Shigeharu Mukai (向井 滋春, Mukai Shigeharu; born January 21, 1949 in Nagoya) is a Japanese jazz trombonist. Mukai attended…
Shigeharu Mukai (向井 滋春, Mukai Shigeharu; born January 21, 1949 in Nagoya) is a Japanese jazz trombonist. Mukai attended Doshisha University but left before obtaining his degree to become a professional musician. Early in his career he worked with Yoshio Otomo, Ryo Kawasaki, and Hiroshi Fukumura, then led his own ensemble, including a performance at the Shinjuku Jazz Festival. He went on to work with Terumasa Hino, Akira Sakata, Kazumi Watanabe, and Yosuke Yamashita, as well as the ensemble Spik and Span and international musicians like João Bosco, Billy Hart, and Elvin Jones. In the 1970s, while living in Musashino, Tokyo, Mukai performed at Peter Cat, the jazz café that novelist Haruki Murakami opened and ran. In the 1990s and 2000s he taught jazz at Senzoku Gakuen school of music.
Famous People Born in January
January: 2,106 people
Kazunori Tanaka (田中 和徳, Tanaka Kazunori; born 21 January 1949) is a Japanese politician serving in the House of…
Kazunori Tanaka (田中 和徳, Tanaka Kazunori; born 21 January 1949) is a Japanese politician serving in the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature) as a member of the Liberal Democratic Party and Minister of Reconstruction. A native of Toyoura District, Yamaguchi and graduate of Hosei University he was elected for the first time in 1996 after serving in local assemblies. Tanaka was general director of the Liberal Democratic Party International bureau in 2015.
Yoshiharu Sekino (関野 吉晴, Sekino Yoshiharu; born 20 January 1949, Tokyo) is a Japanese surgeon, explorer, travel writer…
Yoshiharu Sekino (関野 吉晴, Sekino Yoshiharu; born 20 January 1949, Tokyo) is a Japanese surgeon, explorer, travel writer, photographer and anthropologist.
Yukiko Sakamoto (坂本 由紀子, Sakamoto Yukiko; born 20 January 1949) is a Japanese politician and bureaucrat from Mishima…
Yukiko Sakamoto (坂本 由紀子, Sakamoto Yukiko; born 20 January 1949) is a Japanese politician and bureaucrat from Mishima, Shizuoka. She was the first woman to be appointed vice-governor of Shizuoka Prefecture in 1996 and served one term in the House of Councillors in the National Diet from 2004 until 2009.
Haruki Ihara (伊原 春樹, Ihara Haruki; born January 18, 1949) was a Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball player. He played…
Haruki Ihara (伊原 春樹, Ihara Haruki; born January 18, 1949) was a Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball player. He played for the Nishitetsu Lions, and continued his entire career with them. From 2002 to 2003, he was the manager of the Seibu Lions, as well as the Orix BlueWave in 2004. His daughter, Natsuna Ihara, is a model and actress.
Ichirō Kamoshita (鴨下 一郎, Kamoshita Ichirō; born 16 January 1949) is a Japanese politician and doctor, who served as…
Ichirō Kamoshita (鴨下 一郎, Kamoshita Ichirō; born 16 January 1949) is a Japanese politician and doctor, who served as Minister of the Environment in Yasuo Fukuda's cabinet. Born in Adachi, Tokyo, he graduated from Nihon University, earning a medical degree. In 1993, he was elected for the first time as a member of the Japan New Party. In December 1997, he joined the Liberal Democratic Party. He represented Tokyo's 13th district in the House of Representatives.
