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.
Kirin Kiki (Japanese: 樹木 希林, Hepburn: Kiki Kirin; 15 January 1943 – 15 September 2018) was a Japanese actress for…Kirin Kiki (Japanese: 樹木 希林, Hepburn: Kiki Kirin; 15 January 1943 – 15 September 2018) was a Japanese actress for Japanese cinema and television.
Yuko Fujimoto (藤本 佑子, Fujimoto Yūko; born January 14, 1943) is a Japanese volleyball player and Olympic champion. She…Yuko Fujimoto (藤本 佑子, Fujimoto Yūko; born January 14, 1943) is a Japanese volleyball player and Olympic champion. She was a member of the Japanese winning team, Oriental Witches, at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
Yojiro Uetake (上武 洋次郎, Uetake Yōjirō; born January 12, 1943) is a Japanese wrestler and two-time Olympic champion in…Yojiro Uetake (上武 洋次郎, Uetake Yōjirō; born January 12, 1943) is a Japanese wrestler and two-time Olympic champion in freestyle wrestling. He went undefeated for the entirety of his college career, winning three consecutive NCAA Championships. Uetake was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma as a Distinguished Member in 1980. In 2005, he was inducted into the FILA Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame in 2015.
Akira Ejiri (江尻 亮, Ejiri Akira; born January 10, 1943) is a former professional baseball player from Japan. Ejiri…Akira Ejiri (江尻 亮, Ejiri Akira; born January 10, 1943) is a former professional baseball player from Japan. Ejiri played baseball for the Taiyo Whales. He eventually served as a manager for the Chiba Lotte Marines
Juichi Yoshikawa (吉川 壽一, Yoshikawa Jūichi; born 1943 in Fukui) is a Japanese calligraphist, or sho artist, who studied…Juichi Yoshikawa (吉川 壽一, Yoshikawa Jūichi; born 1943 in Fukui) is a Japanese calligraphist, or sho artist, who studied calligraphy formally under Inamura Undo, and later with Ueda Sokiu. Yoshikawa's avant garde trademark "three and a half dimensions" style applies observation as the additional dimension. To an untrained observer, this approach might be characterized as artistic flamboyance known by the use of giant brushes and stadium-sized canvases - or, as in the large 1990 Beijing installation, by almost completely covering the 5,000 square metres of Tiananmen Square. Yoshikawa's work has been presented throughout Japan, China, and the Middle East, and he is the author of a 1993 French publication on his form, Sho. He has collaborated several times with the lyricist, Chris Mosdell, illustrating what are essentially poetic works with experimental calligraphy. The first collection, Shake the Whole World To Its Foundations (2001 Shichosha Publishing), is an epic rhythmical chant densely type-set on the page with delicate and often simple brush-stroke accompaniments. The second publication, The Erotic Odes: A Pillow Book, couples verse by Mosdell with digitally stylized erotic shunga woodcut prints from the Edo Era overlaid with sensual calligraphy and ink-seepage creations by Yoshikawa. A full-color edition, originally published by Libroport in 1997, was fully color-enhanced and re-printed in 2008 by Seigensha Publishing.
Akiko Nagashima (長嶋亜希子, Akiko Nagashima; née Nishimura; January 5, 1943 – September 18, 2007) was a Japanese…Akiko Nagashima (長嶋亜希子, Akiko Nagashima; née Nishimura; January 5, 1943 – September 18, 2007) was a Japanese businesswoman and the wife of former Yomiuri Giants star Shigeo Nagashima. She served as the representative director of Nagashima's personal office, Office N Co., Ltd.
Tadashi Sawamura (沢村 忠, Sawamura Tadashi; January 5, 1943 – March 26, 2021) was a Japanese kickboxer whose real name…Tadashi Sawamura (沢村 忠, Sawamura Tadashi; January 5, 1943 – March 26, 2021) was a Japanese kickboxer whose real name was Hideki Shiraha (白羽 秀樹, Shiraha Hideki). He is often credited with sparking the "Shōwa era kickboxing boom", being one of the era's most popular Japanese fighters, and enjoying great fame throughout his career.
