Yoshinori Ohsumi (大隅 良典, Ōsumi Yoshinori; born February 9, 1945) is a Japanese cell biologist specializing in…Yoshinori Ohsumi (大隅 良典, Ōsumi Yoshinori; born February 9, 1945) is a Japanese cell biologist specializing in autophagy, the process that cells use to destroy and recycle cellular components. Ohsumi is a professor at Institute of Science Tokyo's Institute of Innovative Research. He received the Kyoto Prize for Basic Sciences in 2012, the 2016 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, and the 2017 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences for his discoveries of mechanisms for autophagy.
Tadahiro Matsushita (松下 忠洋, Matsushita Tadahiro; 9 February 1939 – 10 September 2012) was a Japanese politician and…Tadahiro Matsushita (松下 忠洋, Matsushita Tadahiro; 9 February 1939 – 10 September 2012) was a Japanese politician and five-time member of the House of Representatives of Japan. He served in government from 1962 when he joined the Ministry of Construction to 2012. At the time of his death, he was the Minister of State for Financial Services. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1993, and was re-elected to four consecutive terms. However, when he failed to support postal privatization, the leaders of his party, the Liberal Democratic Party, refused to support his 2005 campaign. As a result, he dropped out of the race. He returned to run again in 2009, this time as a member of a smaller group, the recently founded People's New Party. He won his election, and for the rest of his life was one of only three members of his party to hold a seat in the House.
Maedagawa Katsu (born Katsuro Takahashi; February 9, 1939 – November 4, 1998) was a sumo wrestler from Esashi, Iwate…Maedagawa Katsu (born Katsuro Takahashi; February 9, 1939 – November 4, 1998) was a sumo wrestler from Esashi, Iwate, Japan. He made his professional debut in September 1952, and reached the top division in November 1960. His highest rank was sekiwake. He retired from active competition in May 1967.
Takamitsu Muraoka (村岡 崇光, Muraoka Takamitsu; 9 February 1938 – 10 February 2026) was a Japanese Semitist. He was Chair…Takamitsu Muraoka (村岡 崇光, Muraoka Takamitsu; 9 February 1938 – 10 February 2026) was a Japanese Semitist. He was Chair of Hebrew, Israelite Antiquities, and Ugaritic at Leiden University in the Netherlands from 1991 to 2003 and is most notable for his studies of Hebrew and Aramaic linguistics and the ancient translations of the Bible, notably of the Septuagint.
Tatsuro Hirooka (広岡 達朗, Hirooka Tatsurō born February 9, 1932) is a Japanese retired professional baseball player and…Tatsuro Hirooka (広岡 達朗, Hirooka Tatsurō born February 9, 1932) is a Japanese retired professional baseball player and manager. Hirooka played his entire career, from 1954 to 1966, for the Yomiuri Giants. He was awarded the Central League rookie of the year award in 1954. From 1961 to 1966, Hirooka was a player-coach for the Giants. As a manager for the Yakult Swallows (1976–1979) and then the Seibu Lions (1982–1985), Hirooka was known for his tough-love style. Nicknamed "The Iron Shogun", he thrice led his teams to the Japan Series championship — in 1978, 1982, and 1983. With his championships for Yakult and Seibu, he is the third and currently last manager to win the Japan Series with multiple teams. He won the Matsutaro Shoriki Award — presented to a person (a manager or player) who greatly contributes to the development of professional baseball — in 1978 and 1982. He was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1992.
Hajime Hana (Japanese: ハナ肇, Hepburn: Hana Hajime; February 9, 1930 – September 10, 1993) was a Japanese actor. He was…Hajime Hana (Japanese: ハナ肇, Hepburn: Hana Hajime; February 9, 1930 – September 10, 1993) was a Japanese actor. He was the leader of the comic jazz band The Crazy Cats, which featured such talent as Hitoshi Ueki and Kei Tani, and which starred in a series of film comedies (such as the "Irresponsible" (Musekinin) series at Toho) and in TV variety shows such as "Shabondama Holiday." He won the award for best actor at the 31st Blue Ribbon Awards for Kaisha monogatari: Memories of You.
Taiji Kase (加瀬 泰治, Kase Taiji; 9 February 1929 – 24 November 2004) was a Japanese master of Shotokan karate who was one…Taiji Kase (加瀬 泰治, Kase Taiji; 9 February 1929 – 24 November 2004) was a Japanese master of Shotokan karate who was one of the earliest masters responsible for introducing this martial art into Europe. He taught his style of karate, Shotokan Ryu Kase Ha, in France from the late 1960s to the mid-1980s. In his later years, he travelled across the world teaching karate, but Paris remained his home. Kase held the rank of 9th dan in karate.