Rumi Tama (珠瑠美, Tama Rumi) (also, 珠るみ, 珠ルミ) aka Rumi Kimata (木俣瑠美, Kimata Rumi) is a Japanese film director, actress…
Rumi Tama (珠瑠美, Tama Rumi) (also, 珠るみ, 珠ルミ) aka Rumi Kimata (木俣瑠美, Kimata Rumi) is a Japanese film director, actress, and screenwriter, known for her work in the pink film genre. After making her acting debut in 1965, she appeared in independent pink films throughout the rest of the decade, often for director Akitaka Kimata, whom she would later marry, and his son Seiji Izumi. Tama took a brief retirement in the early 1970s, then began appearing in films in Nikkatsu's Roman Porno series in 1975. She began directing in 1981, helming at least 80 films as of 2002.
Hiroo Unoura (鵜浦 博夫, Unoura Hiroo; born 13 January 1949) is a Japanese businessman, former president and chief…
Hiroo Unoura (鵜浦 博夫, Unoura Hiroo; born 13 January 1949) is a Japanese businessman, former president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT), the third largest telecommunications company in the world in terms of revenue. Hiroo Unoura was born on 13 January 1949. In 1973, he obtained a BA degree in Law from the University of Tokyo. Unoura joined NTT in April 1973, and has held various senior positions at NTT. He became president and CEO in June 2012. In June 2018, he was succeeded as CEO by Jun Sawada.
Kentarō Haneda (羽田 健太郎, Haneda Kentarō; January 12, 1949 – June 2, 2007) was a Japanese pianist, composer and arranger.…
Kentarō Haneda (羽田 健太郎, Haneda Kentarō; January 12, 1949 – June 2, 2007) was a Japanese pianist, composer and arranger. He composed for popular anime series, movies and video games. His popular name was Haneken.
Haruki Murakami (村上 春樹, Murakami Haruki; born January 12 1949) is a Japanese writer. His novels, essays, and short…
Haruki Murakami (村上 春樹, Murakami Haruki; born January 12 1949) is a Japanese writer. His novels, essays, and short stories have been best-sellers in Japan and internationally, with his work translated into 50 languages and having sold millions of copies outside Japan. He received numerous awards for his work, including the Gunzo Prize for New Writers, the World Fantasy Award, the Tanizaki Prize, Yomiuri Prize for Literature, the Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award, the Noma Literary Prize, the Franz Kafka Prize, the Kiriyama Prize for Fiction, the Goodreads Choice Awards for Best Fiction, the Jerusalem Prize, and the Princess of Asturias Awards. Growing up in Ashiya, near Kobe, before moving to Tokyo to attend Waseda University, he published his first novel Hear the Wind Sing (1979) after owning a small jazz bar for seven years. His notable works include the novels Norwegian Wood (1987), The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle (1994–95), Kafka on the Shore (2002) and 1Q84 (2009–10); the last was ranked as the best work of Japan's Heisei era (1989–2019) by the national newspaper Asahi Shimbun's survey of literary experts. His work spans genres including science fiction, fantasy, and crime fiction, and has become known for his use of magical realist elements. His official website cites Raymond Chandler, Kurt Vonnegut, and Richard Brautigan as key inspirations to his work, while Murakami himself has named Kazuo Ishiguro, Cormac McCarthy, and Dag Solstad as his favorite contemporary writers. Murakami has also published five short story collections, including First Person Singular (2020), and non-fiction works including Underground (1997), an oral history of the Tokyo subway sarin attack, and What I Talk About When I Talk About Running (2007), a memoir about his experience as a long-distance runner. His fiction has polarized literary critics and the reading public. He has sometimes been characterized by Japan's literary establishment as un-Japanese, leading to Murakami's recalling that he was a "black sheep in the Japanese literary world". Meanwhile, Murakami has been described by Gary Fisketjon, the editor of Murakami's collection The Elephant Vanishes (1993), as a "truly extraordinary writer", while Steven Poole of The Guardian praised Murakami as "among the world's greatest living novelists" for his oeuvre.
