Mao Arai (Japanese: 新井 万央, Hepburn: Arai Mao; born 23 May 2003) is a Japanese judoka. She won a gold medal in the mixed…Mao Arai (Japanese: 新井 万央, Hepburn: Arai Mao; born 23 May 2003) is a Japanese judoka. She won a gold medal in the mixed team event at the 2024 World Judo Championships held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. She is also a gold and bronze medalist from the 2024 Asian Championships, her older sister, Chizuru is also a former judoka who won gold in the 70 kg division at Tokyo 2020 Olympiad.
Seiya Yoshida (吉田 聖弥, Yoshida Seiya; born May 23, 2002 in Karatsu, Saga, Japan) is a professional Japanese baseball…Seiya Yoshida (吉田 聖弥, Yoshida Seiya; born May 23, 2002 in Karatsu, Saga, Japan) is a professional Japanese baseball player. He pitches for the Chunichi Dragons.
Riku Ochiai (落合 陸, Ochiai Riku; born 23 May 1999) is a Japanese professional footballer currently playing as a…Riku Ochiai (落合 陸, Ochiai Riku; born 23 May 1999) is a Japanese professional footballer currently playing as a midfielder for J2 League club Albirex Niigata.
Yuya Takagi (高木 友也, Takagi Yuya; born 23 May 1998) is a Japanese footballer currently playing as a left-back for J2…Yuya Takagi (高木 友也, Takagi Yuya; born 23 May 1998) is a Japanese footballer currently playing as a left-back for J2 League club Tokushima Vortis.
Mei Miyamoto (Japanese: 宮本芽依, Miyamoto Mei; born May 23, 1998) is a Japanese professional kickboxer. She is the current…Mei Miyamoto (Japanese: 宮本芽依, Miyamoto Mei; born May 23, 1998) is a Japanese professional kickboxer. She is the current RISE Women's Mini Flyweight champion. As of May 2024, she is ranked as the fourth best women's strawweight kickboxer in the world by Beyond Kickboxing.
Takumi Kanaya (Japanese: 金谷拓実, born 23 May 1998) is a Japanese professional golfer. He had an exceptionally successful…Takumi Kanaya (Japanese: 金谷拓実, born 23 May 1998) is a Japanese professional golfer. He had an exceptionally successful amateur career and was world ranked number 1 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking for 55 weeks. He also won a professional event on the 2019 Japan Golf Tour while still an amateur.
Daichi Hayashi (林 大地, Hayashi Daichi; born 23 May 1997) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a forward…Daichi Hayashi (林 大地, Hayashi Daichi; born 23 May 1997) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a forward for J1 League club Gamba Osaka.
Shohei Urakawa (浦川 翔平, Urakawa Shohei; born May 23, 1997) is a Japanese dancer and DJ. He is one of the performers of…Shohei Urakawa (浦川 翔平, Urakawa Shohei; born May 23, 1997) is a Japanese dancer and DJ. He is one of the performers of the Japanese group The Rampage from Exile Tribe.
Megumi Hemphill known as Megu Hemphill and Meg Hemphill (born 23 May 1996, in Kyotanabe, Kyoto) is a Japanese track and…Megumi Hemphill known as Megu Hemphill and Meg Hemphill (born 23 May 1996, in Kyotanabe, Kyoto) is a Japanese track and field athlete. She was the Japanese national champion in 2017 and she was placed second in the 2017 Asian Athletics Championships heptathlon.
Hidetoshi Miyuki (三幸 秀稔, Miyuki Hidetoshi; born May 23, 1993) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a…Hidetoshi Miyuki (三幸 秀稔, Miyuki Hidetoshi; born May 23, 1993) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for K League 2 club Chungbuk Cheongju.
Karen Nun Ira (ヌンイラ 華蓮, Nun'ira Karen; born 23 May 1991 in Funabashi, Chiba) is a Japanese judoka. Her mother is…Karen Nun Ira (ヌンイラ 華蓮, Nun'ira Karen; born 23 May 1991 in Funabashi, Chiba) is a Japanese judoka. Her mother is Japanese and a feng shui master, while her father is Ghanaian. Nun-Ira started judo at the age of 14. In 2010, Nun-Ira entered International Pacific University and was trained by former Olympic and world champion Toshihiko Koga. In 2014, Nun-Ira belonged to Ryotokuji Gakuen after graduating from the university. Nun-Ira won the silver medal in the middleweight division (–70 kg) at the 2014 World Judo Championships.
