, Maeta Akihiro) (from Tottori, Japan, born May 1, 1954) is a Japanese ceramic artist known for…Akihiro Maeta (前田 昭博, Maeta Akihiro) (from Tottori, Japan, born May 1, 1954) is a Japanese ceramic artist known for white porcelain. He is a Living National Treasure of Japan and a member of the Japan Kōgei Association. Maeta's style is achieved by hand-forming his works as opposed to forming them on a potter's wheel. He uses his fingers, palms, and a blade to perfect the shape of his white porcelain sculptures.
Mayumi Aoki (青木 まゆみ, Aoki Mayumi; born May 1, 1953) is a Japanese swimmer. She competed at the 1972 Summer Olympics in…Mayumi Aoki (青木 まゆみ, Aoki Mayumi; born May 1, 1953) is a Japanese swimmer. She competed at the 1972 Summer Olympics in the 100 m and 200 m butterfly and 4 × 100 m medley relay and won a gold medal in the 100 m butterfly. She won a bronze medal in this event at the 1973 World Aquatics Championships. In 1972 she twice broke the world record in the 100 m butterfly. After retiring from competition she worked as a swimming coach and a high school teacher. In 1989 she was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
Tomotsugu Kutsuwada (轡田 友継, Kutsuwada Tomotsugu; May 1, 1947 – October 12, 2004) was a Japanese professional wrestler…Tomotsugu Kutsuwada (轡田 友継, Kutsuwada Tomotsugu; May 1, 1947 – October 12, 2004) was a Japanese professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Samson Kutsuwada (サムソン・クツワダ, Samuson Kutsuwada).
Yoko Aki (阿木 燿子, Aki Yōko; born May 1, 1945) is a Japanese songwriter, actress, novelist and essayist. With her…Yoko Aki (阿木 燿子, Aki Yōko; born May 1, 1945) is a Japanese songwriter, actress, novelist and essayist. With her husband, Ryudo Uzaki, she has written many songs for other singers, with Aki as lyricist and Uzaki as composer. They are especially famous for a series of hit songs of Momoe Yamaguchi's. She has acted in several films, and she won the award for best supporting actress at the 5th Hochi Film Award for Shiki Natsuko. She was a model under an exclusive contract with Kanebo Cosmetics for many years.
Isao Kakihara (垣原 功, Kakihara Isao; born 1 May 1944) is a Japanese ice hockey player. He competed in the men's…Isao Kakihara (垣原 功, Kakihara Isao; born 1 May 1944) is a Japanese ice hockey player. He competed in the men's tournament at the 1972 Winter Olympics.
Tsutomu Takebe (武部 勤, Takebe Tsutomu; born 1 May 1941 in Shari, Hokkaidō) is a Japanese politician who served as…Tsutomu Takebe (武部 勤, Takebe Tsutomu; born 1 May 1941 in Shari, Hokkaidō) is a Japanese politician who served as secretary general of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party from 2004 to 2006. He was succeeded by Hidenao Nakagawa.
Ritsuko Nagao (Japanese: 長尾立子, romanized: Nagao Ritsuko; 1 May 1933 – 10 January 2026) was a Japanese politician who…Ritsuko Nagao (Japanese: 長尾立子, romanized: Nagao Ritsuko; 1 May 1933 – 10 January 2026) was a Japanese politician who was the first woman to serve as the Minister of Justice. In 1996, Nagao was appointed to the Cabinet of Japan as the Minister of Justice by Ryutaro Hashimoto, where she was the only woman and only appointee who was not a member of Parliament already. Before her appointment as the Minister of Justice, she worked as a bureaucrat in the Health and Welfare Ministry. Nagao died on 10 January 2026, at the age of 92.
Kazuhiro Yamauchi (山内 一弘, Yamauchi Kazuhiro; May 1, 1932 – February 2, 2009) was a Japanese baseball player and…Kazuhiro Yamauchi (山内 一弘, Yamauchi Kazuhiro; May 1, 1932 – February 2, 2009) was a Japanese baseball player and manager. He played for the Mainichi Orions, the Hanshin Tigers and the Hiroshima Toyo Carp over the span of an 18 season-long career (1952–1970). Yamauchi was the first Japanese professional baseball player to hit 300 home runs, achieving that feat on July 4, 1963. Some of his career stats include 7,702 at bats, 1,218 runs, 2,271 hits, 396 home runs, 1,286 runs batted in, 118 stolen bases, 1,061 walks, and a batting average of .292. After retiring as a player in 1970, he went on to become an NPB manager and coach for nearly 30 years. He was a founding member of the Meikyukai ("The Golden Players Club") in 1978, and was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 2002. Yamauchi died of liver failure in a Tokyo hospital on February 2, 2009. He was 76.