Yoetsu Suzuki (鈴木 陽悦, Suzuki Yōetsu; born January 10, 1949) is a former Japanese politician who served as a member of…
Yoetsu Suzuki (鈴木 陽悦, Suzuki Yōetsu; born January 10, 1949) is a former Japanese politician who served as a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Akita, Akita and graduate of Chuo University, he was elected to the House of Councillors since 2004 after working at Akita Television.
Kozo Kinomoto (木之本 興三, Kinomoto Kōzō; 8 January 1949 – 15 January 2017) was a Japanese footballer who played as a…
Kozo Kinomoto (木之本 興三, Kinomoto Kōzō; 8 January 1949 – 15 January 2017) was a Japanese footballer who played as a midfielder for Furukawa Electric from 1972 to 1975 before being forced to retire due to kidney problem. After his playing career he became a sports executive and served as director in the Japan Football League until 2003. In his later years Kinomoto lost both of his legs due to health issues and died on 15 January 2017 at the age of 68.
Jirō Yabuki (矢吹二朗, Yabuki Jirō; born Mitsuho Maeda, 6 January 1949) also known as Jirō Chiba is a retired Japanese…
Jirō Yabuki (矢吹二朗, Yabuki Jirō; born Mitsuho Maeda, 6 January 1949) also known as Jirō Chiba is a retired Japanese actor. His older brother was Sonny Chiba. He is known for playing the role of Kazuya Taki in the tokusatsu superhero series Kamen Rider. He started his acting career at the Bungakuza theatre company in 1967. In 1970, he joined Sonny Chiba's production company and often co-starred with Sonny in many films. His first starring role in the film was in Gekitotsu! Aikidō. In 1976, he changed his stage name from Jirō Chiba to Jirō Yabuki. He announced his retirement as an actor in 1982.
Tomoyuki Nishita (西田 友是, Nishita Tomoyuki; born 1949 in Hiroshima, Japan) is a professor at the University of Tokyo.…
Tomoyuki Nishita (西田 友是, Nishita Tomoyuki; born 1949 in Hiroshima, Japan) is a professor at the University of Tokyo. Dr. Nishita received a research award for computer graphics from the Information Processing Society of Japan in 1987, and also received the Steven Anson Coons Award from the ACM SIGGRAPH in 2005. He is one of the pioneers of the method of radiosity (also soft shadows). His research on computer graphics includes lighting simulation, rendering, shading, natural phenomena, curved surface, non-photorealistic rendering (NPR), morphing, interactive rendering, and WebGraphics. Nishita received his BE, ME and Ph.D in engineering in 1971, 1973, and 1985, respectively, from Hiroshima University. He worked at Fukuyama University from 1979 to 1998. He was an associate researcher in the Engineering Computer Graphics Laboratory at Brigham Young University from 1988 to 1989. He has lectured at the University of Tokyo since 1994, and has been a professor in the Department of Complexity Science and Engineering at the university since 1998. He has written 23 SIGGRAPH papers and 18 EUROGRAPHICS papers. He was a member of the editorial board of the IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics. He was a president of the IIEEJ (Institute of Image and Electronics Engineers of Japan).
Masanori Nishio (西尾 正範, Nishio Masanori; 3 January 1949 – 28 May 2022) was a Japanese politician. Nishio was born in…
Masanori Nishio (西尾 正範, Nishio Masanori; 3 January 1949 – 28 May 2022) was a Japanese politician. Nishio was born in Ōno, Hokkaidō, now part of the city of Hokuto. After graduating Kyoto University, he became a public servant in 1973. He was appointed deputy mayor of Hakodate by its then-mayor Hiroshi Inoue (politician) in July 2003, but resigned himself in December 2006 due to a rift with the mayor over the construction of a retirement home. He beat Inoue in the mayoral election held on 22 April 2007, and took office on 27 April.
Keiko Erikawa is a Japanese businesswoman and video game designer. She co-founded Koei Tecmo Holdings Co., Ltd., a…
Keiko Erikawa is a Japanese businesswoman and video game designer. She co-founded Koei Tecmo Holdings Co., Ltd., a Japanese game development company, with her husband Yoichi Erikawa in 1978.
