January 3: 78 people
Kunio Iwahashi (岩橋 邦雄, Iwahashi Kunio; born 3 January 1939) is a Japanese field hockey player. He competed at the 1960…
Kunio Iwahashi (岩橋 邦雄, Iwahashi Kunio; born 3 January 1939) is a Japanese field hockey player. He competed at the 1960 Summer Olympics and the 1964 Summer Olympics.
Hideo Usui (臼井 日出男, Usui Hideo; born 3 January 1939) is a retired Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party…
Hideo Usui (臼井 日出男, Usui Hideo; born 3 January 1939) is a retired Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, who served as a member of the House of Representatives, the lower house of the National Diet. He served as Minister of Justice from 1999 to 2000.
Gotaro Yoshimura (吉村 剛太郎, Yoshimura Gōtarō; born January 3, 1939) is a former Japanese politician of the People's New…
Gotaro Yoshimura (吉村 剛太郎, Yoshimura Gōtarō; born January 3, 1939) is a former Japanese politician of the People's New Party and the Liberal Democratic Party, who served as a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Harbin in Manchukuo and graduate of Waseda University, he was elected to the House of Councillors for the first time in 1992 after serving in the assembly of Fukuoka Prefecture for three terms.
Shun'ichi Amari (甘利 俊一, Amari Shun'ichi) (born 1936) is a Japanese engineer and neuroscientist, known as a pioneer of…
Shun'ichi Amari (甘利 俊一, Amari Shun'ichi) (born 1936) is a Japanese engineer and neuroscientist, known as a pioneer of information geometry and artificial intelligence.
Fusanishiki Katsuhiko (born Seisho Sakura; January 3, 1936 – July 21, 1993) was a sumo wrestler from Ichikawa, Chiba…
Fusanishiki Katsuhiko (born Seisho Sakura; January 3, 1936 – July 21, 1993) was a sumo wrestler from Ichikawa, Chiba, Japan. He made his professional debut in January 1952 and reached the top division in May 1957. His highest rank was sekiwake . Upon retirement from active competition, he became an elder in the Japan Sumo Association. He married the daughter of his stable master, ex-maegashira Shachinosato. He was head coach at Wakamatsu stable from 1979 until 1990, when he left the Sumo Association because of poor health. Former ōzeki Asashio Tarō IV took over as Wakamatsu's head coach in March 1990.
Kōjirō Akagi (赤木 曠児郎, Akagi Kōjirō) (3 January 1934 – 15 February 2021) was a Japanese painter. He was born in Okayama…
Kōjirō Akagi (赤木 曠児郎, Akagi Kōjirō) (3 January 1934 – 15 February 2021) was a Japanese painter. He was born in Okayama, Japan, but was based in France.
Hitoshi Konno (紺野 仁, Konno Hitoshi; born 3 January 1934) is a Japanese basketball player. He competed in the men's…
Hitoshi Konno (紺野 仁, Konno Hitoshi; born 3 January 1934) is a Japanese basketball player. He competed in the men's tournament at the 1956 Summer Olympics.
Setsuko Thurlow (サーロー 節子, Sārō Setsuko; born 3 January 1932), born Setsuko Nakamura (中村 節子, Nakamura Setsuko), is a…
Setsuko Thurlow (サーロー 節子, Sārō Setsuko; born 3 January 1932), born Setsuko Nakamura (中村 節子, Nakamura Setsuko), is a Japanese–Canadian nuclear disarmament campaigner and Hibakusha who survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on 6 August 1945. She is mostly known throughout the world for being a leading figure of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear weapons (ICAN) and to have given the acceptance speech for its reception of the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize.
Shinsaku Tsukawaki (塚脇伸作, Tsukawaki Shinsaku; 3 January 1931 – 15 September 1993) was a Japanese gymnast who competed…
Shinsaku Tsukawaki (塚脇伸作, Tsukawaki Shinsaku; 3 January 1931 – 15 September 1993) was a Japanese gymnast who competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics.
