May 17: 56 people
Fuka Suga (菅 楓華, Suga Fuka) (born 17 May 2005) is a Japanese professional golfer. She plays on the LPGA of Japan Tour…
Fuka Suga (菅 楓華, Suga Fuka) (born 17 May 2005) is a Japanese professional golfer. She plays on the LPGA of Japan Tour where she has one win.
Shunichiro Sato (佐藤 駿一郎) is a Japanese male volleyball player. He currently plays in Tokai University and a member of…
Shunichiro Sato (佐藤 駿一郎) is a Japanese male volleyball player. He currently plays in Tokai University and a member of Japan men's national volleyball team. He used to be part of Japan U21 & U19 national team.
Hiroki Midorikawa (緑川 大輝, Midorikawa Hiroki; born 17 May 2000) is a Japanese badminton player who competes in doubles.…
Hiroki Midorikawa (緑川 大輝, Midorikawa Hiroki; born 17 May 2000) is a Japanese badminton player who competes in doubles. He plays for the NTT East team and is a member of the Japanese national team. He primarily competes in mixed doubles with Natsu Saito, reaching a career-high world ranking of No. 7. The pair won two World Tour Super 500 titles – the 2023 Canada Open and the 2025 Indonesia Masters – and were silver medalists at the 2025 Asian Championships. In men's doubles, he partners with Kyohei Yamashita, achieving a career-high world ranking of 17.
Yuto Yamada (山田 雄士, Yamada Yūto; born 17 May 2000) is a Japanese footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for…
Yuto Yamada (山田 雄士, Yamada Yūto; born 17 May 2000) is a Japanese footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Kashiwa Reysol.
Hayate Sugii (杉井 颯, Sugii Hayate; born 17 May 2000) is a Japanese footballer who plays as a left back for Montedio…
Hayate Sugii (杉井 颯, Sugii Hayate; born 17 May 2000) is a Japanese footballer who plays as a left back for Montedio Yamagata.
Yūta Izuguchi (泉口 友汰, Izuguchi Yūta; born May 17, 1999 in Gobō, Wakayama, Japan) is a Japanese professional baseball…
Yūta Izuguchi (泉口 友汰, Izuguchi Yūta; born May 17, 1999 in Gobō, Wakayama, Japan) is a Japanese professional baseball infielder for the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
Kai Odake (小竹凱, Odake Kai; born 17 May 1998) is a Japanese politician serving as a member of the House of…
Kai Odake (小竹凱, Odake Kai; born 17 May 1998) is a Japanese politician serving as a member of the House of Representatives since 2024. He has served as chairman of the Democratic Party For the People's youth wing in Ishikawa Prefecture since 2023.
Yu Okubo (大久保 優, Okubo Yu; born 17 May 1997) is a Japanese professional footballer currently plays as a forward for…
Yu Okubo (大久保 優, Okubo Yu; born 17 May 1997) is a Japanese professional footballer currently plays as a forward for Hong Kong Premier League club Eastern.
Daiki Kogure (小暮 大器, Kogure Daiki; born May 17, 1994 in Ryūgasaki, Ibaraki) is a Japanese footballer who plays as a…
Daiki Kogure (小暮 大器, Kogure Daiki; born May 17, 1994 in Ryūgasaki, Ibaraki) is a Japanese footballer who plays as a midfielder for J3 League club Iwate Grulla Morioka.
Hayato Mizowaki (溝脇 隼人, Mizowaki Hayato; born May 17, 1994) is a Japanese professional baseball infielder for the…
Hayato Mizowaki (溝脇 隼人, Mizowaki Hayato; born May 17, 1994) is a Japanese professional baseball infielder for the Chunichi Dragons in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball.
Kana Kobayashi (小林 香菜, Kobayashi Kana; born 17 May 1991, in Koshigaya, Saitama, Japan) is a Japanese idol who is a…
Kana Kobayashi (小林 香菜, Kobayashi Kana; born 17 May 1991, in Koshigaya, Saitama, Japan) is a Japanese idol who is a former member of AKB48 who was part of Team B and later Team K. She has appeared in a number of television shows, feature films and stage productions. Kobayashi is represented with Promage. On July 8, 2021, Kobayashi announced her marriage to a non-celebrity boyfriend who works as an investor. She gave birth to a son on March 16, 2022. On January 17, 2023, she announced on her social media that her divorce was finalized and will focus on her efforts of raising her child as a single mother.