Toshio Ukishima (浮島 敏男, Ukishima Toshio; born 1 January 1949) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party…
Toshio Ukishima (浮島 敏男, Ukishima Toshio; born 1 January 1949) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Tokyo and a high school graduate, he was elected for the first time in 2005 after working at a manufacturer of soft drinks.
Muneo Suzuki (鈴木 宗男 Suzuki Muneo, born 31 January 1948), commonly known simply as "Muneo" due to his common last name…
Muneo Suzuki (鈴木 宗男 Suzuki Muneo, born 31 January 1948), commonly known simply as "Muneo" due to his common last name, is a Japanese politician from Ashoro, Hokkaido, currently serving as a member of the House of Councillors since 2019, representing the National PR block.
Akira Yoshino (吉野 彰, Yoshino Akira; born 30 January 1948) is a Japanese chemist. He is a fellow of Asahi Kasei…
Akira Yoshino (吉野 彰, Yoshino Akira; born 30 January 1948) is a Japanese chemist. He is a fellow of Asahi Kasei Corporation and a professor at Meijo University in Nagoya. He created the first safe, production-viable lithium-ion battery, which became used widely in cellular phones and notebook computers. Yoshino was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2019 alongside M. Stanley Whittingham and John B. Goodenough.
Mamoru "Mark" Mohri, (Japanese: 毛利 衛, romanized: Mōri Mamoru; born 29 January 1948) is a Japanese scientist, a former…
Mamoru "Mark" Mohri, (Japanese: 毛利 衛, romanized: Mōri Mamoru; born 29 January 1948) is a Japanese scientist, a former NASDA astronaut, and a veteran of two NASA Space Shuttle missions. He is the first Japanese astronaut who was part of an official Japanese space program. The first Japanese person in space, Toyohiro Akiyama, was a journalist who was trained in the Soviet Union.
Kōji Makaino (馬飼野 康二, Makaino Kōji; born 26 January 1948) is a Japanese pop music composer, arranger, and musician. He…
Kōji Makaino (馬飼野 康二, Makaino Kōji; born 26 January 1948) is a Japanese pop music composer, arranger, and musician. He is the elder brother of composer Shunichi Makaino.
Mitsuo Shindō (信藤 三雄, Shindō Mitsuo; 1948 – 10 February 2023) was a Japanese art director, photographer, film director…
Mitsuo Shindō (信藤 三雄, Shindō Mitsuo; 1948 – 10 February 2023) was a Japanese art director, photographer, film director and producer, music video director and calligraphist. Shindō designed over 1000 albums and single cover art for artists including Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, Yumi Matsutoya, Pizzicato Five, Mr. Children, Misia, Hikaru Utada and Glay. He was also a frequent collaborator with Mr. Children and Misia, for whom he has directed several music videos. In 2010, Shindō became a board member of Mudef, a foundation established by Misia and Rhythmedia CEO Hiroto Tanigawa. Shindō died from stomach cancer on 10 February 2023, at the age of 75.
Yoshio Hachiro (鉢呂 吉雄, Hachiro Yoshio; born 25 January 1948) is a former Japanese politician of the Constitutional…
Yoshio Hachiro (鉢呂 吉雄, Hachiro Yoshio; born 25 January 1948) is a former Japanese politician of the Constitutional Democratic Party who served as a member of the House of Councillors and the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature).
Haruhiko Jō (壤晴彦, Jō Haruhiko; born January 25, 1948) is a Japanese actor, theatre director, and voice actor, currently…
Haruhiko Jō (壤晴彦, Jō Haruhiko; born January 25, 1948) is a Japanese actor, theatre director, and voice actor, currently affiliated with Engekikurabu Za.
