January 17: 69 people
Shumpei Naruse (成瀬 竣平, Naruse Shunpei; born 17 January 2001) is a Japanese footballer who plays as a right back for…
Shumpei Naruse (成瀬 竣平, Naruse Shunpei; born 17 January 2001) is a Japanese footballer who plays as a right back for Nankatsu SC.
Yuto Kusaba is a Japanese forward currently playing for Kenyan Premier League side Nairobi City Stars.
Taito Gunji (Japanese: 軍司 泰斗, Taito Gunji; born January 17, 1999) is a Japanese kickboxer, currently competing in the…
Taito Gunji (Japanese: 軍司 泰斗, Taito Gunji; born January 17, 1999) is a Japanese kickboxer, currently competing in the featherweight division of K-1. He is the former featherweight champion. A professional competitor since 2015, Gunji is the 2022 K-1 Featherweight World Grand Prix winner, the former Krush Bantamweight champion, and a two-time Krush Super Bantamweight title challenger. As of January 2023, he is ranked as the best bantamweight (-58 kg) and ninth best pound for pound kickboxer in the world by Beyond Kick and the best super flyweight (-58 kg) and tenth best pound for pound kickboxer by Combat Press, who have ranked him in the top ten since August 2021.
Hayato Otani (大谷 駿斗, Ōtani Hayato; born January 17, 1997) is a Japanese football player who currently plays for Zweigen…
Hayato Otani (大谷 駿斗, Ōtani Hayato; born January 17, 1997) is a Japanese football player who currently plays for Zweigen Kanazawa.
Miho Igarashi (born 17 January 1997) is a Japanese freestyle wrestler. She won the gold medal in the 50 kg event at the…
Miho Igarashi (born 17 January 1997) is a Japanese freestyle wrestler. She won the gold medal in the 50 kg event at the 2020 Asian Wrestling Championships in New Delhi, India. She won the gold medal in the women's 48 kg event at the 2015 World Junior Wrestling Championships held in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil. She also won the gold medal in this event at the 2016 World Junior Wrestling Championships held in Mâcon, France. At the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games held in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, she won the silver medal in the 48 kg event.
Kazuma Yamaguchi (山口 一真, Yamaguchi Kazuma; born January 17, 1996) is a Japanese football player for Thespa Gunma.
Taiki Nakashima (中島 大貴, Nakashima Taiki; born January 17, 1995) is a retired Japanese football player who last played…
Taiki Nakashima (中島 大貴, Nakashima Taiki; born January 17, 1995) is a retired Japanese football player who last played for Blaublitz Akita.
Terutsuyoshi Shōki (Japanese: 照強 翔輝; born January 17, 1995 as Shōki Fukuoka (福岡 翔輝, Fukuoka Shōki)) is a Japanese…
Terutsuyoshi Shōki (Japanese: 照強 翔輝; born January 17, 1995 as Shōki Fukuoka (福岡 翔輝, Fukuoka Shōki)) is a Japanese former professional sumo wrestler from Hyōgo Prefecture. He made his debut in March 2010, and wrestled for Isegahama stable. He reached the top makuuchi division in March 2019 and won a special prize for Fighting Spirit before retiring in March 2024. His highest rank has been Maegashira 3. As a professional, he was known for his habit of, during the final salt throw of pre-match rituals, grabbing a huge handful of purifying salt and flinging it high into the air, reminiscent of former sekiwake Mitoizumi.
Kazuki Kamizato (神里 和毅, Kamizato Kazuki; born January 17, 1994) is a professional Japanese baseball player. He plays…
Kazuki Kamizato (神里 和毅, Kamizato Kazuki; born January 17, 1994) is a professional Japanese baseball player. He plays outfielder for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars.
Mutsumi Takayama (高山 睦美, Takayama Mutsumi; born January 17, 1991) is a Japanese former figure skater. She won the 2009…
Mutsumi Takayama (高山 睦美, Takayama Mutsumi; born January 17, 1991) is a Japanese former figure skater. She won the 2009 Ondrej Nepela Memorial.