Rokusaburō Michiba (Japanese: 道場 六三郎, Hepburn: Michiba Rokusaburō; born 3 January 1931) is a Japanese chef, best known…
Rokusaburō Michiba (Japanese: 道場 六三郎, Hepburn: Michiba Rokusaburō; born 3 January 1931) is a Japanese chef, best known as the inaugural Japanese Iron Chef on the television series Iron Chef. He was born in Yamanaka, Ishikawa. His tenure on the program lasted from its debut in 1993 until his retirement on his 65th birthday, January 3, 1996.
Tihiro Ohkawa (Japanese: 大河千弘, Hepburn: Ōkawa Chihiro; January 3, 1928 - September 27, 2014) was a Japanese physicist…
Tihiro Ohkawa (Japanese: 大河千弘, Hepburn: Ōkawa Chihiro; January 3, 1928 - September 27, 2014) was a Japanese physicist whose field of work was in plasma physics and fusion power. He was a pioneer in developing ways to generate electricity by nuclear fusion when he worked at General Atomics. Ohkawa died September 27, 2014, in La Jolla, California, at the age of 86.
Toshiko Okanoue (岡上 淑子, Okanoue Toshiko; born 3 January 1928) is a Japanese artist associated with the Japanese…
Toshiko Okanoue (岡上 淑子, Okanoue Toshiko; born 3 January 1928) is a Japanese artist associated with the Japanese avant-garde art world of the 1950s and best known for her Surrealist photo collages.
Sumiko Haneda (Japanese: 羽田澄子; born 3 January 1926) is a Japanese film director.She is one of the prominent post-war…
Sumiko Haneda (Japanese: 羽田澄子; born 3 January 1926) is a Japanese film director.She is one of the prominent post-war documentary filmmakers in Japan who speaks for women and their roles in society through the portrayal of these themes in her films.Haneda also played a role in the establishment of the Tokyo International Women’s Film Festival (1985-2012), the first event of its kind in Japan.
Kō Nakahira (中平康, Nakahira Kō; January 3, 1926- September 11, 1978) was a Japanese film director.
Kim Chung-yum (Korean: 김정렴; Hanja: 金正濂; 3 January 1924 – 25 April 2020) was a South Korean politician. Under President…
Kim Chung-yum (Korean: 김정렴; Hanja: 金正濂; 3 January 1924 – 25 April 2020) was a South Korean politician. Under President Park Chung Hee, he was the longest serving chief presidential secretary in South Korean history. He also served as Minister of Finance and Minister of Commerce and Industry, playing a leading role in the country's miraculous economic development. Kim died on April 25, 2020.
Susumu Ishii (Japanese: 石井 進; 1924–1991) was the second kaicho (godfather) of the Inagawa-kai yakuza gang in Japan. He…
Susumu Ishii (Japanese: 石井 進; 1924–1991) was the second kaicho (godfather) of the Inagawa-kai yakuza gang in Japan. He was also fifth socho of the Yokosuka-ikka. Ishii was born in Yokosuka in 1924. As a child, he moved with his family to Kamakura where they ran a small noodle shop. In World War II, he was assigned to a kaiten unit of the Japanese Navy but was not given the chance to take part in a suicide attack. After the war, he became a yakuza and joined the Inagawa-kai in 1958. He rose to the number two position in that gang, but was imprisoned for a gambling scam from 1978 to 1984. After serving his time in prison Ishii spoke to the media, saying; "We cannot succeed in the yakuza world unless we are active and aggressive until our early forties. After that, we have to adapt our lives to ordinary society. We cannot always be so forceful." His house remains in Yokosuka city, a three-storey, brick house in French, Greek and Italian styles. Ishii owned the Iwama Country Club, with a 36 holes, luxurious golf course. Ishii gathered the wealthiest of Japan and asked them to buy memberships, at a cost of over 200,000 USD. The golf course was a success, bringing millions to Ishii. He was released from prison at the start of Japan's bubble economy in 1984. Through various loans, banking deals, and real estate scams, he accumulated assets of over $4 billion which he invested in projects around the world, including in Korea and the United States. In 1989, his group even hired Prescott Bush Jr., the brother of President George H. W. Bush, as an advisor (Bush denied knowing his clients' criminal background). The Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper stated, "Almost every money transaction was related to Susumu Ishii in the 80s and 90s." Ishii's money went overseas as well. He invested in hotels in Monaco, Hong Kong and America. In total he invested 700 million dollars around the world. Throughout various investments he was able to have successful international relations and grow his money. Ishii was known as the "World's Richest Gangster" or "The Gangster With the Golden Touch".