Mitsuo Hashimoto (橋本 光雄, Hashimoto Mitsuo; May 1, 1931 – May 24, 1997), better known by the stage name Kinpei Azusa…Mitsuo Hashimoto (橋本 光雄, Hashimoto Mitsuo; May 1, 1931 – May 24, 1997), better known by the stage name Kinpei Azusa (あずさ 欣平, Azusa Kinpei), was a Japanese voice actor born in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. He was employed by the talent management firm Aoni Production. Between the ages of three and six, Azusa was trained in the theatre. At the age of five, he was given the name Kinzō Azusa. On May 1, 1962, Azusa undertook the establishment of a coaching foundation, Gekidan Geikyō (currently represented by Takeshi Aono). Azusa died in 1997 at the age of 66.
Morio Kita (北 杜夫, Kita Morio) was the pen name of Sokichi Saitō (斎藤 宗吉, Saitō Sōkichi; 1 May 1927 – 24 October 2011), a…Morio Kita (北 杜夫, Kita Morio) was the pen name of Sokichi Saitō (斎藤 宗吉, Saitō Sōkichi; 1 May 1927 – 24 October 2011), a Japanese psychiatrist, novelist and essayist. Kita was the second son of poet Mokichi Saitō. Shigeta Saitō, his older brother, was also a psychiatrist. The essayist Yuka Saitō is Kita's daughter. Kita attended Azabu High School and Matsumoto Higher School (now part of Shinshu University), and graduated from Tohoku University's School of Medicine. He initially worked as a doctor at Keio University Hospital. Motivated by the collections of his father's poems and the books of German author Thomas Mann, he decided to become a novelist. Kita suffered from manic–depressive disorder from middle age onwards.
Kazuhiko Sugawara (菅原 和彦, Sugawara Kazuhiko; 1 May 1927 – 27 October 1962) was a Japanese speed skater who competed in…Kazuhiko Sugawara (菅原 和彦, Sugawara Kazuhiko; 1 May 1927 – 27 October 1962) was a Japanese speed skater who competed in the 1952 Winter Olympics. He finished seventh in the 10000 m and 15th in the 5000 m event.
Akira Yoshimura (吉村 昭, Yoshimura Akira; May 1, 1927 – July 31, 2006) was a Japanese writer. Internationally he is best…Akira Yoshimura (吉村 昭, Yoshimura Akira; May 1, 1927 – July 31, 2006) was a Japanese writer. Internationally he is best known for his novels Shipwrecks and On Parole.
Toshio Takahara (高原 駿雄, Takahara Toshio; 1 May 1927 – 26 February 2000) was a Japanese actor. Notable film appearances…Toshio Takahara (高原 駿雄, Takahara Toshio; 1 May 1927 – 26 February 2000) was a Japanese actor. Notable film appearances were Seven Samurai and Twenty-Four Eyes. He is also known for his role as Commander Gonpachi Edogawa in the tokusatsu superhero series Himitsu Sentai Gorenger. He started his acting career at the Bungakuza theatre company in 1941. In 1943, he made his stage debut with Denen . He gave his film debut with Ginza no Odoriko in 1950. Takahara signed his contract with Nikkatsu studio between 1956 and 1960 and starred in many Nikatsu films, including Sun in the Last Days of the Shogunate directed by Yūzō Kawashima and Pigs and Battleships directed by Shōhei Imamura. He died of heart failure on 26 February 2000.