Shigeo Fukushima (福島 滋雄, Fukushima Shigeo; 2 January 1943 – 1 June 1998) was a Japanese swimmer who competed in the…Shigeo Fukushima (福島 滋雄, Fukushima Shigeo; 2 January 1943 – 1 June 1998) was a Japanese swimmer who competed in the 1964 Summer Olympics.
Kensei Hasegawa (長谷川 憲正, Hasegawa Kensei; born January 1, 1943) is a Japanese politician of the People's New Party, a…Kensei Hasegawa (長谷川 憲正, Hasegawa Kensei; born January 1, 1943) is a Japanese politician of the People's New Party, a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Kumagaya, Saitama and graduate of the University of Tokyo, he worked at the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications from 1967 to 2003. He was elected for the first time in 2004.
Hideo Iijima (飯島 秀雄, Iijima Hideo; born January 1, 1944) is a retired Japanese sprint runner and professional baseball…Hideo Iijima (飯島 秀雄, Iijima Hideo; born January 1, 1944) is a retired Japanese sprint runner and professional baseball player. He competed at the 1964 and 1968 Olympics in the 100 m and 4 × 100 m relay events, but was eliminated in semifinals on all occasions. At the 1968 Games he ran his personal best in all competitions (10.24–10.34 seconds depending on the wind). After the 1968 Olympics Iijima became a professional baseball player. He retired in 1971 and for one year worked as a baseball coach.
Kiyohiko Ozaki (尾崎紀世彦, Ozaki Kiyohiko; 1 January 1943 – 30 May 2012) (nickname Kieyo) was a Japanese singer and actor.…Kiyohiko Ozaki (尾崎紀世彦, Ozaki Kiyohiko; 1 January 1943 – 30 May 2012) (nickname Kieyo) was a Japanese singer and actor. Known for his booming singing voice and trademark sideburns, he was sometimes referred to as the Japanese Tom Jones. Ozaki was born in Tokyo and grew up in neighbouring Kanagawa prefecture. He started performing in bands at the age of 13, before making his solo debut in 1970. His greatest hit was his 1971 single "Mata au hi made" (Until the Day We Meet Again). He died of liver cancer on 30 May 2012 after a long hospitalisation.
Maki Asakawa (Japanese: 浅川マキ, Hepburn: Asakawa Maki; January 27, 1942 – January 17, 2010) was a Japanese jazz and blues…Maki Asakawa (Japanese: 浅川マキ, Hepburn: Asakawa Maki; January 27, 1942 – January 17, 2010) was a Japanese jazz and blues singer, lyricist and composer. Known as the "Queen of the Underground" (アングラの女王, Angura no Joō), she was an important voice of Japan's urban counterculture.
Kōzō Watanabe (渡辺 紘三, Watanabe Kōzō; 28 January 1942 – 16 September 2007) was a Japanese politician of the Liberal…Kōzō Watanabe (渡辺 紘三, Watanabe Kōzō; 28 January 1942 – 16 September 2007) was a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party who served in the House of Representatives from 1972 to 1990. He was best known as an influential supporter of Kakuei Tanaka's faction, though had to retire early from politics in 1990 due to diabetes. He is to be distinguished from the homonymous Kōzō Watanabe (Democratic Party politician) (different given name characters 渡部恒三) who was nicknamed "Kennedy" in the diet, while Kozo Watanabe (born 1942) was known as the spokesman of the Etsuzankai (ja:越山会) associated with Kakuei Tanaka. He was elected in Niigata Prefecture's 2nd Electoral District in 1972 and served in vice-minister posts at the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (Japan) and the Ministry of Construction (Japan).
Tasuku Honjo (本庶 佑, Honjo Tasuku; born January 27, 1942) is a Japanese physician-scientist and immunologist. He won the…Tasuku Honjo (本庶 佑, Honjo Tasuku; born January 27, 1942) is a Japanese physician-scientist and immunologist. He won the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine and is best known for his identification of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1). He is also known for his molecular identification of cytokines IL-4 and IL-5, as well as the discovery of activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) that is essential for class switch recombination and somatic hypermutation. He was elected as an international member of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States in 2001, a member of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina in 2003, and as a member of the Japan Academy in 2005. In 2018, he was awarded a Nobel Prize with James P. Allison. He and Allison together had won the 2014 Tang Prize in Biopharmaceutical Science for the same achievement.
