Tadayoshi Yokota (横田 忠義 Yokota Tadayoshi, 26 September 1947 – 9 May 2023) was a Japanese volleyball player, who was a…Tadayoshi Yokota (横田 忠義 Yokota Tadayoshi, 26 September 1947 – 9 May 2023) was a Japanese volleyball player, who was a member of the Japan Men's National Team that won the gold medal at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich and the silver medal at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. Yokota died on 9 May 2023, at the age of 75.
Fujinokawa Takeo (born 26 September 1946 as Takeo Morita) is a former sumo wrestler from Otofuke, Hokkaido, Japan. He…Fujinokawa Takeo (born 26 September 1946 as Takeo Morita) is a former sumo wrestler from Otofuke, Hokkaido, Japan. He made his professional debut in May 1961 and reached a highest rank of sekiwake in May 1967. He was a runner-up in two top division (makuuchi) tournaments, finishing three wins behind Tamanoshima in May 1968 and losing a playoff to ozeki Kiyokuni in July 1969. He earned four kinboshi for defeating yokozuna and won seven special prizes. After his retirement in 1972 at the age of 26 he became an elder of the Japan Sumo Association and took over as head coach of Isenoumi stable in 1982. He left the Sumo Association in 2011 upon reaching 65 years of age.
Shozo Nishimura (born 26 September 1945) is a Japanese field hockey player. He competed in the men's tournament at the…Shozo Nishimura (born 26 September 1945) is a Japanese field hockey player. He competed in the men's tournament at the 1968 Summer Olympics.
Yoshihiro Sakata (坂田好弘) is a rugby union official and former player who gained sixteen full international caps with the…Yoshihiro Sakata (坂田好弘) is a rugby union official and former player who gained sixteen full international caps with the Japan national rugby union team 1967–1973. He played as wing for Kintetsu and Canterbury RFU and was nicknamed Demi Sakata. He was the first Japanese player to be inducted into the International Rugby Board Hall of Fame.
Kaneko Takahashi (高橋 カネ子, Takahashi Kaneko; born 26 September 1942) is a Japanese speed skater. She competed in four…Kaneko Takahashi (高橋 カネ子, Takahashi Kaneko; born 26 September 1942) is a Japanese speed skater. She competed in four events at the 1964 Winter Olympics.
Anton Wicky (アントン・ウィッキー) (born September 26, 1936) is an educator and celebrity in Japan. His full name is Anton Wicky…Anton Wicky (アントン・ウィッキー) (born September 26, 1936) is an educator and celebrity in Japan. His full name is Anton Wicky Ampalavanar. He was born in Ceylon and went to Japan in 1961 as a Mombusho scholar. In 1969 he earned a doctorate from the University of Tokyo. His teaching career has included Ohu and Reitaku Universities. He began his Nippon Television show Wicky-san's One-point English Conversation in 1979. It ran for fifteen years. The show began again in 2007. Since 2006, Wicky has appeared in commercials for Yellow Hat, a chain of automotive-supply retail stores.
Yukiko Kato (加藤幸子; September 26, 1936 – March 30, 2024) was a Japanese writer. She is best known for writing Yume no…Yukiko Kato (加藤幸子; September 26, 1936 – March 30, 2024) was a Japanese writer. She is best known for writing Yume no Kabe (夢の壁), which won the 1982 Akutagawa Prize.
Shūichi Higurashi (日暮修一) (1936 – April 13, 2012) was a Japanese manga illustrator and magazine artist. Higurashi was…Shūichi Higurashi (日暮修一) (1936 – April 13, 2012) was a Japanese manga illustrator and magazine artist. Higurashi was the cover artist for Big Comic, a Japanese manga magazine, for more than forty years, from 1970 until fall 2011. Higurashi was raised in Matsudo, Chiba Prefecture. He studied at Musashino Art School, now known as Musashino Art University, a progressive university with a curriculum in fine arts and industrial design. He became head of character illustration at Big Comic in 1970. Each issue of Big Comic during this era featured a large caricature of a famous individual on the cover, typically sports stars, actors and, politicians. All were drawn by Higurashi in his signature style of a large head relative to a small body. His drawings became a trademark of the magazine. Higurashi was well known for his work outside of Big Comic. He and his younger brother, the Mainichi Shinbun copywriter Higurashi Shinzō (b. 1944), wrote and illustrated the long-running series Shūichi, Shinzō no mōningu jakku for the Sunday edition of the newspaper. The series ran from 1981 until 2006. In addition to his illustrations, Higurashi also illustrated for the defunct magazine Rapita, and worked as a business advertisement designer. To mark his 25th anniversary as the cover artist with Big Comic, the Shogakukan publisher released a book of his cover illustrations in 1994 titled "Big na Kao". In 2000, Higurashi received a special Shogakukan Manga Award for his lifetime achievement as a manga illustrator. In 2006 Higurashi was the feature of an exhibition of his works at the Matsudo Cultural Hall. Higurashi stepped down as cover illustrator of Big Comic in fall 2011 due to declining health. He died in Tokyo from pneumonia on April 13, 2012, at the age of 75. Higurashi was survived by his wife, Kazuko.