Suguru Osako (大迫傑, Ōsako Suguru; born 23 May 1991) is a Japanese long-distance runner. He won the 10,000 metres gold…Suguru Osako (大迫傑, Ōsako Suguru; born 23 May 1991) is a Japanese long-distance runner. He won the 10,000 metres gold medal at the 2011 Summer Universiade in Shenzhen and holds the Asian junior record for the half marathon. He held the Japanese National Record for the marathon of 2:04:55 set at the 2025 Valencia Marathon where he finished fourth. Born in Machida, Tokyo, he attended Saku Chosei High School and began to establish himself nationally in 2010. He was the fastest in his stage at the Japanese High School Ekiden Championship and came second in the junior race at the Chiba Cross Country. This gained him a place on the Japanese junior team for the 2010 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, where he went on to finish in 32nd place. On the track that year he set a personal best of 28:35.75 minutes in Tokyo then finished eighth at the 2010 World Junior Championships in Athletics. After graduating from high school, he enrolled at Waseda University in late 2010. In November he ran at the Ageo City Half Marathon and set a Japanese and Asian junior record time of 1:01:47 hours to win the race. In 2011 he ran a 5000 metres track best of 13:31.27 minutes and came second over 10,000 metres at the Hyogo Relays. Osako was chosen to represent his country at the 2011 Summer Universiade, where he defeated Stephen Mokoka in the 10,000 m to take the gold medal, becoming the first Japanese since Yasuyuki Watanabe to win that title. At the start of the 2012 season he was the top Japanese finisher at the Chiba Cross Country (fourth overall) and had a narrow win at the Fukuoka Cross Country, beating Yuki Sato. Osako improved his track bests in 2012, running 3:42.68 minutes for the 1500 metres, 7:54.68 minutes for the 3000 metres and 27:56.94 minutes for the 10,000 m. He was runner-up to Charles Ndirangu at the 2013 Fukuoka Cross Country. He finished third in the 2018 Chicago Marathon with the national record at the time of 2:05:50 h, earning him 100 Million Yen. He finished fourth in the 2020 Tokyo Marathon where he broke his own national record with a time of 2:05:29. He is formerly a member of the Nike Oregon Project. He broke the Japanese national marathon record in the 2025 Valencia marathon, coming in 4th in 2:04:55
Ryo Nagai (永井 龍, Nagai Ryo; born 23 May 1991) is a Japanese football player who can play as a forward, currently…Ryo Nagai (永井 龍, Nagai Ryo; born 23 May 1991) is a Japanese football player who can play as a forward, currently playing for J3 League club Giravanz Kitakyushu.
Natsuna Watanabe (渡辺 夏菜, Watanabe Natsuna; born May 23, 1989), better known as just Natsuna (夏菜, Natsuna), is a…Natsuna Watanabe (渡辺 夏菜, Watanabe Natsuna; born May 23, 1989), better known as just Natsuna (夏菜, Natsuna), is a Japanese actress. She was born in Saitama Prefecture. When she graduated from high-school she decided to focus her career entirely on acting. As of 2009, she shortened her stage name and is now simply going by "Natsuna" (夏菜). In 2012, she landed the coveted lead role in the NHK Asadora Jun to Ai after an audition of over 2250 actors.