Shunya Suganuma (菅沼 駿哉, Suganuma Shun'ya; born 17 May 1990) is a Japanese professional footballer who currently plays…
Shunya Suganuma (菅沼 駿哉, Suganuma Shun'ya; born 17 May 1990) is a Japanese professional footballer who currently plays as a centre back for Thai League 2 club Khon Kaen United. Suganuma previously had spells with Roasso Kumamoto, Júbilo Iwata, Kyoto Sanga, Montedio Yamagata and Gamba Osaka in Japan.
Yuri Kawamura (川村 優理, Kawamura Yūri; born 17 May 1989) is a Japanese former footballer who played as a defender. She…
Yuri Kawamura (川村 優理, Kawamura Yūri; born 17 May 1989) is a Japanese former footballer who played as a defender. She has also played for Japan national team.
Koki Yonekura (米倉 恒貴, Yonekura Kōki; born May 17, 1988 in Inage-ku, Chiba) is a Japanese footballer who plays for JEF…
Koki Yonekura (米倉 恒貴, Yonekura Kōki; born May 17, 1988 in Inage-ku, Chiba) is a Japanese footballer who plays for JEF United Chiba as a right full-back, and occasionally as an attacking midfielder. He previously played for JEF United between 2007 and 2013.
Kim Jung-ya (Korean: 김정야; born May 17, 1988) is a Japanese football player who plays for Fujieda MYFC.
Hirochika Miyoshi (三好洋央, Miyoshi Hirochika; born May 17, 1987) is a former Japanese football player, who last played…
Hirochika Miyoshi (三好洋央, Miyoshi Hirochika; born May 17, 1987) is a former Japanese football player, who last played for Fujieda MYFC as a forward.
Keiko Miyagawa (宮川 恵子, Miyagawa Keiko; born May 17, 1986) is a Japanese sailor. She and Sena Takano placed 20th in the…
Keiko Miyagawa (宮川 恵子, Miyagawa Keiko; born May 17, 1986) is a Japanese sailor. She and Sena Takano placed 20th in the 49erFX event at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Yoshinobu Harada (原田 欽庸, Harada Yoshinobu; born 17 May 1986) is a Japanese footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for…
Yoshinobu Harada (原田 欽庸, Harada Yoshinobu; born 17 May 1986) is a Japanese footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Tochigi City FC in the J3 League.
Ryota Nagata (永田 亮太, Nagata Ryota; born May 17, 1985) is a Japanese football player currently playing for Kamatamare…
Ryota Nagata (永田 亮太, Nagata Ryota; born May 17, 1985) is a Japanese football player currently playing for Kamatamare Sanuki.
Azusa Nakaoku (中奥 梓) (born May 17, 1985, in Tomakomai, Japan) is a Japanese ice hockey goaltender.
Sakurako Terada (寺田 桜子, Terada Sakurako) is a Japanese curler, born May 17, 1984, in Sorachi District, Hokkaidō.
Shinya Hatta (初田 真也, Hatta Shinya; born May 17, 1984) is a Japanese former footballer who played as a defender. In…
Shinya Hatta (初田 真也, Hatta Shinya; born May 17, 1984) is a Japanese former footballer who played as a defender. In 2015, he suffered an injury that kept him out of football for close to two months. He studied coaching on cognitive science. After leaving football he intended to become a highschool teacher, so went back to school to study. He currently works as Renofa Yamaguchi FC's business manager. He also worked as a coach for Kamatamare Sanuki.
Masahiro Okamoto (岡本 昌弘, Okamoto Masahiro; born May 17, 1983) is a Japanese football player who plays as a goalkeeper…
Masahiro Okamoto (岡本 昌弘, Okamoto Masahiro; born May 17, 1983) is a Japanese football player who plays as a goalkeeper for Sagan Tosu.
Nobuhiro Matsuda (松田 宣浩, Matsuda Nobuhiro; born May 17, 1983) is a Japanese former professional baseball infielder. He…
Nobuhiro Matsuda (松田 宣浩, Matsuda Nobuhiro; born May 17, 1983) is a Japanese former professional baseball infielder. He played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks and Yomiuri Giants.