Kenichi Shinoda (篠田 建市, Shinoda Ken'ichi; born January 25, 1942), also known as Shinobu Tsukasa (司 忍, Tsukasa Shinobu)…Kenichi Shinoda (篠田 建市, Shinoda Ken'ichi; born January 25, 1942), also known as Shinobu Tsukasa (司 忍, Tsukasa Shinobu), is a Japanese yakuza and the sixth and current kumicho (supreme kingpin, or chairman) of the Yamaguchi-gumi, Japan's largest yakuza organization.
Michihiko Kano (鹿野道彦, Kano Michihiko; 24 January 1942 – 21 October 2021) was a Japanese politician of the Democratic…Michihiko Kano (鹿野道彦, Kano Michihiko; 24 January 1942 – 21 October 2021) was a Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of Japan who served as the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries twice. He lost his seat in the 16 December 2012 general election. Kano was born in Yamagata. He graduated from Gakushuin University. After period of illness, Michihiko Kano died on 21 October 2021 in a hospital in Yamagata City; he was 79.
Katsuhiko Kumazaki (熊﨑 勝彦, Kumazaki Katsuhiko; January 24, 1942 – May 13, 2022) was the commissioner for the Nippon…Katsuhiko Kumazaki (熊﨑 勝彦, Kumazaki Katsuhiko; January 24, 1942 – May 13, 2022) was the commissioner for the Nippon Professional Baseball league. He served as the Commissioner of Baseball (NPB) between 2014 and 2017. He handed out punishments for many reasons, including gambling. He was key in the return of baseball to the 2020 Olympics.
Junji Kunishige (國重 純二, Kunishige Junji; January 20, 1942 – December 14, 2013) was a Japanese scholar and translator of…Junji Kunishige (國重 純二, Kunishige Junji; January 20, 1942 – December 14, 2013) was a Japanese scholar and translator of American literature.
Koji Watanabe (渡邊康二, Watanabe Kōji; born 19 January 1942) is a Japanese former international tennis player. He won four…Koji Watanabe (渡邊康二, Watanabe Kōji; born 19 January 1942) is a Japanese former international tennis player. He won four career singles titles (1966–1969).
Hajime Satomi (里見 治, Satomi Hajime; born January 16, 1942) is a Japanese businessman. Satomi is known as the founder of…Hajime Satomi (里見 治, Satomi Hajime; born January 16, 1942) is a Japanese businessman. Satomi is known as the founder of Sammy Corporation, which merged with the Japan-based video game and arcade game producer Sega to form the holding company Sega Sammy Holdings. He is among the 50 richest people in Japan, and is a top-ranked owner of Thoroughbred horses, such as Satono Diamond.
Naotaka Shinfuku is a Japanese psychiatrist recognized for his significant contributions to the field of mental health…Naotaka Shinfuku is a Japanese psychiatrist recognized for his significant contributions to the field of mental health, particularly in Asia. He is known for his work in community mental health, disaster mental health, psychotropic prescription patterns, and the history of mental health services in Japan. Naotaka Shinfuku was the founding President of the Asian Federation of Psychiatric Associations (AFPA) and initiated the Research on Asian Psychotropic Prescription Pattern (REAP).
Masatada Tsuchiya (土屋 正忠, Tsuchiya Masatada; born 13 January 1942) is a former Japanese lawmaker from the Liberal…Masatada Tsuchiya (土屋 正忠, Tsuchiya Masatada; born 13 January 1942) is a former Japanese lawmaker from the Liberal Democratic Party who lost his single member district seat in the House of Representatives to Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan member Naoto Kan in the October 2017 general election by 1,046 votes.