Shinji Maki (牧 伸二, Maki Shinji; 26 September 1934 - 29 April 2013) was a Japanese mandan comedian who played the…Shinji Maki (牧 伸二, Maki Shinji; 26 September 1934 - 29 April 2013) was a Japanese mandan comedian who played the ukulele.
Tadao Nagahama (長浜 忠夫, Nagahama Tadao; September 26, 1932 – November 4, 1980 in Kagoshima) was a Japanese director of…Tadao Nagahama (長浜 忠夫, Nagahama Tadao; September 26, 1932 – November 4, 1980 in Kagoshima) was a Japanese director of anime and puppet shows. He also wrote the lyrics for the anime's theme song under the name Akira Aoi (あおい あきら, Aoi Akira). Nagahama has produced hits in a wide variety of genres, including super robot, sports, and comedy. He is best known as the director of Sunrise and Toei's Robot Romance Trilogy, which added human drama to the Super Robot genre. He is also known as the director of several popular anime series that are still well known among Japanese viewers. His most famous work is the national hit, Star of the Giants, which contributed to the popularity of baseball in Japan.
Kozo Kawashima (川島弘三, Kawashima Kōzō) (born 26 September 1926) is a Japanese former ski jumper who competed in the…Kozo Kawashima (川島弘三, Kawashima Kōzō) (born 26 September 1926) is a Japanese former ski jumper who competed in the early 1950s. He finished 42nd in the individual large hill event at the 1952 Winter Olympics in Oslo. He was born in Otaru.
Kentaro Kawatsu (河津憲太郎, Kawatsu Kentarō; September 26, 1914 – March 23, 1970) was a Japanese swimmer who competed at…Kentaro Kawatsu (河津憲太郎, Kawatsu Kentarō; September 26, 1914 – March 23, 1970) was a Japanese swimmer who competed at the 1932 Summer Olympics. Kawatsu was a native of Hiroshima City, where his father, a physical education instructor at the predecessor of Hiroshima University, became known as the "Father of Hiroshima Sports". In 1930, while still in middle school, Kawatsu set a new Japan record of 33.2 seconds for the 50-meter backstroke. In 1932, while a student at Meiji University, he was selected for the Japanese Olympic team to the Los Angeles Olympics. The Japanese swimming team had significant success that year. The team took the gold, silver and bronze medals in the 100 meter backstroke event, with Kawatsu winning the bronze medal. He subsequently participated in the 1934 Far Eastern Games held in Manila. Kawatsu killed himself on March 23, 1970.
Hisatada Otaka (Japanese: 尾高尚忠; 26 September 1911 – 16 February 1951) was a Japanese composer and conductor. He was the…Hisatada Otaka (Japanese: 尾高尚忠; 26 September 1911 – 16 February 1951) was a Japanese composer and conductor. He was the conductor of the NHK Symphony Orchestra from 1942 to 1951. Otaka was born in Japan and studied in musical arts early, however he dropped out of high school and moved to Vienna for six years for conducting and composing, during his studies in Vienna he became friends with Andrzej Panufnik and started composing works. In 1940, Otaka moved back to Japan where he took the role as conductor for the NHK Symphony Orchestra, become a music teacher and compose most of his significant works such as his Symphony and Cello Concerto, however his life came to an abrupt end at the age of 39, leaving an unfinished Flute Concerto rewrite which one of his students, Hikaru Hayashi, would take on and complete. When Otaka died he left behind three children, all of whom play his work regularly particularly the youngest son Tadaaki Otaka. In 1953, the NHK Symphony Orchestra created the Otaka Prize, which is named after Hisatada Otaka for his role in helping the orchestra. Otaka had written one of the first Japanese cello concertos and the first Japanese flute concerto, the latter being played regularly as Otaka's most famous work.