Hiroshi Kisanuki (木佐貫 洋, born May 17, 1980) is a former Japanese professional baseball pitcher for the Hokkaido…
Hiroshi Kisanuki (木佐貫 洋, born May 17, 1980) is a former Japanese professional baseball pitcher for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball. He previously played for the Yomiuri Giants from 2003 to 2009. He won the Central League Rookie of the Year Award in 2003.
Ryosuke Yamamoto (山本 良介, Yamamoto Ryōsuke; born May 17, 1979 in Kyoto) is a Japanese triathlete, who has taken part in…
Ryosuke Yamamoto (山本 良介, Yamamoto Ryōsuke; born May 17, 1979 in Kyoto) is a Japanese triathlete, who has taken part in numerous triathlon championships. At the peak of his career, he has won eight championship titles, including four from the ITC Triathlon Asian Cup. His best international result happened in 2010, when he finished third at the ITC World Cup in Ishigaki, Japan. Yamamoto was selected to the Japanese national triathlon team, along with his teammate Hirokatsu Tayama, at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. He finished only in thirtieth place in men's triathlon, with a time of 1:52:11. Despite his disappointing finish at the Olympics, Yamamoto was able to complete a two-spot medal sweep for Japan at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, when he claimed silver in the men's triathlon, just behind his compatriot Yuichi Hosoda by twenty-six hundredths of a second.
Norihiro Yamagishi (山岸 範宏, Yamagishi Norihiro; born 17 May 1978) is a Japanese football player.
Ryuji Hijikata (土方 隆司, Hijikata Ryūji) (born May 17, 1978) is a Japanese professional wrestler also known under the…
Ryuji Hijikata (土方 隆司, Hijikata Ryūji) (born May 17, 1978) is a Japanese professional wrestler also known under the ring name Toshizo (歳三, Toshizō). Hijikata is best known for his tenure in Battlarts and All Japan Pro Wrestling since 2002 where he is a former World Junior Heavyweight Champion.
Kentaro Minagawa (皆川 賢太郎, Minagawa Kentarō; born May 17, 1977) is a Japanese alpine skier. His first international…
Kentaro Minagawa (皆川 賢太郎, Minagawa Kentarō; born May 17, 1977) is a Japanese alpine skier. His first international successes were at the 1996 Junior World Championships in Schwyz, with a 5th rank in Slalom, and a 9th rank in Giant slalom. Since the 1997 Alpine Skiing World Cup he has been participating regularly in World Cup races, nine times ranking in the top ten. Shortly before the 2006 Winter Olympics he ranked 4th in Wengen, Switzerland. At the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy he also ranked 4th, the best result of a Japanese skier since Chiharu Igaya's silver medal at the 1956 Winter Olympics. In June 2009, he married Japanese popular freestyle skier, Aiko Uemura.
Yoshihiko Inohara (Japanese: 井ノ原快彦, Hepburn: Inohara Yoshihiko) (born May 17, 1976) is a Japanese actor, singer and…
Yoshihiko Inohara (Japanese: 井ノ原快彦, Hepburn: Inohara Yoshihiko) (born May 17, 1976) is a Japanese actor, singer and host. He is a former member of boy band V6 and a member of 20th Century. His nickname is "Inocchi". Born in Asakusa, Taitō, Tokyo and raised in Yashio, Shinagawa, Tokyo. He belongs to Starto Entertainment and formerly served as CMO (Chief marketing officer) until June 27, 2025. His wife is actress Asaka Seto.
Yasushi Katsume (勝目 康, Katsume Yasushi; born 17 May 1974) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, who…
Yasushi Katsume (勝目 康, Katsume Yasushi; born 17 May 1974) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, who serves as a member of the House of Representatives.
Yuji Iizuka (飯塚 祐司, Iizuka Yūji; born 17 May 1974) is a Japanese retired ice hockey player and the head coach for the…
Yuji Iizuka (飯塚 祐司, Iizuka Yūji; born 17 May 1974) is a Japanese retired ice hockey player and the head coach for the Japanese women's national ice hockey team. He coached the team at the 2019 IIHF Women's World Championship and the 2022 Winter Olympics.