Masao Komatsu (Japanese: 小松政夫, Hepburn: Masao Komatsu; 10 January 1942 – 7 December 2020) was a Japanese actor and…Masao Komatsu (Japanese: 小松政夫, Hepburn: Masao Komatsu; 10 January 1942 – 7 December 2020) was a Japanese actor and comedian.
Haruki Kadokawa (角川 春樹, Kadokawa Haruki; born January 8, 1942, in Tokyo) is a Japanese entrepreneur and filmmaker. He…Haruki Kadokawa (角川 春樹, Kadokawa Haruki; born January 8, 1942, in Tokyo) is a Japanese entrepreneur and filmmaker. He is the son of Genyoshi Kadokawa, the founder of the publishing company Kadokawa Shoten. He took over as president of the company in 1975 after his father's death. He entered the film industry as a producer and introduced a technique called media mix, which involved mass promotion and talent scouting for new artists in publishing, film, and television. In 1993, he was arrested for drug smuggling. He resigned as president of Kadokawa Shoten, founding Kadokawa Haruki Corporation instead.
Junichiro Koizumi ( koy-ZOO-mee; 小泉 純一郎, Koizumi Jun'ichirō [ko̞iꜜzɨmʲi (d)ʑɨ̃ɰ̃iꜜtɕiɾo̞ː]; born 8 January 1942) is a…Junichiro Koizumi ( koy-ZOO-mee; 小泉 純一郎, Koizumi Jun'ichirō [ko̞iꜜzɨmʲi (d)ʑɨ̃ɰ̃iꜜtɕiɾo̞ː]; born 8 January 1942) is a Japanese retired politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan and president of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) from 2001 to 2006. He retired from politics in 2009. He is the sixth-longest serving and second longest-uninterrupted serving Prime Minister in Japanese history. Coming from the prominent Koizumi family, Koizumi was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1972. He became the Parliamentary Vice Minister of Finance in 1979, before gaining his ministerial post in 1988 as Minister of Health and Welfare, which he served until 1989. He served as the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications from 1992 to 1993, and again as the Minister of Health and Welfare from 1996 to 1998. During this time, he became part of a new LDP faction, Shinseiki, and ran in the LDP leadership elections of 1995 and 1998, losing both times. In 2001, he again contested the LDP leadership, which he won. Widely seen as a maverick leader of the LDP upon his election to the position in 2001, Koizumi became known as a neoliberal economic reformer, focusing on reducing Japan's government debt and the privatisation of the Japan Post. In the 2005 election, Koizumi led the LDP to win one of the largest parliamentary majorities in modern Japanese history. Koizumi also attracted international attention through his deployment of the Japan Self-Defense Forces to Iraq, and through his visits to the Yasukuni Shrine that fueled diplomatic tensions with neighbouring China and South Korea. Koizumi resigned as prime minister in 2006. Although Koizumi maintained a low profile for several years after he left office, he returned to national attention in 2013 as an advocate for abandoning nuclear power in Japan, in the wake of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, which contrasted with the pro-nuclear views espoused by the LDP governments both during and after Koizumi's term in office.
Shigetada Nakanishi (born January 7, 1942) is a Japanese biochemist and neuroscientist. Both a medical doctor and…Shigetada Nakanishi (born January 7, 1942) is a Japanese biochemist and neuroscientist. Both a medical doctor and biomedical researcher by training, Nakanishi is the director of the Osaka Bioscience Institute and professor emeritus at Kyoto University. He has received several scientific awards for his research in neuroscience, having characterized the molecular structure or function of several protein receptors. He is a foreign associate of the National Academy of Sciences and a foreign honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in the U.S.
Takao Nishiyama (西山 孝朗, Nishiyama Takao; born January 7, 1942) is a former Japanese football player. He played for…Takao Nishiyama (西山 孝朗, Nishiyama Takao; born January 7, 1942) is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team.