Hiroki Fujishima (藤嶋 大規, born 23 May 1988) is a Japanese canoeist. He competed in the men's K-4 500 metres event at the…Hiroki Fujishima (藤嶋 大規, born 23 May 1988) is a Japanese canoeist. He competed in the men's K-4 500 metres event at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Noriko Higuchi (Japanese: 樋口 紀子; born 23 May 1985) is a female Japanese long-distance runner who specialised in…Noriko Higuchi (Japanese: 樋口 紀子; born 23 May 1985) is a female Japanese long-distance runner who specialised in marathon running. She won the Tokyo Marathon in 2011 in a career best of 2:28:49 hours and was Asian Marathon Champion in 2011. From Kyoto, she began competing in road running competitions in Japan as a teenager. She placed eighth at the Sanyo Women's 10K in 2004, then placed third at the Kyoto City Half Marathon in her hometown in both 2005 and 2006. She attended Ritsumeikan University and ran collegiately, finishing first in her legs at the Japan Collegiate Ekiden Championships in 2006 and 2007, as well as being top on the collegiate leg at the 2007 Inter-Prefectural Women's Ekiden. Following her graduation she joined the Wacoal corporate running team. Higuchi won the Shibetsu Half Marathon in 2008 and set a personal best of 1:12:19 hours at the Marugame Half Marathon the next year, though placing twelfth at the higher profile event. She continued to steadily improve with a best of 1:10:51 hours in Marugame in 2010 followed by a win at the Sendai Half Marathon. She was chosen to represent Japan at the 2010 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships and placed 29th, behind her compatriots Yoshimi Ozaki, Ryoko Kizaki and Hiroko Miyauchi, who won team bronze. She made her marathon debut at the 2011 Osaka Women's Marathon, but failed to finish the distance. She gave a better performance at the Tokyo Marathon a month later, finishing in a time of 2:28:49 hours behind Russian Tatyana Aryasova. The Russian was subsequently disqualified for doping, making Higuchi the Tokyo champion. A runner-up finish behind Kenya's Elizabeth Chemweno at the Pattaya Marathon brought Higuchi her first regional title at the race served as the Asian Marathon Championships. On her fourth marathon race of the year, she slowed to a finish in 2:48:45 for twelfth in Hokkaido. She was outclassed at the Nagoya Women's Marathon in 2012 placing 21st overall, but fared much better at the 2013 Osaka race, coming sixth. In her American debut, she led the field to win the Rock 'n' Roll Virginia Beach Half Marathon. She closed the year with eighth place at the Yokohama Women's Marathon. She won the Osaka Half Marathon in 2014 and was runner-up at the Kumanichi 30K. An outing at the 2014 Boston Marathon resulted in a time of 2:33:39 hours for 19th place. She continued competing abroad, with a tenth-place finish at the 2015 Vienna City Marathon. She did not compete over the marathon in the two following seasons, and her profile declined with top ten finishes at lower level Japanese races.
Seiko Kawamura (河村 聖子 Kawamura Seiko, born 23 May 1984) is a Japanese volleyball player who plays for Toyota Auto Body…Seiko Kawamura (河村 聖子 Kawamura Seiko, born 23 May 1984) is a Japanese volleyball player who plays for Toyota Auto Body Queenseis.
Ryūnosuke Kawai (河合 龍之介, Kawai Ryūnosuke; born 23 May 1983, in Fuchū, Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese actor. He was…Ryūnosuke Kawai (河合 龍之介, Kawai Ryūnosuke; born 23 May 1983, in Fuchū, Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese actor. He was represented by T-artist and Riche Management and later, in May 2016, became a freelancer. Kawai graduated from Waseda Jitsugyo Gakko High School and Waseda University School of Social Sciences.
Takahiro Shibasaki (柴崎 貴広, Shibasaki Takahiro; born May 23, 1982) is a Japanese football player who plays for Kataller…Takahiro Shibasaki (柴崎 貴広, Shibasaki Takahiro; born May 23, 1982) is a Japanese football player who plays for Kataller Toyama.
Hideaki Kitajima (北嶋 秀朗, Kitajima Hideaki; born May 23, 1978) is a former Japanese football player and last play for…Hideaki Kitajima (北嶋 秀朗, Kitajima Hideaki; born May 23, 1978) is a former Japanese football player and last play for Japan national team. He's to set manager of JFL club, Criacao Shinjuku from 2024.
Tomoyuki Hirase (平瀬 智行, Hirase Tomoyuki; born 23 May 1977) is a former Japanese football player. He played twice for…Tomoyuki Hirase (平瀬 智行, Hirase Tomoyuki; born 23 May 1977) is a former Japanese football player. He played twice for the Japan national football team.
Noriko Anno (阿武 教子, born 23 May 1976, in Fukue, Yamaguchi) is a Japanese judoka who won the gold medal in the women's…Noriko Anno (阿武 教子, born 23 May 1976, in Fukue, Yamaguchi) is a Japanese judoka who won the gold medal in the women's –78 kg at the 2004 Summer Olympics. She is a four times World Champion, having won the championships in 1997, 1999, 2001 and 2003. Anno married judoka Ryuji Sonoda in 2010.
Fumihiro Suzuki (鈴木 郁洋, born May 23, 1975) is a retired Japanese professional baseball catcher and current coach for…Fumihiro Suzuki (鈴木 郁洋, born May 23, 1975) is a retired Japanese professional baseball catcher and current coach for the Orix Buffaloes in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball. He previously played with the Chunichi Dragons and the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes. Suzuki also played for Team Japan at the 2000 Olympics.
Hiroshi Shibahara (柴原 洋, Shibahara Hiroshi; born May 23, 1974) is a Japanese professional baseball player. An…Hiroshi Shibahara (柴原 洋, Shibahara Hiroshi; born May 23, 1974) is a Japanese professional baseball player. An outfielder, he is currently with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball.