Kaori Matsumura (松村 香織, Matsumura Kaori; born 17 January 1990 in Wakō, Saitama Prefecture) is a Japanese tarento who is…
Kaori Matsumura (松村 香織, Matsumura Kaori; born 17 January 1990 in Wakō, Saitama Prefecture) is a Japanese tarento who is a former member of SKE48's Team KII.
Jin Watanabe (渡部 仁, Watanabe Jin; born 17 January 1990) is a Japanese handball player for Toyota Auto Body and the…
Jin Watanabe (渡部 仁, Watanabe Jin; born 17 January 1990) is a Japanese handball player for Toyota Auto Body and the Japanese national team. He participated at the 2017 and 2019 World Men's Handball Championship.
Ryūma Tonari (都成 竜馬, Tonari Ryūma; born January 17, 1990) is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 7-dan.
Koji Yamamuro (山室 光史, Yamamuro Kōji; born January 17, 1989 in Koga, Ibaraki) is a Japanese gymnast. He has won two…
Koji Yamamuro (山室 光史, Yamamuro Kōji; born January 17, 1989 in Koga, Ibaraki) is a Japanese gymnast. He has won two Olympic medals in the men's artistic team all-around – silver in 2012 (London) and gold in 2016 (Rio de Janeiro).
Kei Hosoya (細谷 圭, born January 17, 1988) is a Japanese former professional baseball infielder who is currently a coach…
Kei Hosoya (細谷 圭, born January 17, 1988) is a Japanese former professional baseball infielder who is currently a coach for the Toyama GRN Thunderbirds of Baseball Challenge League. He played in his entire career in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Chiba Lotte Marines.
Yang Dai-Kang (Chinese: 陽岱鋼; pinyin: Yáng Dàigāng, a.k.a. Daikan Yoh (Japanese: 陽岱鋼, Hepburn: Yō Daikan); born January…
Yang Dai-Kang (Chinese: 陽岱鋼; pinyin: Yáng Dàigāng, a.k.a. Daikan Yoh (Japanese: 陽岱鋼, Hepburn: Yō Daikan); born January 17, 1987, Taitung City, Taitung County, Taiwan; previously known as Yang Chung-shou or Chung-Shou Yang 陽仲壽) is a Taiwanese professional baseball outfielder for the Oisix Niigata Albirex. He previously played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters and Yomiuri Giants.
Yu Hasebe (長谷部 優, Hasebe Yū; born 17 January 1986) is a Japanese actress, singer and model. She was one of the original…
Yu Hasebe (長谷部 優, Hasebe Yū; born 17 January 1986) is a Japanese actress, singer and model. She was one of the original three members of the J-Pop group "Dream". She debuted as a gravure idol in 2004. She has also starred in a number of Japanese movies and TV dramas. She was formerly a member of a unit called Kingyo with Nao Nagasawa and Aiko Kayō.
Masaki Fujita (藤田 征樹, Fujita Masaki; born 17 January 1985) is a Japanese para-cyclist who competes in road and track…
Masaki Fujita (藤田 征樹, Fujita Masaki; born 17 January 1985) is a Japanese para-cyclist who competes in road and track events.
Toshiyuki Igarashi (五十嵐 俊幸, Igarashi Toshiyuki; born January 17, 1984 in Yurihonjō, Akita) is a Japanese boxer and a…
Toshiyuki Igarashi (五十嵐 俊幸, Igarashi Toshiyuki; born January 17, 1984 in Yurihonjō, Akita) is a Japanese boxer and a former WBC, The Ring and Lineal Flyweight World Champion.
Kensuke Miyazaki (宮崎 謙介, Miyazaki Kensuke; born 17 January 1981) is a Japanese politician. He served as a member of the…
Kensuke Miyazaki (宮崎 謙介, Miyazaki Kensuke; born 17 January 1981) is a Japanese politician. He served as a member of the House of Representatives for the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) between 2012 and 2016.
Mikie Tasei (born 17 January 1980) is a Japanese table tennis player. Her highest career ITTF ranking was 36.