Nobuo Satō (佐藤 信夫, Satō Nobuo; born January 3, 1942 in Osaka) is a Japanese figure skater and coach. He is a ten-time…Nobuo Satō (佐藤 信夫, Satō Nobuo; born January 3, 1942 in Osaka) is a Japanese figure skater and coach. He is a ten-time Japanese national champion. He represented Japan at the 1960 Winter Olympics, where he placed 14th, and at the 1964 Winter Olympics, where he placed 8th. His best finish at the World Championships was 4th in 1965. He is married to Kumiko Okawa, and as of 2011 the couple lives near Yokohama. Their daughter is Yuka Sato, the 1994 World Champion. Along with Machiko Yamada, he is one of the most successful coaches in Japan. His current and former students include Miki Ando, Mao Asada, Shoko Ishikawa, Hirokazu Kobayashi, Takahiko Kozuka, Yukari Nakano, Yuka Sato, Marin Honda, Kao Miura, Wun-Chang Shih, and Fumie Suguri. In February 2010, he was elected to the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame.
Kunitake Andō (安藤 国威, Andō Kunitake; born January 1, 1942) is a Japanese businessman. As of 2026, he serves as the…Kunitake Andō (安藤 国威, Andō Kunitake; born January 1, 1942) is a Japanese businessman. As of 2026, he serves as the honorable chairman of BJIT Group and served as the president & COO of Sony Corporation from 2000 to 2005. Andō is from Aichi Prefecture and graduated from University of Tokyo. Having been a Sony employee since 1969, he first served on the board from 1994 to 1997, when he was removed as part of the massive reduction in the size of the board initiated by Sony president Nobuyuki Idei. He did not return to the board until he succeeded Idei as president, even though he was named Executive Deputy President and Chief Operating Officer in April, 2000. His secondary title was altered to Group Chief Operating Officer in 2003 and to Global Hub President in 2004. On March 7, 2005, it was announced that he would step down to become an adviser, with Ryōji Chūbachi succeeding him as president. He also served as Chairman of The University of Nagano in Nagano, Japan.
Taiji Arita (有田 泰而, Arita Taiji; 1941–2011) was a Japanese commercial photographer who exhibited non-commercial nudes…Taiji Arita (有田 泰而, Arita Taiji; 1941–2011) was a Japanese commercial photographer who exhibited non-commercial nudes and other work, and later a painter and sculptor.
Koichi Mizushima (水島公一, Mizushima Kōichi; born January 30, 1941) is a Japanese researcher known for discovering lithium…Koichi Mizushima (水島公一, Mizushima Kōichi; born January 30, 1941) is a Japanese researcher known for discovering lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2) and related materials for the lithium-ion battery (Li-ion battery). He was affiliated with the University of Tokyo before he went on to work for Toshiba.
Yorikane Masumoto (桝本 頼兼, Masumoto Yorikane; born January 29, 1941) is a Japanese politician who was mayor of Kyoto…Yorikane Masumoto (桝本 頼兼, Masumoto Yorikane; born January 29, 1941) is a Japanese politician who was mayor of Kyoto from 1996 to 2008. A graduate of Chuo University, he was first elected in February 1996. After three full terms in office he did not run again in the 2008 mayoral election.
Seiji Kihara (born 15 January 1941) is a Japanese field hockey player. He competed at the 1960 Summer Olympics and the…Seiji Kihara (born 15 January 1941) is a Japanese field hockey player. He competed at the 1960 Summer Olympics and the 1964 Summer Olympics.
Yoriko Kawaguchi (川口 順子, Kawaguchi Yoriko; born 14 January 1941) is a Japanese politician and former economist, who…Yoriko Kawaguchi (川口 順子, Kawaguchi Yoriko; born 14 January 1941) is a Japanese politician and former economist, who served as a Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2002 to 2004 and continued as a special advisor to then-Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi for foreign affairs from 2004 to 2005. A member of Liberal Democratic Party, she previously served as a Japanese Minister of the Environment from 2000 to 2002. She was also a member of the House of Councillors for Liberal Democratic Party from 2005 to 2013. In July 2008, she was appointed co-chair of a new International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament, with former Australian Foreign Minister Gareth Evans. Currently, she is a professor at Meiji Institute for Global Affairs, Meiji University in Tokyo.