Izuo Hayashi (林 厳雄, Hayashi Izuo) (May 1, 1922 – September 26, 2005) was a Japanese physicist. Hayashi was born in…Izuo Hayashi (林 厳雄, Hayashi Izuo) (May 1, 1922 – September 26, 2005) was a Japanese physicist. Hayashi was born in Tokyo in 1922 and graduated from the faculty of science, University of Tokyo in 1946. He worked as assistant professor at the Institute for Nuclear Research of the same university and defended his PhD in 1962. After the PhD defense, he stayed for a year at MIT, and between 1964 and 1971 worked at Bell Labs on semiconductor lasers. In 1970, Hayashi helped develop the first room-temperature continuous-wave semiconductor injection laser with double heterostructure. In 1971 he joined the Research Laboratories of NEC where he continued his studies of semiconductor lasers, aiming to improve their reliability and lifetime. Between 1982 and 1987 he was a head scientist at NEC, and in 1987–1994 became director of the Optoelectronics Technology Research Laboratory in Tsukuba. From 1994 until retirement in 1996, he served as advisor in the same laboratory. Hayashi died of acute leukemia in 2005.
Shunkichi Kikuchi (菊池 俊吉, Kikuchi Shunkichi; 1 May 1916 – 5 November 1990) was a Japanese photographer best known for…Shunkichi Kikuchi (菊池 俊吉, Kikuchi Shunkichi; 1 May 1916 – 5 November 1990) was a Japanese photographer best known for his documentation of Hiroshima and Tokyo immediately after the war. Kikuchi was born in Hanamaki, Iwate on 1 May 1916. After graduating from the Oriental School of Photography, Kikuchi was employed in the Photography Division of Tokyo Kōgeisha and began his career as a news photographer. In 1941 he worked in the photography division of Tōhōsha, a company established by Sōzō Okada and in 1942 was a member of the photographic staff of the magazine Front. His work took him to China, "Manchukuo" and the Philippines. In 1945, the Ministry of Education organized the "Science Council of Japan Special Committee on the Damage Caused by the Atomic Bomb, Hiroshima/Nagasaki Survey Group", and commissioned Nippon Eiga-sha as its Documentary Film Division. Kikuchi served as a still photographer attached to the division and was hired to shoot for medical purposes. He recorded post-atomic bomb Hiroshima from 30 September to 22 October 1945. In November he was back photographing Tokyo, particularly a home for vagrant children. Kikuchi also helped establish a new magazine where he became involved in scientific photography for the first time. From 1951 Kikuchi's photographs were published in such prominent magazines as Sekai, Chūōkōron, and Fujin Kōron. Kikuchi died on 5 November 1990 aged 74 from leukemia, which many have attributed to his extensive work in irradiated Hiroshima.
Lieutenant Colonel Inaba Masao (稲葉 正夫, Inaba Masao; May 1, 1908 - October 10, 1973) was a Japanese officer during World…Lieutenant Colonel Inaba Masao (稲葉 正夫, Inaba Masao; May 1, 1908 - October 10, 1973) was a Japanese officer during World War II of the Military Affairs Bureau. In 1945, after the Emperor and his ministers were seeking to surrender, he urged Korechika Anami, the War Minister, that the soldiers be told to keep fighting, especially with the Soviet Union massing its forces. He prepared a statement urging soldiers to fight to the bitter end, without reference to surrender. Two lieutenant colonels, one of them Masahiko Takeshita, came to tell him that the Cabinet was about to issue a statement hinting at surrender, and they hastened to broadcast his message without Anami's approval. The Director of the Information Bureau, Hiroshi Shimomura, concluded that without its broadcast, Anami might be assassinated by younger officers, and so broadcast it. This caused consternation in the government, which feared that his statement would provoke a third atomic bomb, and arranged for the message to be sent as a news broadcast, in English and Morse code, to escape military censors and so arrive in time. When the Kyūjō Incident was plotted, to prevent the emperor's declaration of surrender from being broadcast, Inaba refused to join the conspiracy and told the conspirators that the attempt was useless.
Suda Kokuta (Japanese: 須田 剋太; 1 May 1906 – 14 July 1990) was a Japanese artist of the 20th century. He is known for his…Suda Kokuta (Japanese: 須田 剋太; 1 May 1906 – 14 July 1990) was a Japanese artist of the 20th century. He is known for his paintings and calligraphy.
Yukiharu Miki (三木 行治, Miki Yukiharu; 1 May 1903 – 21 September 1964) was a Japanese physician and politician. He served…Yukiharu Miki (三木 行治, Miki Yukiharu; 1 May 1903 – 21 September 1964) was a Japanese physician and politician. He served as Governor for the Okayama Prefecture from 3 May 1951 until his death on 21 September 1964. During his period as governor, the prefecture went through considerable modernisation, becoming an important industrial district. Yukiharu Miki was awarded the 1964 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Service.