Masakazu Fukuda (福田 雅一, Fukuda Masakazu) (May 17, 1972 – April 19, 2000) was a Japanese professional wrestler who is…
Masakazu Fukuda (福田 雅一, Fukuda Masakazu) (May 17, 1972 – April 19, 2000) was a Japanese professional wrestler who is best known for his appearances in WAR and NJPW. He also joined a short-lived stable known as Fighting Club G-EGGS, the stable included Manabu Nakanishi, Yuji Nagata, Brian Johnston and Yutaka Yoshie.
Asa Higuchi (Japanese: ひぐち アサ, Hepburn: Higuchi Asa; born May 17, 1970) is a Japanese manga artist, born in Urawa…
Asa Higuchi (Japanese: ひぐち アサ, Hepburn: Higuchi Asa; born May 17, 1970) is a Japanese manga artist, born in Urawa, Saitama Prefecture (now part of Saitama City). She graduated from Saitama Prefecture's prestigious Urawanishi High School and Hosei University's department of psychology, with a major in sports psychology. During her high school days, she was a member of her school's softball team, which would go on to be an inspiration in her work Big Windup! as well as her high school which is featured in detail (the school now advertising the manga and anime on their website). In 1998, Higuchi won noted seinen manga magazine Monthly Afternoon's Shiki competition with her work Yuku Tokoro. It was noted for the unique relationships shared by its characters and was subsequently published in the August issue of the magazine, thus marking her debut as a manga artist. She is currently working on Big Windup!, which has spanned 37 volumes to date and is serialized in Monthly Afternoon. It won the 10th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize for best creative work in 2006, and the 31st Kodansha Manga Award for general manga in 2007.
Mitsuru Igarashi (五十嵐 充, Igarashi Mitsuru; born 17 May 1969 in Tokyo) is the former keyboardist and songwriter of…
Mitsuru Igarashi (五十嵐 充, Igarashi Mitsuru; born 17 May 1969 in Tokyo) is the former keyboardist and songwriter of Japanese pop group Every Little Thing. He founded the band in early 1996 with his old friend Ichirō Itō and then 18-year-old singer Kaori Mochida. He left Every Little Thing in April 2000 after releasing the third album, Eternity. Since leaving the band, he started producing music for the band Day After Tomorrow which disbanded in 2005. Currently he plays keyboards and is a songmaker and producer in band Rushmore. He was also involved in composing and writing song lyrics for Every Little Thing's ninth album, Change.
Sanae Kimura (Japanese: 木村 早苗; born 17 May 1968), known by her birth name of Sanae Jōnouchi (Japanese: 城之内早苗), is a…
Sanae Kimura (Japanese: 木村 早苗; born 17 May 1968), known by her birth name of Sanae Jōnouchi (Japanese: 城之内早苗), is a Japanese enka singer, actress and radio presenter.
Toru Yoshida (吉田 暢, Yoshida Tōru; born May 17, 1965) is a former Japanese football player and manager.
Fumihiko Sori (曽利 文彦) is a Japanese film director and film producer. He received a nomination for the 'Best Director'…
Fumihiko Sori (曽利 文彦) is a Japanese film director and film producer. He received a nomination for the 'Best Director' prize at the Japanese Academy Awards for his directing debut, Ping Pong.
Takashi Kobayashi (小林 孝至, Kobayashi Takashi) (born 17 May 1963) is a Japanese wrestler and Olympic champion in…
Takashi Kobayashi (小林 孝至, Kobayashi Takashi) (born 17 May 1963) is a Japanese wrestler and Olympic champion in Freestyle wrestling.
Makoto Sugiyama (杉山 誠, Sugiyama Makoto; born May 17, 1960) is a former Japanese football player.
Hitomi Soga-Jenkins (Japanese: 曽我ひとみ Soga Hitomi, born May 17, 1959) is a Japanese woman who was abducted to North…
Hitomi Soga-Jenkins (Japanese: 曽我ひとみ Soga Hitomi, born May 17, 1959) is a Japanese woman who was abducted to North Korea together with her mother, Miyoshi Soga, from Sado Island, Japan, in 1978. In 1980, she married Charles Robert Jenkins, an American defector to North Korea, with whom she had two daughters. In 2002, she was allowed to return to Japan, followed two years later by her husband and children.