Masaaki Fujita (藤田 正明, Fujita Masaaki; January 3, 1922 – May 27, 1996) was a Japanese politician who served as a member…
Masaaki Fujita (藤田 正明, Fujita Masaaki; January 3, 1922 – May 27, 1996) was a Japanese politician who served as a member of the House of Councillors. Fujita was born and brought up in Hiroshima City and he graduated from Waseda University in 1944. During his 30-year political career, he served in some important posts such as the Director General of Okinawa Development Agency (1976-1977) and the President of the House of Councillors (1986-1988). He received the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun in 1992.
Natsuko Kahara (賀原夏子, Kahara Natsuko; 3 January 1921 – 20 February 1991) was a Japanese stage and film actress. She was…
Natsuko Kahara (賀原夏子, Kahara Natsuko; 3 January 1921 – 20 February 1991) was a Japanese stage and film actress. She was a member of the Bungakuza theatre company and regularly appeared in the films of director Mikio Naruse. During her 50 years spanning career, she also worked for directors such as Yasujirō Ozu, Akira Kurosawa, Keisuke Kinoshita and Tadashi Imai.
Isaji Tanaka (田中 伊三次, Tanaka Isaji, 3 January 1906 – 11 April 1987) was a Japanese politician, cabinet minister, and…
Isaji Tanaka (田中 伊三次, Tanaka Isaji, 3 January 1906 – 11 April 1987) was a Japanese politician, cabinet minister, and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. First elected in 1942, Ishii served 15 terms in the Japanese House of Representatives until retiring in 1983. From 1963 to 1965, he served as the 44th Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, and later served two stints as Minister of Justice under prime ministers Eisaku Satō and Kakuei Tanaka.
Shirō Toyoda (豊田 四郎, Toyoda Shirō; 3 January 1906 – 13 November 1977) was a Japanese film director and screenwriter who…
Shirō Toyoda (豊田 四郎, Toyoda Shirō; 3 January 1906 – 13 November 1977) was a Japanese film director and screenwriter who directed over 60 films during his career which spanned 50 years. He was denoted for his high-quality adaptations of works of many important twentieth-century Japanese writers.
Nobuhito, Prince Takamatsu (高松宮宣仁親王, Takamatsu-no-miya Nobuhito Shinnō; 3 January 1905 – 3 February 1987) was the third…
Nobuhito, Prince Takamatsu (高松宮宣仁親王, Takamatsu-no-miya Nobuhito Shinnō; 3 January 1905 – 3 February 1987) was the third son of Emperor Taishō (Yoshihito) and Empress Teimei (Sadako) and a younger brother of Emperor Shōwa (Hirohito). He became heir to the Takamatsu-no-miya (formerly Arisugawa-no-miya), one of the four shinnōke or branches of the imperial family entitled to inherit the Chrysanthemum Throne in default of a direct heir. From the mid-1920s until the end of World War II, Prince Takamatsu pursued a career in the Japanese Imperial Navy, eventually rising to the rank of captain. Following the war, the prince became patron or honorary president of various organizations in the fields of international cultural exchange, the arts, sports, and medicine. He is mainly remembered for his philanthropic activities as a member of the Imperial House of Japan.
Migishi Setsuko (三岸節子, January 3, 1905 – April 18, 1999) was a Japanese yōga (Western-style) painter. Known for…
Migishi Setsuko (三岸節子, January 3, 1905 – April 18, 1999) was a Japanese yōga (Western-style) painter. Known for employing vivid colors and bold strokes for still-life and landscape, Migishi contributed greatly to the establishment and elevation of the status of female artists in the Japanese art scene.