Masae Ueno (上野 雅恵, Ueno Masae; born 17 January 1979) is a Japanese judoka who competed in the Athens 2004 Olympics and…
Masae Ueno (上野 雅恵, Ueno Masae; born 17 January 1979) is a Japanese judoka who competed in the Athens 2004 Olympics and the Beijing 2008 Olympics. Ueno was born in Asahikawa Hokkaidō. In 2004, she earned Japan's fifth Olympic Gold Medal in ten events, winning the –70 kg women's judo event. She also won the Olympic Gold Medal in 2008. Ueno has two younger sisters who are also judokas. Yoshie Ueno became World champion in 2009 and Tomoe Ueno became World junior champion in 2006.
Takafumi Nishitani (西谷 岳文, Nishitani Takafumi) (born January 17, 1979, in Tadaoka, Osaka) is a Japanese short track…
Takafumi Nishitani (西谷 岳文, Nishitani Takafumi) (born January 17, 1979, in Tadaoka, Osaka) is a Japanese short track speed skater. He won a gold medal on the 500 m at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano. Now, Nishitani practices Keirin.
Takatoshi Kaneko (金子貴俊; born 17 January 1978) is a Japanese actor. He made his debut in the popular 2001 film Waterboys.
Asōfuji Seiya (born January 17, 1976, as Kiyotoshi Suginomori) is a retired sumo wrestler from Fukaura, Nishitsugaru…
Asōfuji Seiya (born January 17, 1976, as Kiyotoshi Suginomori) is a retired sumo wrestler from Fukaura, Nishitsugaru, Aomori, Japan. His highest rank was maegashira 13. He is the elder brother of Aminishiki.
Youki Kudoh (工藤 夕貴, Kudō Yūki; born 17 January 1971) is a Japanese actress and singer. She won the award for best…
Youki Kudoh (工藤 夕貴, Kudō Yūki; born 17 January 1971) is a Japanese actress and singer. She won the award for best newcomer at the 6th Yokohama Film Festival for The Crazy Family. She also won the awards for best actress at the 16th Hochi Film Award and at the 1992 Blue Ribbon Award for War and Youth. Additionally, Kudoh has been nominated three times for Best Actress, in the 5th independent Spirit Award for Mystery Train, in the 15th Japanese Academy Prize for War and Youth, and in the 4th Golden Satellite Award for Snow Falling on Cedars.
Masaaki Mochizuki (望月 成晃, Mochizuki Masaaki; born January 17, 1970) is a Japanese professional wrestler, He is…
Masaaki Mochizuki (望月 成晃, Mochizuki Masaaki; born January 17, 1970) is a Japanese professional wrestler, He is currently working on the Dragon Gate and Pro Wrestling Noah. Mochizuki is a former three-time Open the Dream Gate Champion and In NOAH former GHC National Champion and GHC Tag Team Champion. He is also known for his time in Full Impact Pro (FIP), where former one-time FIP World Heavyweight Champion.
Nobuyoshi Fujisawa (藤澤 信義, Fujisawa Nobuyoshi; born January 17, 1970) is from Gifu Prefecture, Japan and Representative…
Nobuyoshi Fujisawa (藤澤 信義, Fujisawa Nobuyoshi; born January 17, 1970) is from Gifu Prefecture, Japan and Representative Director, President & Chief Executive Officer of J Trust Group which runs banking business, credit guarantee business and financial business in Asian countries.
Masashi Ando (安藤 雅司, Andō Masashi; born January 17, 1969) is a Japanese animator, character designer and filmmaker. He…
Masashi Ando (安藤 雅司, Andō Masashi; born January 17, 1969) is a Japanese animator, character designer and filmmaker. He is known for working with Hayao Miyazaki, Satoshi Kon and Makoto Shinkai. He was the animation director and character designer for three of the four anime films in the top five box office revenues of Japanese films of all time: Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, and Your Name.
Akinoshū Kenji (born 17 January 1969 as Kenji Imada) is a former sumo wrestler from Hiroshima, Japan. He made his…
Akinoshū Kenji (born 17 January 1969 as Kenji Imada) is a former sumo wrestler from Hiroshima, Japan. He made his professional debut in September 1984, and reached the top division in September 1997. His highest rank was maegashira 9. He left the sumo world upon retirement in January 2001.
Kenichi Obinata (born 17 January 1968) is a Japanese rower. He competed in the men's lightweight double sculls event at…
Kenichi Obinata (born 17 January 1968) is a Japanese rower. He competed in the men's lightweight double sculls event at the 1996 Summer Olympics.