Machiko Satonaka (里中 満智子, Satonaka Machiko; born 24 January 1948) is a Japanese manga artist. She made her professional…
Machiko Satonaka (里中 満智子, Satonaka Machiko; born 24 January 1948) is a Japanese manga artist. She made her professional debut in 1964 during her second year of high school with the one-shot Pia no Shōzō ("Portrait of Pia"). She has since created nearly 500 manga in a variety of genres. Two of her most notable works are Ashita Kagayaku ("Tomorrow Will Shine"), which won the 1974 Kodansha Publishing Culture Award, and Karyūdo no Seiza ("Constellation of the Hunter"), which won the 1982 Kodansha Manga Award. In addition to creating manga, Satonaka teaches at the Osaka University of Arts as the head of the Character Creative Arts Department and serves on the board of various manga-related organizations in Japan.
Mitoji Yabunaka (薮中 三十二, Yabunaka Mitoji; born 23 January 1948) is a Japanese former diplomat who served as Vice…
Mitoji Yabunaka (薮中 三十二, Yabunaka Mitoji; born 23 January 1948) is a Japanese former diplomat who served as Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2008 to 2010. Prior to that position, Yabunaka served as Ministry of Foreign Affair's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau Director-General. He has been a diplomat for nearly forty years. Yabunaka has represented Japan on a number of occasions and has negotiated trade deals with the United States, Australia and Indonesia. He has had contact with a number of United States diplomats, including hosting current United States Ambassador to Japan John Roos shortly following Roos' appointment. During the first, second and third rounds of the Six-party talks, Yabunaka represented Japan as chief delegate. The Japanese government also sent Yabanuka as a delegate to China to discuss issues of natural gas reserves under the East China Sea. He handled Myanmar relations during the Kenji Nagai shooting incident, demanding an investigation and challenging governmental claims. Yabunaka replaced Toshiyuki Takano as Director General of Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau in 2002. In 2008 Yabunaka held talks with South Korean Ambassador Kwon Chul Hyun over disputed islets in the Sea of Japan.
Minoru Kanehisa (金久 實) (born January 23, 1948) is a Japanese bioinformatician. He is a project professor at Kyoto…
Minoru Kanehisa (金久 實) (born January 23, 1948) is a Japanese bioinformatician. He is a project professor at Kyoto University, technical director of Pathway Solutions Inc and president of NPO Bioinformatics Japan. He is one of Japan's most recognized and respected bioinformatics experts and is known for developing the KEGG bioinformatics database. In 2018 he was listed on a list of Clarivate Citation Laureates for the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for "contributions to bioinformatics, specifically for his development of the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG)".
Mieko Kamimoto (神本 美恵子, Kamimoto Mieko; born 22 January 1948) is a Japanese politician of the Constitutional Democratic…
Mieko Kamimoto (神本 美恵子, Kamimoto Mieko; born 22 January 1948) is a Japanese politician of the Constitutional Democratic Party and a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Asakura District, Fukuoka and graduate of Fukuoka University of Education, she was elected for the first time in 2001.
Masayuki Kikuchi (菊地 正幸; January 19, 1948 – October 18, 2003) was a Japanese seismologist. He was famous for real-time…
Masayuki Kikuchi (菊地 正幸; January 19, 1948 – October 18, 2003) was a Japanese seismologist. He was famous for real-time seismology.