Junkichi Orimoto (織本 順吉, Orimoto Junkichi; 9 February 1927 – 18 March 2019) was a Japanese actor. Orimoto often worked…Junkichi Orimoto (織本 順吉, Orimoto Junkichi; 9 February 1927 – 18 March 2019) was a Japanese actor. Orimoto often worked with Kinji Fukasaku and Sadao Nakajima. He started his acting career at the Shinkyō theatre company in 1949. His first film appearance was in the 1952 film Yamabiko Gakkō directed by Tadashi Imai. In 2019, he died of old age at the age of 92. His final film appearance was in the 2018 film blank13.
Masayoshi Nagata (Japanese: 永田 雅宜 Nagata Masayoshi; February 9, 1927 – August 27, 2008) was a Japanese mathematician…Masayoshi Nagata (Japanese: 永田 雅宜 Nagata Masayoshi; February 9, 1927 – August 27, 2008) was a Japanese mathematician, known for his work in the field of commutative algebra. He was celebrated for the construction of a number of intricate counterexamples for some seemingly plausible statements in commutative algebra and algebraic geometry, earning him the nickname "Mr. Counterexample".
Junzō Shōno (庄野 潤三, Shōno Junzō; 9 February 1921 – 21 September 2009) was a Japanese novelist. A native of Osaka, he…Junzō Shōno (庄野 潤三, Shōno Junzō; 9 February 1921 – 21 September 2009) was a Japanese novelist. A native of Osaka, he began writing novels after World War II. He won the 1954 Akutagawa Prize for his book Purusaido Shokei (Poolside Scene). Shōno's other award-winning books include Seibutsu (Still Life), for which he won the Shinchosha literary prize, Yube no Kumo (Evening Clouds), which was awarded the 1965 Yomiuri Prize, and Eawase (Picture Cards) which took the Noma literary prize.
Masao Abe (阿部 正雄, Abe Masao; 1915 – September 10, 2006) was a Japanese Buddhist philosopher and religious studies…Masao Abe (阿部 正雄, Abe Masao; 1915 – September 10, 2006) was a Japanese Buddhist philosopher and religious studies scholar who was emeritus professor at Nara University. He is best known for his work in comparative religion, developing a Buddhist-Christian interfaith dialogue which later also included Judaism. His mature views were developed within the Kyoto School of philosophy. According to Christopher Ives: "Since the death of D. T. Suzuki in 1966, Masao Abe has served as the main representative of Zen Buddhism in Europe and North America."
Minoru Yamamoto (山本 秀, Yamamoto Minoru; 1912 or 1913 to 5 October 1996) was a Japanese composer. He is known…Minoru Yamamoto (山本 秀, Yamamoto Minoru; 1912 or 1913 to 5 October 1996) was a Japanese composer. He is known principally for writing the tune for the Hiroshima Peace Song.
Futabayama Sadaji (双葉山 定次; February 9, 1912 – December 16, 1968) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Oita…Futabayama Sadaji (双葉山 定次; February 9, 1912 – December 16, 1968) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Oita Prefecture. Entering sumo in 1927, he was the sport's 35th yokozuna from 1937 until his retirement in 1945. He won twelve yūshō or top division championships and had a winning streak of 69 consecutive bouts, an all-time record. because of his dominance he was extremely popular with the public. After his retirement he was head coach of Tokitsukaze stable and chairman of the Japan Sumo Association.
Yoshimura Hisato (Japanese: 吉村 寿人; February 9, 1907 – November 29, 1990) was a Japanese medical scientist and…Yoshimura Hisato (Japanese: 吉村 寿人; February 9, 1907 – November 29, 1990) was a Japanese medical scientist and physiologist who served as a member of Unit 731, a biological warfare unit of the Imperial Japanese Army, during World War II and conducted experiments on prisoners of war and civilians in Manchukuo, Northeast China. He later served in several capacities for Japanese research organizations.
Jūkichi Yagi (八木 重吉, Yagi Jūkichi; 9 February 1898 – 26 October 1927) was a Japanese poet active in the late Taishō…Jūkichi Yagi (八木 重吉, Yagi Jūkichi; 9 February 1898 – 26 October 1927) was a Japanese poet active in the late Taishō period and for the first few years of the Shōwa period, who focused on modern religious themes.
Professor Kenji Takagi (1888–1963) was a Japanese orthopedic surgeon, noted for being one of the first people to carry…Professor Kenji Takagi (1888–1963) was a Japanese orthopedic surgeon, noted for being one of the first people to carry out a successful arthroscopy of the knee. Takagi was attached to Tokyo University (where he succeeded Yoshinori Tashiro) in 1918 when he carried out the ground-breaking operation on a cadaver. He had been influenced by the work of Danish surgeon Severin Nordentoft. In 1922, he went to Germany to study the use of x-ray technology there. Following World War II, Takagi's pupil Masaki Watanabe, carried on his work.
Masayuki Tani (谷正之) (9 February 1889 – 26 October 1962) was a Japanese diplomat and politician who was briefly foreign…Masayuki Tani (谷正之) (9 February 1889 – 26 October 1962) was a Japanese diplomat and politician who was briefly foreign minister of Japan from September 1942 to 21 April 1943 during World War II.