Yonetaro Nakazawa (中沢 米太郎, Nakazawa Yonetarō; September 26, 1903 – February 5, 1984) was a Japanese track and field…Yonetaro Nakazawa (中沢 米太郎, Nakazawa Yonetarō; September 26, 1903 – February 5, 1984) was a Japanese track and field athlete. He competed at the 1928 Summer Olympics in the pole vault and decathlon and finished in sixth and 22nd place, respectively. He was the flag bearer for Japan at those Olympics. He also competed for Japan at the Far Eastern Championship Games (a forerunner to the Asian Games) and was the winner of the pole vault competition in 1923 in Osaka and again in 1927.
Kim Myeong-sik (Korean: 김명식; September 26, 1890 – April 11, 1943) was a Korean independence activist and writer during…Kim Myeong-sik (Korean: 김명식; September 26, 1890 – April 11, 1943) was a Korean independence activist and writer during the period of Japanese occupation. He joined the editorial committee of the Donga Ilbo in 1920. In the same year, he formed the Korean Workers' League (노동공제회) with others including Pak Jung-hwa and Jang Deok-su and published the league magazine Gongje. In 1922, he was arrested and imprisoned for two years by the Japanese government, due to his involvement with the magazine New Life (신생활) which was managed by Pak Hui-do.
Irie Hakō, originally Ikujirō (Japanese:入江 波光; 26 September 1887 – 9 June 1948), was a Japanese painter in the nihonga…Irie Hakō, originally Ikujirō (Japanese:入江 波光; 26 September 1887 – 9 June 1948), was a Japanese painter in the nihonga style.
Hajime Seki (關 一, Seki Hajime; 26 September 1873 — 26 January 1935) was the Mayor of Osaka, Japan, between 1923 and…Hajime Seki (關 一, Seki Hajime; 26 September 1873 — 26 January 1935) was the Mayor of Osaka, Japan, between 1923 and 1935.
Hirata Moritane (平田 盛胤; 1863-1945) was a Japanese Shinto priest and scholar of kokugaku. He was one of the heirs of the…Hirata Moritane (平田 盛胤; 1863-1945) was a Japanese Shinto priest and scholar of kokugaku. He was one of the heirs of the legacy of Hirata Atsutane, and during his lifetime was considered a leading figure in Tokyo's system of Shinto shrines.
Ōkubo Toshimichi (Japanese: 大久保 利通; 26 September 1830 – 14 May 1878) was a Japanese statesman and samurai of the…Ōkubo Toshimichi (Japanese: 大久保 利通; 26 September 1830 – 14 May 1878) was a Japanese statesman and samurai of the Satsuma Domain. Regarded as one of the main founders of modern Japan, he was one of the "Three Great Nobles" who led the Meiji Restoration in 1868, alongside Kido Takayoshi and Saigō Takamori. His policies, often characterized by realism and a focus on national strength (fukoku kyōhei), has led some historians to compare his role in Japan to that of Otto von Bismarck in Prussia. Beginning his career as a low-ranking retainer in Satsuma, Ōkubo became a central figure in the movement to overthrow the Tokugawa shogunate, and following the restoration of imperial rule became a prominent leader in the new Meiji government. As a junior councilor and later in key ministerial posts, he was a principal architect of the new state, driving reforms that dismantled the old feudal structure. His most significant achievement in this period was the abolition of the han system in 1871, which centralized the country under the Tokyo government. Ōkubo served as a vice-ambassador on the Iwakura Mission (1871–1873), touring the United States and Europe. The experience reinforced his belief that Japan must prioritize internal modernization before engaging in foreign ventures. Following his return, he successfully opposed a proposed invasion of Korea (Seikanron) in October 1873, thereby leading to a political split with his former ally Takamori. Upon being named Home Minister in November 1873, Ōkubo consolidated power to become the dominant figure within the Meiji oligarchy. Ōkubo then focused on a state-led industrialization drive and suppressed several samurai uprisings that challenged the central government, including the Saga and Satsuma Rebellions. In 1878, Ōkubo was assassinated by a group of disaffected samurai who accused him of tyranny. While controversial for his authoritarian methods, Ōkubo is remembered for his political shrewdness and unwavering vision. His leadership during the turbulent early Meiji period was instrumental in transforming Japan from a feudal country into a modern, industrialised nation-state.
Yuki Kodama (Japanese: 小玉 ユキ, Hepburn: Kodama Yuki) is a Japanese manga artist. She is best known as the creator of the…Yuki Kodama (Japanese: 小玉 ユキ, Hepburn: Kodama Yuki) is a Japanese manga artist. She is best known as the creator of the manga series Kids on the Slope, for which she won a Shogakukan Manga Award in 2011.