Wataru Kaji (鹿地 亘, Kaji Wataru; 1 May 1903 – 26/27 July 1982) was the nom de guerre for Mitsugi Seguchi (瀬口 貢, Seguchi…Wataru Kaji (鹿地 亘, Kaji Wataru; 1 May 1903 – 26/27 July 1982) was the nom de guerre for Mitsugi Seguchi (瀬口 貢, Seguchi Mitsugi), a Japanese writer, literary critic, and political activist. During his lifetime, he worked as an anti-militarist activist in pre-war Japan, and, after the outbreak of World War II, joined the Chinese resistance to Imperial Japan. After the war, he would be kidnapped and tortured by US intelligence under suspicion of being a Soviet spy.
Ken Kuronuma (Japanese: 黒沼健, Hepburn: Kuronuma Ken; 1 May 1902 – 5 July 1985) was the pen-name of novelist, science…Ken Kuronuma (Japanese: 黒沼健, Hepburn: Kuronuma Ken; 1 May 1902 – 5 July 1985) was the pen-name of novelist, science fiction, and mystery writer in Shōwa period Japan. His real name was Michio Soda (左右田道雄, Sōda Michio). His father, Sōda Kiichirō (左右田喜一郎), was an economist and a banker. Kuronuma was the writer of the Kaiju classic Giant Monster of the Sky: Rodan (known in Japan as Sora no Daikaijū: Radon (空の大怪獣 ラドン, Sora no Daikaijū Radon)), a 1956 tokusatsu film produced by Tōhō Studios. The film followed in the footsteps of Godzilla and was also popular in the United States. He followed on the success of Rodan with Varan the Unbelievable in 1958. It proved to be one of the least popular of the Tōhō movies of all time, and nearly destroyed his career. Kuronuma turned his attention to television drama, writing scripts for one of Japan's first science fiction series, Undersea Man 8823 (海底人8823, Kaiteijin 8823), which ran for 26 episodes: from 3 January 1960 to 28 June 1960. In addition to writing for the series, he also helped to compose the music.
Gaijiro Fujishima (藤島亥治郎, Fujishima Gaijirō) (1 May 1899 – 15 July 2002), was a Japanese architectural historian. His…Gaijiro Fujishima (藤島亥治郎, Fujishima Gaijirō) (1 May 1899 – 15 July 2002), was a Japanese architectural historian. His son, Yukihiko Fujishima, is a lecturer at Waseda University.
Baron Mineo Ōsumi (大角 岑生, Ōsumi Mineo; 1 May 1876 – 5 February 1941) was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy and…Baron Mineo Ōsumi (大角 岑生, Ōsumi Mineo; 1 May 1876 – 5 February 1941) was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy and served twice as Minister of the Navy of Japan during the volatile 1930s.
Hamaguchi Osachi (Kyūjitai: 濱口 雄幸; Shinjitai: 浜口 雄幸, 1 April 1870 – 26 August 1931) was a Japanese politician who…Hamaguchi Osachi (Kyūjitai: 濱口 雄幸; Shinjitai: 浜口 雄幸, 1 April 1870 – 26 August 1931) was a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 1929 to 1931. Nicknamed the "Lion Prime Minister" (ライオン宰相, Raion Saishō) due to his dignified demeanor and mane-like hair, Hamaguchi served as leading member of the liberal Rikken Minseitō (Constitutional Democratic Party) during the "Taishō Democracy" of interwar Japan. He was a member of the House of Representatives from 1915 until his death. He initially survived an assassination attempt by a right-wing extremist in 1930, but died about nine months later from a bacterial infection in his unhealed wounds.
Senshō Murakami (村上専精, 1 May 1851 – 31 October 1929) was a Meiji period Buddhist scholar and Jodo Shinshu priest. He…Senshō Murakami (村上専精, 1 May 1851 – 31 October 1929) was a Meiji period Buddhist scholar and Jodo Shinshu priest. He famously introduced Western scholarship on Buddhism to Japan, and because of this was forced to resign from the Japanese Buddhist priesthood. However, ten years later he was reinstated into the priesthood. He belonged to the Ōtani-ha branch of Shin Buddhism.