Ryoko Moriyama (森山 良子, Moriyama Ryōko) (born January 18, 1948) is a Japanese folk singer and actress. Her father is…
Ryoko Moriyama (森山 良子, Moriyama Ryōko) (born January 18, 1948) is a Japanese folk singer and actress. Her father is Hisashi Moriyama, a pioneer of Japanese jazz. Her son Naotarō Moriyama is a singer. Her first cousin Hiroshi Kamayatsu is also a musician. She is known as the Japanese Joan Baez, or the Queen of college folk. Her songs tend not to become best sellers but her most famous song is "Satokibi Batake". This song is about a tragedy during the Battle of Okinawa. The song's full version is 10 minutes. When this song was first released, it was thought to be too long to air on the radio, but now the song is popular in Japan. Every summer, NHK air a shorter version as a symbol of the 'No War Campaign'. In the song, an imitative word 'Zawawa' is repeated 66 times, because of this, it is often called 'Zawawa'. Moriyama often called "Satokibi Batake" 'Zawawa' as a joke. Her 1969 recording of "Kinjirareta koi" ("Unpermitted Love") sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. A more recent hit song is "Nada Sōsō," a poem set to music by Begin, and sung by Rimi Natsukawa. Some of her songs, such as "Kono hiroi nohara ippai" and "Dona dona", now appear in school textbooks. She sang a theme song at Nagano Olympics opening ceremony in 1998. Inspired by "Satokibi Batake", a TV drama called Satokibi Batake no uta (Song of the Sugarcane field) was made. Akashiya Sanma takes the lead role as a soldier who refused to kill. Nada Sōsō' also features in a TV program. Nada Sōsō means teardrops in Okinawan. The song describes the experience of being unable to meet the person you love most. The song may refer to the death of Moriyama's brother.
Toshiki Tajima (Japanese: 田島俊樹, Hepburn: Tajima Toshiki; born January 18, 1948) is a Japanese theoretical plasma…
Toshiki Tajima (Japanese: 田島俊樹, Hepburn: Tajima Toshiki; born January 18, 1948) is a Japanese theoretical plasma physicist known for pioneering the laser wakefield acceleration technique with John M. Dawson in 1979. The technique is used to accelerate particles in a plasma and was experimentally realized in 1994, for which Tajima received several awards such as the Nishina Memorial Prize (2006), the Enrico Fermi Prize (2015), the Robert R. Wilson Prize (2019), the Hannes Alfvén Prize (2019) and the Charles Hard Townes Award (2020). Tajima is currently a professor of the University of California, Irvine, and is the Chief Science Officer of TAE Technologies. His works involve plasma physics, laser physics, nuclear fusion, plasma astrophysics, accelerator physics and medical applications of physics.
Tetsuo Suda (須田 哲夫, Suda Tetsuo; born 16 January 1948) is a Japanese TV presenter and news anchor. He was born in…
Tetsuo Suda (須田 哲夫, Suda Tetsuo; born 16 January 1948) is a Japanese TV presenter and news anchor. He was born in Shinagawa, Tokyo. Suda graduated from Keio University, and joined Fuji TV in 1971. Since April 2000, he has worked on Fuji Television's Super News evening news programme alongside Yūko Andō.
Musashi Kanbe (かんべむさし; born January 16, 1948, in Ishikawa Prefecture) is a Seiun Award winning author for the novel…
Musashi Kanbe (かんべむさし; born January 16, 1948, in Ishikawa Prefecture) is a Seiun Award winning author for the novel Saikoro Tokkōtai. Kanbe was also chair of honor at Daicon III in 1981.
Tsuneo Horiuchi (堀内 恒夫, Horiuchi Tsuneo; born January 16, 1948) is a former professional baseball player in Japan's…
Tsuneo Horiuchi (堀内 恒夫, Horiuchi Tsuneo; born January 16, 1948) is a former professional baseball player in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball and a politician. A right-handed pitcher, in 2008 he was voted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame.
Shinji Sōmai (相米 慎二, Sōmai Shinji; 13 January 1948 – 9 September 2001) was a Japanese film director. He directed 13…
Shinji Sōmai (相米 慎二, Sōmai Shinji; 13 January 1948 – 9 September 2001) was a Japanese film director. He directed 13 films between 1980 and 2000 and was noted for his work within seishun-eiga, which include films such as the successful Sailor Suit and Machine Gun (1981) and critically acclaimed Typhoon Club (1985).
Sansei Shiomi (塩見 三省, Shiomi Sansei; born 12 January 1948) is a Japanese actor.