Kaneshige Toyo (金重 陶陽) (from Okayama, Japan 1896–1967) was a potter in Imbe, Japan. He helped to establish the Japan…
Kaneshige Toyo (金重 陶陽) (from Okayama, Japan 1896–1967) was a potter in Imbe, Japan. He helped to establish the Japan Kōgei Association in 1955, and was deemed a living national treasure in 1956 for his work in the Bizen style ceramics. He was a member of what is known as the "Momoyama revival movement" of the 1930s and is credited with having rediscovered the techniques used to produce the wabi teawares of the Azuchi-Momoyama period.
Yoshio Abe (Japanese: 阿部 余四男, Hepburn: Abe Yoshio; 3 January 1891 – 22 April 1960), from Yamagata Prefecture, was a…
Yoshio Abe (Japanese: 阿部 余四男, Hepburn: Abe Yoshio; 3 January 1891 – 22 April 1960), from Yamagata Prefecture, was a professor of zoology at Hiroshima University of Arts and Science which was amalgamated into Hiroshima University by the enactment of National School Establishment Law and the above-mentioned Hiroshima University after the amalgamation. Abe graduate from University of Tokyo and was the first Japanese scientist to study kinorhynchs, with one such animal, Dracoderes abei, being named after him. Also named after him was Abe's salamander and Abe's Whiskered Bat, Myotis abei Yoshikura 1944, as a tribute from one of his students.
Jōtarō Kawakami (河上 丈太郎; 3 January 1889 – 3 December 1965) was a Japanese politician, academic, lawyer and Christian…
Jōtarō Kawakami (河上 丈太郎; 3 January 1889 – 3 December 1965) was a Japanese politician, academic, lawyer and Christian socialist. Born in Tokyo to a devout Christian family, he studied law at Tokyo Imperial University, taught at Rikkyō University and Kwansei Gakuin University, and was drawn into the labour and socialist movements under the influence of Christian pacifists such as Toyohiko Kagawa. In the 1928 general election, the first held under universal male suffrage, he was elected to the House of Representatives as one of only eight members from a proletarian party (Japan Labour-Farmer Party). He served almost continuously until his death, interrupted only by the postwar occupation purge for his wartime association with the Imperial Rule Assistance Association. After the purge was lifted he became the first chairman of the Right Socialist Party of Japan (1952–1955). In his acceptance speech he declared that "the chairmanship is a cross to me" and that he would bear it until death, earning the enduring nickname "Crucifix Chairman" (十字架委員長). He played a leading role in the 1955 reunification of the Japan Socialist Party and later served as its chairman (1961–1965). A centrist within the party, he advocated democratic socialism, structural reform suited to Japan's high-growth economy, and an active peace movement. He survived a right-wing assassination attempt in 1960 and resigned the chairmanship in 1965 for health reasons; he died later that year with a Bible at his bedside.
Kumaichi Teramoto (寺本 熊市, Teramoto Kumaichi; 1889 – August 15, 1945) was a Japanese Lieutenant General during World War…
Kumaichi Teramoto (寺本 熊市, Teramoto Kumaichi; 1889 – August 15, 1945) was a Japanese Lieutenant General during World War II.
Ichizō Kobayashi (小林 一三, Kobayashi Ichizō; January 3, 1873 – January 25, 1957), occasionally referred to by his…
Ichizō Kobayashi (小林 一三, Kobayashi Ichizō; January 3, 1873 – January 25, 1957), occasionally referred to by his pseudonym Itsuō (逸翁), was a Japanese industrialist and politician. He is best known as the founder of Hankyu Railway, the Takarazuka Revue, and Toho. He served as Minister of Commerce and Industry between 1940 and 1941.
Sone Tatsuzō (曽禰 達蔵; January 3, 1853—December 6, 1937) was a Japanese architect noted for his use of western…
Sone Tatsuzō (曽禰 達蔵; January 3, 1853—December 6, 1937) was a Japanese architect noted for his use of western architectural styles in the later Meiji period. One of the famous disciples of Josiah Conder.