Tsuchida Bakusen (土田麦僊; February 9, 1887 – June 10, 1936) was the art-name of a Japanese painter in the Nihonga style…Tsuchida Bakusen (土田麦僊; February 9, 1887 – June 10, 1936) was the art-name of a Japanese painter in the Nihonga style, active during the Taishō and early Shōwa eras. His birth name was Tsuchida Kinji (土田金二).
Ohara Koson (also Ohara Hōson, Ohara Shōson) (Kanazawa 1877 – Tokyo 1945) was a Japanese painter and woodblock print…Ohara Koson (also Ohara Hōson, Ohara Shōson) (Kanazawa 1877 – Tokyo 1945) was a Japanese painter and woodblock print designer of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, at the forefront of shinsaku-hanga and shin-hanga art movements. Ohara Koson was famous as a master of kachō-e (bird-and-flower) designs. Throughout a prolific career, in which he created around 500 prints, he went by three different titles: Ohara Hōson (小原豊邨), Ohara Shōson (小原祥邨) and Ohara Koson.
Natsume Sōseki (; Japanese: 夏目 漱石; born Natsume Kinnosuke (夏目 金之助); 9 February 1867 – 9 December 1916) was a Japanese…Natsume Sōseki (; Japanese: 夏目 漱石; born Natsume Kinnosuke (夏目 金之助); 9 February 1867 – 9 December 1916) was a Japanese novelist, poet, and scholar. He is considered one of the greatest writers in modern Japanese history and is often called the first modern novelist of Japan. Sōseki's fiction explored themes of individualism, loneliness, and the conflict between traditional Japanese values and the rapid Westernization of the Meiji era. His major works include I Am a Cat (1905), Botchan (1906), Sanshirō (1908), Kokoro (1914), and his unfinished final novel Light and Dark (1916). Born on the cusp of the Meiji Restoration, Sōseki had a turbulent childhood, having been given up for adoption twice. He graduated from Tokyo Imperial University and became a scholar of English literature. In 1900, he was sent by the Japanese government to study in London, where he spent two miserable years marked by poverty, racial alienation, and a severe nervous breakdown. Upon his return to Japan, he succeeded Lafcadio Hearn as a lecturer in English literature at Tokyo Imperial University. In 1905, he achieved fame with the publication of the satirical novel I Am a Cat. This success prompted him to begin a prolific writing career, and in 1907, he resigned from his university post to become a full-time author for the Asahi Shimbun newspaper, a move that marked the birth of the professional artist in modern Japan. For the rest of his life, Sōseki published a novel a year while also writing poetry and literary criticism. His work is characterized by its psychological depth, its blend of humor and pessimism, and its exploration of the human ego. Throughout his adult life, he suffered from severe stomach ulcers and recurring bouts of mental illness, including paranoid delusions, which deeply affected his work and personal life. Sōseki died from complications of his stomach condition in 1916 at the age of 49, leaving his final novel, Light and Dark, unfinished. His influence on Japanese literature is profound, and he remains one of the country's most beloved and widely read authors. His portrait appeared on the 1,000-yen banknote from 1984 to 2004.
Akiyama Yoshifuru (秋山 好古; February 9, 1859 – November 4, 1930) was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army, and was…Akiyama Yoshifuru (秋山 好古; February 9, 1859 – November 4, 1930) was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army, and was considered the father of modern Japanese cavalry. He was the older brother of Vice Admiral Akiyama Saneyuki.
Shigetarō Yoshimatsu (吉松茂太郎, Yoshimatsu Shigetarō; February 6, 1859 – January 5, 1935) (sometimes spelled Motaro) was a…Shigetarō Yoshimatsu (吉松茂太郎, Yoshimatsu Shigetarō; February 6, 1859 – January 5, 1935) (sometimes spelled Motaro) was a Japanese admiral during the First Sino-Japanese War and the Russo-Japanese War. He was known for commanding the Tokiwa during the Battle of Tsushima.
Tsurugizan Taniemon (劔山 谷右エ門; January 20, 1852 – November 21, 1910) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from…Tsurugizan Taniemon (劔山 谷右エ門; January 20, 1852 – November 21, 1910) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Kamojima, Oe District (now Awa, Tokushima Prefecture). His highest rank was ōzeki and he is one of only two wrestlers from this prefecture to have reached this rank, being the second overall and the first promoted since Eshimagata's promotion in 1778, 108 years earlier.
Kanagaki Robun (仮名垣 魯文) was the pen name of Nozaki Bunzō (野崎 文蔵) (9 February 1829 – 8 November 1894), a Japanese author…Kanagaki Robun (仮名垣 魯文) was the pen name of Nozaki Bunzō (野崎 文蔵) (9 February 1829 – 8 November 1894), a Japanese author and journalist.