Hideaki Sena, Ph.D. (瀬名 秀明, Sena Hideaki; born January 17, 1968 in Shizuoka City) is a Japanese pharmacologist and…
Hideaki Sena, Ph.D. (瀬名 秀明, Sena Hideaki; born January 17, 1968 in Shizuoka City) is a Japanese pharmacologist and novelist. Sena was a graduate student at Tohoku University when he wrote his prizewinning debut novel, Parasite Eve.
Nobuyuki Kojima (小島 伸幸, Kojima Nobuyuki; born January 17, 1966) is a Japanese former professional footballer who played…
Nobuyuki Kojima (小島 伸幸, Kojima Nobuyuki; born January 17, 1966) is a Japanese former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He played for the Japan national team. He played for several clubs, including Bellmare Hiratsuka, Avispa Fukuoka and Thespa Kusatsu. He played for the Japan national team (4 matches) and was a participant at the 1998 World Cup.
George Morikawa (森川 常次 (stylized as ジョージ), Morikawa Jōji; born January 17, 1966) is a Japanese manga author known for…
George Morikawa (森川 常次 (stylized as ジョージ), Morikawa Jōji; born January 17, 1966) is a Japanese manga author known for the long-running series Hajime no Ippo. Born in Tokyo, Morikawa was inspired to become a manga artist upon reading Tetsuya Chiba's Harris no Kaze in elementary school. He was previously an assistant to Shuichi Shigeno, while known mangaka Kentaro Miura and Kaori Saki were past assistants to him. Hajime no Ippo, as of December 2024, has released 142 tankōbon volumes. It has been adapted into several anime series, the first of which began airing in 2000 and was produced by Madhouse studio. The first series contains 76 episodes, while the second series, which started in 2009, contains 26. The third series, named Hajime no Ippo: Rising, was produced in 2013 and contains 25 episodes. Morikawa won the Kodansha Manga Award in 1991 for Hajime no Ippo. He is also the owner of JB Sports Gym in Tokyo.
Masato Kanda (神田 眞人) is a Japanese bureaucrat at the Ministry of Finance. Since 2021, he has served as Vice Minister of…
Masato Kanda (神田 眞人) is a Japanese bureaucrat at the Ministry of Finance. Since 2021, he has served as Vice Minister of Finance for International Affairs (財務官, zaimukan), the country's top currency diplomat. Due to the yen being traded in the weakest range in the past three decades during his tenure, his remarks on the possibility of currency intervention often make news headlines, in which he is sometimes referred to as the country's 'FX Tsar'. He was born in Nishinomiya, Hyogo, on January 17th, 1965. He attended Nada High School in Kobe, then went on to study law at the University of Tokyo. At the university, he learnt international politics from Yōichi Masuzoe, later Governor of Tokyo. After graduation, he started working for the Ministry of Finance. From 1989, he studied economics at St Hugh's College, Oxford, from which he graduated with an MPhil. Although most of his career has been spent at the ministry, he has also spent a few years each working for the World Bank and the OECD. In November 2024, Kanda was elected the 11th President of the Asian Development Bank and assumed office on 24 February 2025.
Keita Inoue (井上 慶太, Inoue Keita; born January 17, 1964) is a Japanese professional shogi player, ranked 9-dan. He is a…
Keita Inoue (井上 慶太, Inoue Keita; born January 17, 1964) is a Japanese professional shogi player, ranked 9-dan. He is a former executive director of the Japan Shogi Association.
Jun Azumi (安住 淳, Azumi Jun; born 17 January 1962) is a Japanese politician of the Constitutional Democratic Party…
Jun Azumi (安住 淳, Azumi Jun; born 17 January 1962) is a Japanese politician of the Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP), a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). He is also the current secretary-general of the CDP on 11 September 2025.
Hitoshi Nakata (中田 仁司, Nakata Hitoshi; born January 17, 1962) is a former Japanese football player and manager.