Kazuo Imanishi (今西 和男, Imanishi Kazuo; January 12, 1941 – April 16, 2026) was a Japanese football player and manager. A…Kazuo Imanishi (今西 和男, Imanishi Kazuo; January 12, 1941 – April 16, 2026) was a Japanese football player and manager. A defender, he played for Toyo Industries and made three appearances for the Japan national team.
Akira Fujii (藤井 旭, Fujii Akira; 12 January 1941 – 28 December 2022) was a Japanese astrophotographer and astronomer.…Akira Fujii (藤井 旭, Fujii Akira; 12 January 1941 – 28 December 2022) was a Japanese astrophotographer and astronomer. PBS has described him as "the world's foremost wide-angle astrophotographer". Fujii graduated from Tama Art University in 1961, and began working at observatories, producing a substantial bibliography of general-audience astronomy books. In 1974, Fujii began Japan's first star party, the "Invitation to Starlit Skies", which he hosted on Mount Azuma until 1984. Fujii's work is marketed by David Malin; he collaborated with Serge Brunier in the production of 2001's Great Atlas of the Stars. The main-belt asteroid 3872 Akirafujii is named in his honor. Fujii died on 28 December 2022, at the age of 81.
Motosuke Takahashi (高橋 資祐, Takahashi Motosuke; January 11, 1941 – November 8, 2007) was a Japanese animation director…Motosuke Takahashi (高橋 資祐, Takahashi Motosuke; January 11, 1941 – November 8, 2007) was a Japanese animation director, animator, storyboard artist, and character designer. He died of lung cancer on November 8, 2007.
Yoshio Okamoto (岡本佳男; born 10 January 1941) is a Japanese chemist, who was awarded the 2019 Japan Prize for his…Yoshio Okamoto (岡本佳男; born 10 January 1941) is a Japanese chemist, who was awarded the 2019 Japan Prize for his groundbreaking work in asymmetric polymerization and its practical applications in drug discovery. Okamoto was the first to prove that synthetic polymer conformations could be controllable, publishing work on asymmetric polymerization from 1979 onwards. This led to the development by Okamoto and others of helical polymers for use in high performance liquid chromatography columns (HPLC), enabling easy separation of chiral drug molecules.
Takahiro Yokomichi (横路 孝弘, Yokomichi Takahiro; 3 January 1941 – 2 February 2023) was a Japanese politician who belonged…Takahiro Yokomichi (横路 孝弘, Yokomichi Takahiro; 3 January 1941 – 2 February 2023) was a Japanese politician who belonged to the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) and was a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Sapporo, Hokkaidō, and graduate of the University of Tokyo, he was elected to the first of his five terms in the House of Representatives in 1969 as a member of the Japan Socialist Party in the electoral district of his late father Setsuo. He left the House of Representatives and was elected to be the Governor of Hokkaidō. He served for three terms from 1983 to 1995. After finishing his term as governor, he left the Socialist Party, joining the DPJ. In 1996 he was re-elected to the House of Representatives. He was the leader of the most left-leaning faction in the DPJ. After the victory of 2009 elections, then-DPJ President Yukio Hatoyama named him as the next house speaker. In the 2012 general election Yokomichi lost his single-seat electorate but retained a seat in the Diet through the proportional representation system. He managed to regain his seat in the 2014 election and held it until he retired in 2017.
Shima Iwashita (Japanese: 岩下志麻, Hepburn: Iwashita Shima; born 3 January 1941) is a Japanese stage and film actress who…Shima Iwashita (Japanese: 岩下志麻, Hepburn: Iwashita Shima; born 3 January 1941) is a Japanese stage and film actress who has appeared in films of Yasujirō Ozu, Keisuke Kinoshita, Masaki Kobayashi and most frequently of Masahiro Shinoda, her husband. She is best known for starring in the Yakuza Wives series of yakuza films between 1986 and 1998. In 2000, Iwashita ranked tenth on Kinema Junpo's readers' poll of the top female movie stars of the 20th century. In 2025, she was ranked fourth in a poll conducted by Sankei Shimbun on the top actresses of the Shōwa era.