Hiroshi Wajima (Japanese: 輪島大士, Hepburn: Wajima Hiroshi; 11 January 1948 – 8 October 2018) was a Japanese sumo and…
Hiroshi Wajima (Japanese: 輪島大士, Hepburn: Wajima Hiroshi; 11 January 1948 – 8 October 2018) was a Japanese sumo and professional wrestler. Born in Nanao, Ishikawa, he was the sport's 54th yokozuna and is the first wrestler with a collegiate background to reach its highest rank. Entering professional sumo in January 1970, he won a total of 14 tournament championships or yūshō during his career before retiring in March 1981. He was nicknamed "Golden Left" (黄金の左, Ōgon no Hidari) in reference to his trademark gold mawashi and his preferred technique of a left-handed underarm throw. He was later head coach of Hanakago stable, but after several controversies, Wajima was forced to leave the sumo world and turned to professional wrestling, retiring in 1988.
Mikihiko Renjō (連城 三紀彦, Renjō Mikihiko; real name: Jingo Katō; January 11, 1948 – October 19, 2013) was a Japanese…
Mikihiko Renjō (連城 三紀彦, Renjō Mikihiko; real name: Jingo Katō; January 11, 1948 – October 19, 2013) was a Japanese writer, winner of the Naoki Prize. He was also an ordained priest within the Ōtani-ha branch of Jōdo Shinshū Buddhism.
Itsurō Terada (寺田 逸郎, Terada Itsurō; born 9 January 1948) is a Japanese lawyer who served as Chief Justice of the…
Itsurō Terada (寺田 逸郎, Terada Itsurō; born 9 January 1948) is a Japanese lawyer who served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Japan from 2014 to 2018.
Yasuo Saitō (齋藤 泰雄, Saitō Yasuo; born 5 January 1948 in Okayama Prefecture) is the Ambassador Extraordinary and…
Yasuo Saitō (齋藤 泰雄, Saitō Yasuo; born 5 January 1948 in Okayama Prefecture) is the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to France and a former ambassador of Japan to Russia and Saudi Arabia.
Ōshio Kenji (born Kenji Hatano; 4 January 1948 – 25 May 2024) was a Japanese sumo wrestler from Kitakyushu. His highest…
Ōshio Kenji (born Kenji Hatano; 4 January 1948 – 25 May 2024) was a Japanese sumo wrestler from Kitakyushu. His highest rank was komusubi. His career lasted twenty-six years, from 1962 until 1988, and he holds the record for the most bouts contested in professional sumo. After his retirement at the age of 40 he became an elder of the Japan Sumo Association and set up Shikihide stable in 1992. He left the Sumo Association upon turning 65 in 2013. He died in 2024.
Kohzoh Imai (今井浩三, Kohzoh Imai; born January 1, 1948) is a Japanese physician and oncologist specializing in molecular…
Kohzoh Imai (今井浩三, Kohzoh Imai; born January 1, 1948) is a Japanese physician and oncologist specializing in molecular diagnosis and novel medical treatment of cancer. He is well known for the discovery of a Melanoma-related antigen (Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycan-4, or CSPG4) by producing a monoclonal antibody. In addition, he produced monoclonal antibodies against CEA or ICAM-1 and discovered their use in diagnosis and pathological analysis. He is a former professor and president of Sapporo Medical University. He was a Council Member of the Science Council of Japan. Imai is currently a professor at the Institute of Medical Science at the University of Tokyo and the director of Kanagawa Cancer Center Research Institute. In 2013, he received the Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon.
Tadatsugu Taniguchi (谷口 維紹, Taniguchi Tadatsugu; born January 1, 1948 in Wakayama Prefecture) is a Japanese…
Tadatsugu Taniguchi (谷口 維紹, Taniguchi Tadatsugu; born January 1, 1948 in Wakayama Prefecture) is a Japanese immunologist known for his pioneer research on Interferons and Interferon regulatory factors.