Yoshiyuki Fuchiwaki (渕脇 芳行) is a Japanese retired professional baseball player. He spent seven seasons with the Osaka…Yoshiyuki Fuchiwaki (渕脇 芳行) is a Japanese retired professional baseball player. He spent seven seasons with the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes and made one appearance in a first-team match.
Takayoshi Amma (安間 貴義, Amma Takayoshi; born May 23, 1969) is a Japanese professional football manager and former player…Takayoshi Amma (安間 貴義, Amma Takayoshi; born May 23, 1969) is a Japanese professional football manager and former player who most recently was the manager of J2 League club Júbilo Iwata.
Masanori Sugiura (杉浦 正則, born May 23, 1968) is a retired Japanese Olympic baseball player from Kudoyama, Wakayama…Masanori Sugiura (杉浦 正則, born May 23, 1968) is a retired Japanese Olympic baseball player from Kudoyama, Wakayama, Japan. Sugiura was the ace pitcher of the Nippon Life Insurance Company baseball team, and was chosen to join the Japanese national team in the 1992 Summer Olympics, where he won a bronze medal. He returned to the olympics four years later, winning a silver medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics. Professional players were allowed to participate in the 2000 Summer Olympics, but Sugiura was still chosen as the captain of the Japanese national team, and the captain of the entire Japanese olympic team in 2000 Summer Olympics. The Japanese team did not win a medal that year. Sugiura refused numerous offers to join the Japanese professional leagues and retired in 2000. The Nippon Life Insurance Company baseball team won the Intercity Baseball Tournament twice during the 10 years Sugiura played with the team. He also marked a record five career wins in the olympic tournaments. He served as a pitching coach for his team from 2001 to 2004 and became the manager in 2006.
Hirobumi Niki (仁木博文, Niki Hirobumi; born 23 May 1966) is a Japanese politician serving as deputy minister of health…Hirobumi Niki (仁木博文, Niki Hirobumi; born 23 May 1966) is a Japanese politician serving as deputy minister of health, labour and welfare since 2024. He has been a member of the House of Representatives since 2021, having previously served from 2009 to 2012.
Mitsuo Yamaguchi (山口 光雄, Yamaguchi Mitsuo; born May 23, 1965), known professionally as Kappei Yamaguchi (山口 勝平…Mitsuo Yamaguchi (山口 光雄, Yamaguchi Mitsuo; born May 23, 1965), known professionally as Kappei Yamaguchi (山口 勝平, Yamaguchi Kappei), is a Japanese actor, voice actor, and rakugoka currently affiliated with Gokū and formerly with 21st Century Fox. After making his voice acting debut in 1989 as the male version of the titular character Ranma Saotome in the Ranma ½ television anime, he went on to perform other notable roles such as the titular character in Inuyasha and in its sequel Yashahime, and L in Death Note. He currently voices Shinichi Kudo and Kaito Kid in Great Detective Conan, Usopp in One Piece and Teddie in Persona 4. He is married and has a son named Ryūnosuke and a daughter named Akane. Ryūnosuke and Akane are also voice actors, while the latter is also a rakugoka.
Hideo Tarumi (垂秀夫) (born May 23, 1961) is a Japanese diplomat who served as the Ambassador to China, from November 2020…Hideo Tarumi (垂秀夫) (born May 23, 1961) is a Japanese diplomat who served as the Ambassador to China, from November 2020 to December 2023.
Ryuta Kawashima (川島 隆太, Kawashima Ryūta; [kaɰaɕima ɾʲɨᵝːta]; born May 23, 1959) is a Japanese neuroscientist known for…Ryuta Kawashima (川島 隆太, Kawashima Ryūta; [kaɰaɕima ɾʲɨᵝːta]; born May 23, 1959) is a Japanese neuroscientist known for his appearances in the Brain Age series of video games for the Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo Switch.
Shinsuke Kayama (香山 進介, Kayama Shinsuke; born 23 May 1959) is a Japanese former swimmer. He competed in two events at…Shinsuke Kayama (香山 進介, Kayama Shinsuke; born 23 May 1959) is a Japanese former swimmer. He competed in two events at the 1976 Summer Olympics.
Mineko Nishikawa (仁支川 峰子, Nishikawa Mineko; born May 23, 1958 in Aka, Fukuoka; real name Fukuda Mineko, 福田 峰子) is a…Mineko Nishikawa (仁支川 峰子, Nishikawa Mineko; born May 23, 1958 in Aka, Fukuoka; real name Fukuda Mineko, 福田 峰子) is a Japanese actress and Enka singer who scored a number one hit in 1975 with Anata Ni Ageru.