Momoe Miura (Japanese: 三浦 百恵, Hepburn: Miura Momoe; born 17 January 1959), known by her maiden name Momoe Yamaguchi…
Momoe Miura (Japanese: 三浦 百恵, Hepburn: Miura Momoe; born 17 January 1959), known by her maiden name Momoe Yamaguchi (Japanese: 山口 百恵, Hepburn: Yamaguchi Momoe), is a Japanese former singer, actress, and idol whose career lasted from 1972 to 1980. Often simply referred to by her given name "Momoe", Yamaguchi is one of the most successful singers in Japanese music, releasing 32 singles, including three number one hits, and 21 studio albums. She also starred in 15 feature films and several television serial dramas. At age 21, Yamaguchi retired at the height of her popularity to marry her frequent costar, Tomokazu Miura; she has never performed or made a public appearance since. Therefore, she is called a legendary idol in Japan.
Sulpizio Shinzo Moriyama is a Japanese Roman Catholic prelate currently serving as the Bishop of the Roman Catholic…
Sulpizio Shinzo Moriyama is a Japanese Roman Catholic prelate currently serving as the Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Oita, Japan.
Masao Mukai (向井 正雄, Mukai Masao) is a Japanese choir conductor. He was born and raised in the city of Matsusaka, Mie…
Masao Mukai (向井 正雄, Mukai Masao) is a Japanese choir conductor. He was born and raised in the city of Matsusaka, Mie Prefecture, Japan, and graduated from the School of Education at Mie University. In 1992, he founded the Tsu Ensemble Chorus, officially known as "Vocal Ensemble 《EST》", which he still conducts. He also conducts the Yachimata Choir and, on occasion, the Ritsumeikan University Choir. He specializes in church choir music from European Renaissance and has received numerous awards for his work both in Europe and his native Japan. In 2007 he was included in the book "Who's Who in Choral Music". When not conducting, Masao Mukai teaches high school Math. In recent years he taught at Ujiyamada High School in the city of Ise, Mie Prefecture where, as conductor of the chorus club, he led the school to numerous appearances in the final chorus competition at the national level and won first place twice. He now teaches at Matsusaka Technical High School. He also occasionally gives lectures and acts as a judge at choral competitions.
Hideo Yokoyama (横山 秀夫, Yokoyama Hideo; born 1957) is a Japanese novelist who specializes in mystery novels. He is also…
Hideo Yokoyama (横山 秀夫, Yokoyama Hideo; born 1957) is a Japanese novelist who specializes in mystery novels. He is also known for his career as a journalist for the Jomo Shimbun, the regional paper in Gunma. He repeated his Kono Mystery ga Sugoi! No. 1 ranking in 2013 with Six Four (64). The English edition of Six Four, translated by Jonathan Lloyd-Davies, was shortlisted for the 2016 CWA International Dagger.
Mami Koyama (小山 茉美, Koyama Mami; born January 17, 1955) is a Japanese actress, voice actress and narrator affiliated…
Mami Koyama (小山 茉美, Koyama Mami; born January 17, 1955) is a Japanese actress, voice actress and narrator affiliated with Aoni Production. Her best-known voice roles include Ophiuchus Shaina in Saint Seiya, Arale Norimaki in Dr. Slump, Minky Momo in Magical Princess Minky Momo, Lunch in Dragon Ball, Kaguya Ōtsutsuki in Naruto: Shippuden, Korosuke in Kiteretsu Daihyakka, Ryoko Mendo in Urusei Yatsura, and Charlotte Linlin (Big Mom) in One Piece, Vermouth in Detective Conan. Some of her notable roles in the 1990s and 2000s anime include Balalaika in Black Lagoon, Talia Gladys in Gundam Seed Destiny, Eva Heinemann in Monster, and Yōko Itoigawa in Hyōka. In feature films, she voiced Kei in Akira, and the adult Chiyoko Fujiwara in Millennium Actress.