Kazuyoshi Akiyama (秋山 和慶, Akiyama Kazuyoshi; January 2, 1941 – January 26, 2025) was a Japanese conductor who held…Kazuyoshi Akiyama (秋山 和慶, Akiyama Kazuyoshi; January 2, 1941 – January 26, 2025) was a Japanese conductor who held conducting posts of symphony orchestras in Japan, Canada and the U.S., such as the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra from 1964 for life, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra from 1972 to 1985, the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra from 1985 to 1993, and the Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra from 1998. Akiyama conducted the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra in the Japanese premieres of Schoenberg's Moses und Aron, John Adams's El Niño and Helmut Lachenmann's Das Mädchen mit den Schwefelhölzern, among others.
Kazue Sawai (沢井 一恵, Sawai Kazue; 1 January 1941 – 15 February 2026) was a Japanese koto player noted for her…Kazue Sawai (沢井 一恵, Sawai Kazue; 1 January 1941 – 15 February 2026) was a Japanese koto player noted for her performance of contemporary classical music and free improvisation.
Kunimitsu Takahashi (Shinjitai: 高橋 国光, Takahashi Kunimitsu; 29 January 1940 – 16 March 2022) was a Japanese…Kunimitsu Takahashi (Shinjitai: 高橋 国光, Takahashi Kunimitsu; 29 January 1940 – 16 March 2022) was a Japanese professional motorcycle road racer, racing driver, and team manager. Nicknamed "Kuni-san", he is known as the "father of drifting". Takahashi's racing career lasted from 1958 to 1999. He competed on motorcycles between 1958 and 1963, during which he became the first Japanese rider to win a World Grand Prix, taking four world-level wins in total. Injuries sustained in a crash in 1962 led to him switching to four-wheels in 1965, after which he won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in class, become a four-time All-Japan Sports Prototype Champion, and won in Japanese Top Formula, JTC, and JGTC. His final victory as a driver came in 1999 at the age of 59. Takahashi's racing team, Team Kunimitsu, has won multiple championships in Super GT. He was the chairman of the GT Association, the organizers of the Super GT series, from 1993 to 2007.
Kyoko Nakayama (中山 恭子, Nakayama Kyōko; born 26 January 1940) is a Japanese politician and a former leader of the Party…Kyoko Nakayama (中山 恭子, Nakayama Kyōko; born 26 January 1940) is a Japanese politician and a former leader of the Party for Japanese Kokoro. In the past she has been a member of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Sunrise Party of Japan and Japan Restoration Party and is serving her second term as a member of the House of Councillors (Upper House) in the Diet (national legislature). She was Special Advisor to the Prime Minister (naikaku sōri-daijin hosakan) for the North Korean abduction issue under Junichiro Koizumi, beginning in 2002. She left the post in 2004 but was reappointed by Shinzō Abe in 2006. She was appointed by Yasuo Fukuda as State Minister in charge of the Population and Gender Equality Issues on August 1, 2008.
Raita Ryu (竜 雷太, Ryū Raita; born January 21, 1940 in Osaka as Tatsuo Hasegawa (長谷川 龍男, Hasegawa Tatsuo)) is a Japanese…Raita Ryu (竜 雷太, Ryū Raita; born January 21, 1940 in Osaka as Tatsuo Hasegawa (長谷川 龍男, Hasegawa Tatsuo)) is a Japanese actor. He is well known for his role as Gorisan (Detective Ishizuka) in Taiyō ni Hoero!. He has a son Yōhei Hasegawa (長谷川 陽平, Hasegawa Yōhei), who is a musician and guitarist. Once, he belonged to Toshiro Mifune's production company.
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.
Akira Nishino (西野 陽, Nishino Akira; born 15 January 1940) is a retired Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic…Akira Nishino (西野 陽, Nishino Akira; born 15 January 1940) is a retired 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 Higashiōsaka, Osaka and graduate of Kansai University he was elected to the assembly of Osaka Prefecture for the first time in 1975. In 1993 he unsuccessfully ran for the House of Representatives as a member of the LDP. He ran again in 1996, this time as a member of the now-defunct New Frontier Party, and was elected for the first time. He later joined the LDP.