Yoko Shimada (Japanese: 島田 陽子, Hepburn: Shimada Yōko; 17 May 1953 – 25 July 2022) was a Japanese actress, best known to…
Yoko Shimada (Japanese: 島田 陽子, Hepburn: Shimada Yōko; 17 May 1953 – 25 July 2022) was a Japanese actress, best known to Western audiences for her portrayal of Mariko in the 1980 miniseries Shōgun.
Hiroshi Ogawa (小川 洋, Ogawa Hiroshi; 17 May 1949 – 2 November 2021) was a Japanese politician who became the governor of…
Hiroshi Ogawa (小川 洋, Ogawa Hiroshi; 17 May 1949 – 2 November 2021) was a Japanese politician who became the governor of Fukuoka Prefecture in 2011. In 2015, he was re-elected for a second term, and for a third term in 2019. In 2021 he resigned to receive cancer treatment and the vice governor Seitaro Hattori was elected to replace him.
Naoya Abe (Japanese: 安部 直也, Hepburn: Abe Naoya; May 17, 1937 – September 2, 2019), known by his pen name George Abe (安部…
Naoya Abe (Japanese: 安部 直也, Hepburn: Abe Naoya; May 17, 1937 – September 2, 2019), known by his pen name George Abe (安部 譲二, Abe Jōji), was a Japanese author and former yakuza. Outside Japan, he is best known for writing the manga series Rainbow: Nisha Rokubō no Shichinin in collaboration with artist Masasumi Kakizaki. As a teenager, Abe became a member of the Ando-gumi yakuza family, and was later recruited by the Koganei-ikka. In 1986, after leaving the yakuza life, he wrote a novel about his time in Fuchū Prison titled Hei no Naka no Korinai Menmen (塀の中の懲りない面々), which became a bestseller and was adapted into a film. Abe died on September 2, 2019, from pneumonia, aged 82. Abe worked as a flight attendant for Japan Airlines from 1961 to 1965. He was the model for Jōji Miyagi, the main character in Yukio Mishima's entertainment romance novel Fukuzatsuna Kare (複雑な彼 That Complicated Guy) published in 1966. Abe's pen name "Jōji" was adapted from the character in the novel.
Kitabayama Hidetoshi (17 May 1935 – 20 July 2010) was a former sumo wrestler and coach from Muroran, Hokkaidō, Japan.…
Kitabayama Hidetoshi (17 May 1935 – 20 July 2010) was a former sumo wrestler and coach from Muroran, Hokkaidō, Japan. His highest rank was ōzeki.
Michio Kushi (久司 道夫, Kushi Michio) (May 17, 1926 – December 28, 2014) was a Japanese educator and alternative cancer…
Michio Kushi (久司 道夫, Kushi Michio) (May 17, 1926 – December 28, 2014) was a Japanese educator and alternative cancer treatment advocate who helped to introduce modern macrobiotics to the United States in the early 1950s. He lectured all over the world at conferences and seminars about the macrobiotic diet.
Shintarō Kido (木戸 新太郎) aka Kidoshin キドシン (1916–1975) was a Japanese dancer.
Ryūichi Yokoyama (Yokoyama Ryūichi (横山 隆一); May 17, 1909 – November 8, 2001) was a Japanese mangaka and animation…
Ryūichi Yokoyama (Yokoyama Ryūichi (横山 隆一); May 17, 1909 – November 8, 2001) was a Japanese mangaka and animation director. He has created very successful yonkoma comic strips since the 1930s.
Motonari Iguchi 井口 基成 (Iguchi Motonari) (17 May 1908, in Tokyo – 29 September 1983, in Tokyo) was a Japanese pianist…
Motonari Iguchi 井口 基成 (Iguchi Motonari) (17 May 1908, in Tokyo – 29 September 1983, in Tokyo) was a Japanese pianist and educator.
Sakubei Yamamoto (山本作兵衛, 17 May 1892 – 19 December 1984) was a Japanese coal miner and artist. His sumi-e and…
Sakubei Yamamoto (山本作兵衛, 17 May 1892 – 19 December 1984) was a Japanese coal miner and artist. His sumi-e and watercolour work, which was heavily annotated, depicted the life he had experienced as a miner, and a collection of his paintings and diaries formed the first Japanese entry in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register, inscribed in 2011.