Junko Mitsuhashi (三橋 順子, Mitsuhashi Junko; born May 23, 1955) is a Japanese social and cultural historian. She…Junko Mitsuhashi (三橋 順子, Mitsuhashi Junko; born May 23, 1955) is a Japanese social and cultural historian. She specializes in the history of gender and sexuality, with a particular focus on the social and cultural history of transgender people in Japan. Mitsuhashi is recognized as the first transgender lecturer at a Japanese university.
Hakubun Shimomura (下村 博文, Shimomura Hakubun; born 23 May 1954) is a Japanese political activist of the Liberal…Hakubun Shimomura (下村 博文, Shimomura Hakubun; born 23 May 1954) is a Japanese political activist of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), a member of the House of Representatives in for Tokyo 11th district the Diet (national legislature). Shimomura is affiliated with the openly revisionist organization Nippon Kaigi. As Minister of Education, he oversaw the approval of textbooks that have been described as minimizing Japan's role in the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II, to avoid a "masochistic view of history". He has advocated for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to deny the Nanjing Massacre and the existence of the comfort women system. Shimomura held a seat in the Diet for nearly three decades, winning nine consecutive terms until losing in the 2024 Japanese general election. But he regained his seat in 2026 Japanese general election.
Asahiko Mihara (三原 朝彦, Mihara Asahiko; born 23 May 1947) is a former Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic…Asahiko Mihara (三原 朝彦, Mihara Asahiko; born 23 May 1947) is a former Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), who served as a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Onga, Fukuoka, he attended Hitotsubashi University and Dag Hammarskjöld College in the United States, and received a master's degree from Carleton University in Canada. He was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time in 1986. He participated in the formation of the New Party Sakigake in 1993 but later returned to the LDP. He was defeated in the 2009 election by DPJ candidate Rintaro Ogata. Representative Mihara was re-elected in 2012 to the Fukuoka Prefectural 9th district. He is a member of the Party Ethics and Fundamental National Policies Committees as well as the Director of the Special Committee on Promotion of Science and Technology, and Innovation. In 2004, Mihara received political donations of ¥ 300,000 from organizations related to the Unification Church. Mihara is a member of the Diet groups of Nippon Kaigi, an openly revisionist lobby, and Shintō Seiji Renmei, a fundamentalist Shintō lobby.
Minoru Nojima (野島 稔, Nojima Minoru; May 23, 1945 – May 9, 2022) was a Japanese classical pianist. At the time of his…Minoru Nojima (野島 稔, Nojima Minoru; May 23, 1945 – May 9, 2022) was a Japanese classical pianist. At the time of his death he was President of the Tokyo College of Music.
Nobuyuki Katsube (勝部 演之, Katsube Nobuyuki; born May 23, 1938) is a Japanese actor and voice actor. He graduated from…Nobuyuki Katsube (勝部 演之, Katsube Nobuyuki; born May 23, 1938) is a Japanese actor and voice actor. He graduated from Keio University.and the Faculty of Economics.
Takeo Sugawara (菅原 武男, Sugawara Takeo; born 23 May 1938) is a Japanese former hammer thrower who competed in the 1960…Takeo Sugawara (菅原 武男, Sugawara Takeo; born 23 May 1938) is a Japanese former hammer thrower who competed in the 1960 Summer Olympics, in the 1964 Summer Olympics, in the 1968 Summer Olympics, and in the 1972 Summer Olympics. Sugawara won the British AAA Championships title at the 1963 AAA Championships and returned in 1968 to finish second behind Lázár Lovász at the 1968 AAA Championships.
Kaoru Nakamaru (中丸 薫, Nakamaru Kaoru; born 23 May 1937) is a Japanese journalist, television interviewer, and author…Kaoru Nakamaru (中丸 薫, Nakamaru Kaoru; born 23 May 1937) is a Japanese journalist, television interviewer, and author with a background in international politics.
Toyozo Ueda (上田 豊三, Ueda Toyozō; born May 23, 1937) was a former justice on the Supreme Court of Japan. In spring 2009…Toyozo Ueda (上田 豊三, Ueda Toyozō; born May 23, 1937) was a former justice on the Supreme Court of Japan. In spring 2009, Ueda was awarded the highest decoration of Japan, the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun. Before being appointed to the Supreme Court in 2002, he headed the courts in Osaka and in Hiroshima and served as a judge in Tokyo and Maebashi.