Ryuichi Sakamoto (Japanese: 坂本 龍一, Hepburn: Sakamoto Ryūichi; January 17, 1952 – March 28, 2023) was a Japanese…
Ryuichi Sakamoto (Japanese: 坂本 龍一, Hepburn: Sakamoto Ryūichi; January 17, 1952 – March 28, 2023) was a Japanese musician, composer, keyboardist, record producer, singer and actor. He pursued a diverse range of styles as a solo artist and as a member of the synth-based band Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO). With his YMO bandmates Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi, Sakamoto influenced and pioneered a number of electronic music genres. As a film score composer, Sakamoto won an Academy Award (Oscar), BAFTA, Grammy and two Golden Globe Awards. Sakamoto began his career as a session musician, producer, and arranger while he was at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music in the mid 1970s. His first major success came in 1978 as co-founder of YMO. He pursued a solo career at the same time, releasing the experimental electronic fusion album Thousand Knives in that year, and the album B-2 Unit in 1980. B-2 Unit includes the track "Riot in Lagos", which had a significant influence on the development of electro, hip hop and dance music. He went on to produce more solo records, and collaborate with many international artists, including David Sylvian, DJ Spooky, Carsten Nicolai, Youssou N'Dour, and Fennesz. Sakamoto composed music for the opening ceremony of the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympic Games, and his composition "Energy Flow" (1999) was the first instrumental number-one single in Japan's Oricon charts history. Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983) marked his debut as both an actor and a film score composer; its main theme was adapted into the single "Forbidden Colours", which became an international hit. His most successful work as a film composer was his original score for The Last Emperor (1987), for which he won the Academy Award for Best Original Score, making him the first Japanese composer to win an Academy Award. He continued earning accolades composing for films such as The Sheltering Sky (1990), Little Buddha (1993), and The Revenant (2015). On occasion, Sakamoto also worked as a composer and a scenario writer on anime and video games. He was awarded the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from the French Ministry of Culture in 2009 for his contributions to music. Sakamoto died on March 28, 2023, from colorectal cancer at the age of 71.
Masakatsu Koike (小池 正勝, Koike Masakatsu; born January 17, 1952 in Itabashi, Tokyo) is a former Japanese politician. He…
Masakatsu Koike (小池 正勝, Koike Masakatsu; born January 17, 1952 in Itabashi, Tokyo) is a former Japanese politician. He served as a member of the House of Councillors representing the Tokushima at-large district as a member of the Liberal Democratic Party.
Toshiaki Endo (遠藤 利明, Endō Toshiaki; born 1950) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of…
Toshiaki Endo (遠藤 利明, Endō Toshiaki; born 1950) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature).
Masami Yoshida (吉田 正美, Yoshida Masami; born 17 January 1946) is a Japanese sprinter. He competed in the men's 4 × 400…
Masami Yoshida (吉田 正美, Yoshida Masami; born 17 January 1946) is a Japanese sprinter. He competed in the men's 4 × 400 metres relay at the 1964 Summer Olympics.
Takashi Inoguchi (猪口 孝, Inoguchi Takashi; 17 January 1944 – 27 November 2024) was a Japanese academic researcher of…
Takashi Inoguchi (猪口 孝, Inoguchi Takashi; 17 January 1944 – 27 November 2024) was a Japanese academic researcher of foreign affairs and international and global relationships of states. He was the president of the University of Niigata Prefecture, and a professor emeritus at the University of Tokyo.
Shiro Miya (宮 史郎, Miya Shirō; 17 January 1943 – 19 November 2012) was a Japanese enka singer, lyricist and composer.…
Shiro Miya (宮 史郎, Miya Shirō; 17 January 1943 – 19 November 2012) was a Japanese enka singer, lyricist and composer. His band Shiro Miya and the Pinkara Trio's 1972 song "Onna no Michi", became the second best-selling single in Japanese Oricon charts history, selling over 3.25 million copies.
Naohiro Ikeda (池田 尚弘, Ikeda Naohiro; later Nakano 中野, 17 January 1940 – 3 January 2021) was a Japanese volleyball…
Naohiro Ikeda (池田 尚弘, Ikeda Naohiro; later Nakano 中野, 17 January 1940 – 3 January 2021) was a Japanese volleyball player who competed in the 1964 Summer Olympics and in the 1968 Summer Olympics. He was born in Saga Prefecture. In 1964 he was part of the Japanese team which won the bronze medal in the Olympic tournament. He played all nine matches. Four years later he was a squad member of the Japanese team which won the silver medal in the 1968 Olympic tournament. He died from lymphoma.