Chihiro Sasakawa (笹川 千尋, Sasakawa Chihiro; born January 1948) is a Japanese bacteriologist well known for his…
Chihiro Sasakawa (笹川 千尋, Sasakawa Chihiro; born January 1948) is a Japanese bacteriologist well known for his pioneering research into the invasive mechanisms of pathogenic bacteria and the host’s subsequent immune response to infection. In his work on Shigella species and Helicobacter pylori, Sasakawa was an early adopter of a multi-disciplinary research strategy, combining molecular biology, cellular biology, biochemistry and immunological approaches. This research strategy and his discoveries greatly influenced later research on the invasive mechanisms of other pathogenic bacteria.
Hiroshi Okada (岡田 広, Okada Hiroshi; born January 31, 1947) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party…
Hiroshi Okada (岡田 広, Okada Hiroshi; born January 31, 1947) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), a former member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature) affiliated to the revisionist lobby Nippon Kaigi. A native of Mito, Ibaraki and graduate of Ritsumeikan University, Okada had served in the assembly of Ibaraki Prefecture since 1986 and as mayor of Mito for three terms since 1993. In 2003 he was elected to the House of Councillors for the first time. He also held the following political positions: State Minister of Cabinet Office; State Minister for Reconstruction; Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare; Chief Director, Committee on Financial Affairs, HC; Chairperson, Committee on Cabinet, HC; and Director, Cabinet Division, LDP.
Takashi Kako (加古 隆, Kako Takashi) (born 31 January 1947) is a Japanese pianist and composer, who works in both jazz and…
Takashi Kako (加古 隆, Kako Takashi) (born 31 January 1947) is a Japanese pianist and composer, who works in both jazz and art-music idioms.
Masaki Kashiwara (Japanese: 柏原 正樹, Hepburn: Kashiwara Masaki; born January 30, 1947) is a Japanese mathematician and…
Masaki Kashiwara (Japanese: 柏原 正樹, Hepburn: Kashiwara Masaki; born January 30, 1947) is a Japanese mathematician and professor at the Kyoto University Institute for Advanced Study (KUIAS). He is known for his contributions to algebraic analysis, microlocal analysis, D-module theory, Hodge theory, sheaf theory and representation theory. He was awarded the Abel Prize in 2025, and is the award's first recipient from Japan.
Seigo Kitamura (北村 誠吾, Kitamura Seigo; 29 January 1947 – 20 May 2023) was a Japanese politician of the Liberal…
Seigo Kitamura (北村 誠吾, Kitamura Seigo; 29 January 1947 – 20 May 2023) was a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), who served as a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature).
Ikuo Kabashima (蒲島 郁夫, Kabashima Ikuo; born 28 January 1947) is a Japanese politician and a former governor of Kumamoto…
Ikuo Kabashima (蒲島 郁夫, Kabashima Ikuo; born 28 January 1947) is a Japanese politician and a former governor of Kumamoto Prefecture. Kabashima served as governor for 4 terms, between 2008 and 2024. Ikuo Kabashima received a bachelor's and master's degrees in Animal Science and Agricultural Economics from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He received a Ph.D. in political economy from Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government in 1979. He studied under Samuel P. Huntington and Sidney Verba in HKS. Kabashima was an associate professor at the Institute of Policy and Planning Sciences of the University of Tsukuba from 1986 to 1991. He became a professor in 1991 and in 1996 was named dean of the Graduate School of International Political Economy. In 1997 he became a professor of law at the University of Tokyo. Kabahsima led the development of Kumamon, a promotional mascot that gained popularity both in Japan and abroad.
Shozo Saijo (西城 正三, Saijō Shōzō; born January 28, 1947) is a Japanese former professional boxer from Saitama. He is a…
Shozo Saijo (西城 正三, Saijō Shōzō; born January 28, 1947) is a Japanese former professional boxer from Saitama. He is a former WBA featherweight champion.